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Thread: Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

  1. #21

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    I destroy negatives that I don't want, though not immediately. I keep the negatives and contacts around long enough to learn what I did wrong. Sometimes it can take me months to learn why a certain image doesn't work; sometimes I realize that the image does work. For me, throwing bad negatives away is cathartic. It means that I believe that I can do better and there's no reason to waste time or storage on dead wood. It's always better to look forward at new possibilities than backwards.

    Cheers, James

  2. #22

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Toss 'em.

    Some people do know about Brett's negatives. Many of Brett's negatives were already destroyed before the celebrated burning. And thousands were disposed of that day--before the burning. As Merg Ross, who was there, said, only a few were actually burned. Over 60 carefully selected negatives are at the Center for Creative Photography. All of the negatives made after his 80th birthday survive.

    For those interested in Brett's work, we (Paula Chamlee and myself as Lodima Press) are publishing an affordable 19-volume series of the Portfolios of Brett Weston. Each volume in the series will be of one portfolio. The photographs will be printed full size in 600-line screen quadtone—exceptional reproductions. And the portfolio cases and text, if any, will be reproduced in facsimile. The art historian Roger Aikin has written an essay for the first volume—San Francisco. Subscribers to the series pay only $29.95. There are only 100 hard bound copies--all sold out--and only 1,000 soft bound copies. All will be collector's items. They are going fast. More info at www.lodimapress.com.

  3. #23

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    As some have already stated, Brett Weston did in fact burn a few "ceremonial" negatives at his 80th birthday party. Brett also discovered negatives were very difficult to burn. Cole Weston told many of us who attended his workshops how the majority of Brett's negatives were destroyed. Cole, Brett and several others dumped the majority of Brett's life work of negatives into 55 gallon drums of water. The negatives were destroyed when the water caused the emulsion to float off the support.
    Cole showed Brett's negatives at his workshops for several years. Cole's collection of Brett's negatives included such classics as "Holland Canal," "Ford Tri-Motor" and "Garrapata Beach." Although holes were punched in the negatives at the four corners and were signed by Brett with the statement, "Not to be printed," Cole had a good sense of humor and poked fun at his brother by making contact prints of several of them. "I can print his *&#@ negatives," Cole loved to boast.
    As previously stated the Center For Creative Photography in Tucson does have 60 + Brett Weston negatives in their archives. Since they can never be printed, the CCP selected negatives for prints Brett had published in book form. In this way, future researchers will have the books and negatives for comparison purposes.

  4. #24

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    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Pitch 'em.

    It's actually very satisfying, and it contributes to a sense of caring about doing only one's best work. If it's not the best that I can do, it's not worth saving.

    I also find glee in tossing extras of best prints. Why do I need more than two of any image? If the world beats down my door wanting a particular image (I can hear them now...), I'll print it again, and probably better than I did before. Implied is that I keep negatives. True. Notebooks full of them.

    Easier on storage space that way. I've also gone to 2-ply mat board for the keepers to save space.
    Bruce Barlow
    author of "Finely Focused" and "Exercises in Photographic Composition"
    www.brucewbarlow.com

  5. #25

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Since they can never be printed, the CCP selected negatives for prints Brett had published in book form.

    I know I am going to get flamed here, but what the heck good does it do to "donate" negatives that can never be printed again? I am not sure, but I beleive at AU the students (and I am sure they must fullfill some requirements) can use the AA negatives to make prints, this IMO is useful and has some didactic purpose to donate negatives. Maybe nobody can print the Weston negatives as they did, but then again who is to say someone cannot print them even better?

    I know some of you will think of me as an unwashed heretic, but this "donations" smack to me of too much self importance. This Weston adulation is starting to get really, really boring. Yes, they were great photographers, and yes they had some great images, but isnt it time we move on? How many more books about the Westons do we need? IMO presently we have the greatest concentration of photographers doing extraordinary work that far surpases anything Weston or Adams did, heck some even frequent this forum. A good example is Per V. Here is a guy who has overcome great personal adversity, yet he is still at it and sharing his knowledge to the point of giving free workshops. Now this is a person I think would make an interesting reading about his life, motivation and insights.

    So I am sorry Michael, but I am not buying. Let me know when you give a break to a complete unknown and publish his prints on a book, I might buy a book then. But no more Weston for me.....

    PS. Sorry Ed for the OT rant....please go back to your regularly scheduled thread... :-)

  6. #26

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Brett's position makes a lot of sense. He once said, " I don't care if someone can print my negatives better. It would no longer be my work."

    Well, Jorge, we have published major books by Richard Copeland Miller (35mm work) and by the Australian photographer, Peter Elliston. Ever heard of them?

    And this fall we will publish a book of the photographs of Alejandro Lopez de Haro R, a Venezuelan photographer who makes platinum prints. Ever heard of him?

    And we have plans to publish books many, many books by relatively unknown or totally unknown photographers in our inexpensive (only $19.95 for subscribers) Lodima Press Portfolio Book series. But first we are publishing the work of established photographers: Nick Nixon, Carl Chiarenza, George Tice, Linda Connor, Jerry Uelsmann, Larry Fink, Abelardo Morell, and on and on until we get sufficient subscriptions to cover our costs. By waiting until we have many subscriptions it will insure that the books by the unknown photographers will get into the hands of people truly interested in fine photography. And, hopefully, these photographers will then become known. If we published the unknowns' work too early in the series, before subscriptions are up there, the books might not sell and it would not serve the photographers well. So, don't buy the Brett Weston series. But for $20 plus shipping, why not subscribe to the Portfolio Book Series--it will help get unknown photographers pubished that much quicker.

  7. #27

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    " I don't care if someone can print my negatives better. It would no longer be my work."

    I agree, but then what made him think anybody would think of it as his work? I dont have a problem if they think their prints are too special and desire not to have them seen in any other interpretation. But why donate the negatives if they cannot be used any longer? Seems to me a usless gesture. In the end I guess it does not matter. I just find this obsession with the Westons weird.

    Now I did not know about your other books, I admit I have not visited your book site. I just might check them out and see if there is anything I like. I will say that the book you sent to me was very well printed and you indicate these are even better, so if the content is good I am sure they are worth the investment.

  8. #28

    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Michael, you have got to get someone to update your lodima web site. Of all the photographers you mentioned above, there are none featured in the web site. In your portfolio series, there is no indication as to how one can become a subscriber. It would also be nice if you included one or two pictures on the current portfolio. I am very reluctant to buy a photography book sight unseen without even a small example of what it would feature. Just my two cents, I think it would increase your sales.

  9. #29
    Resident Heretic Bruce Watson's Avatar
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    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Michael,

    Can't you make a post without turning it into an advertisement for your books? You have valuable knowledge that you can and sometimes do share, and that's always appreciated. The ads are just irritating however, and they diminish your message.

    Bruce Watson

  10. #30
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Editing by woodstove - what do you throw out?

    Getting back to the original topic (with all due apologies,) I save all my negatives. Though I may never print them again, occassional leafing through them can be a reminder of where I've been. They hold memories I enjoy revisiting, or an image of a landscape that has been "developed" or a friend who has passed on can hold meanings not earlier found.

    I may burn my negatives late in my life, and am in some ways sad that we no longer have nitrate film; each negative would make a satisfying "poof" as it met the flames. It may be a moment of personal meaning, but would be of little consequence outside that. I think we think too much of photographing for "posterity," if only because posterity can't send rejection notices back through time...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

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