Purple, because ice cream has no bones

[David R Munson]

Hi all,

I've sort of lurked here a few times in the last few months, but until now have largely been too preoccupied with other things to contribute. I seem to be starting to post more, though, so I figure an introduction is in order.

My name is David Munson and I'm 22, having just finished my degree in November. I finished my BSVC in commercial photography at Ohio University and am now working on moving on to the next big thing. Unfortunately, in the middle I need to find a job and get financially squared away, and with the job market being as it is at the moment, that's not going too well. No matter, though. The idea is to go to Japan for a while once I can afford to do so, hopefully getting my masters in media arts studies at Tokyo Polytechnic while I'm there. And until then I've got plenty to do with research projects, writing manifestos, making new images and what have you.

I've been seriously involved in photography since I was 13 or 14, started shooting MF at 15, LF at 16. At this point I seem to have abandoned 35mm altogether and am concentrating entirely on formats 645 and larger (up through 8x10). Some of you may know me from the Large Format forum.

I love traditional photography and see great value in it, but I don't pretend to only be interested in just that. I do a lot with digital photography as well and am also now expanding into media theory, which has me studying everything from cogntive psych to graphic design to Taoist philosophy to just about anything else you care to imagine. It would seem I'm not content with photography alone. And I consider that a wonderful thing.

So that's me...sort of. Here's to good discussion.

 

[Jim Chinn]

Welcome Dave.


I think for some lurkers and first time visitors here, there can be a misconception about a number of us with regards to traditional vs digital photography.

I can only speak for myself, but I think a number of individuals here share the same thoughts.

We love and support traditional because of the history, the craft, the process, the versatility, archival qualities and joy of working in a "wet" darkroom. For myself, digital does not provide the expressiveness that I desire and can get with traditional.

There is also the quality of actually working with materials with ones hands, like a sculpter or a painter, processing negatives, prints and manipulating light with ones hands. Traditional involves me in the process more from beginning to end product.

But I also recognize the potential, versatility and economy of digital. I own two digital cameras and plan to learn more and more about them. I also don't ignore the economics of digital in the commercial realm. But that is good for many of us because it provides a steady stream of used gear at bargain prices that we could only dream of owning a few years ago.

And there is the area of crossover, film scanned and output as inkjet prints,
digitally enlarging negatives for contact printing and altering negatives digitally and then "outputting" perfect negatives for easy printing.

SoI don't think it is so much about us vs them, as we may joke about or give the impression. We do care about preserving the medium for the future though.

Look forward to your postings,

Jim Chinn
Omaha