Roman Loranc - exhibit opening - San Anselmo Dec 13

[Tony Karnezis]

Agreed wholeheartedly. Sorry I missed you Tracy. I came and left early.

[David Karp]

My wife and I saw his work many years ago at the old "The F Stops Here" in Santa Barbara. It was just lying in a rack, each matted photo covered in plastic. The photos, of course, were beautiful. We decided not to buy. Huge mistake. Not only would we have something beautiful, it would have been a far better investment than anything we purchased for our IRAs!

[Merg Ross]

My wife and I saw his work many years ago at the old "The F Stops Here" in Santa Barbara. It was just lying in a rack, each matted photo covered in plastic. The photos, of course, were beautiful. We decided not to buy. Huge mistake. Not only would we have something beautiful, it would have been a far better investment than anything we purchased for our IRAs!

Dave, I recall similar racks at the Focus Gallery on Union Street in San Francisco. It was during the Summer of Love, and the racks had plastic covered prints ranging in price from $25 to $40. Among them were prints by: Brett Weston, Wynn Bullock, Imogen Cunningham, and the usual suspects. They were all beyond our means, but every time I see Brett's photograph of Garrapata Beach, I think, "what if". It was $35, a beautiful 8x10 contact print.

[David Karp]

Thanks Merg. I feel better. Sort of. At least I have a copy of "Two Hearted Oak" to look at!

I love Brett Weston's photos. It would have been nice to be able to scrape together $35!

As an aside: My neighbor's mom was a Weston family friend. He has copies of some of Brett's X-Mas cards (original prints), and Cole's as well (also originals - family photos). Very cool.

[Bill_1856]

I bought a discounted copy of "Two-Hearted Oak" when it was first published (MSRP=$39.95). I really loved the book, and when I was looking around some years later for a suitable Christmas present for my Family Doctor, who is Polish, I gave her my copy and immediately set about to replace it with one for myself.
I figured that it had probably been remaindered by then, and expected to find another copy for ten or twenty bucks. Oh Boy, was I flabbergasted to find that not only was it out of print, but the few copies on the market were selling for $200-$400!
Eventually I ran across a still-wrapped copy for $75 and snapped it up , but it was quite an eye-opener!
It's probably my 2nd favorite photography book, next to Paul Strand's "Time in New England."

[Merg Ross]

I have just received word that this little gem of a gallery will be closing its doors at the end of January. The present state of the economy was given as the reason. Unfortunately, this may be the beginning of a trend for many of the galleries devoted to the display of photography. It has happened before, and in time, new galleries will emerge.

[Brad Rippe]

I'm very bummed about this. I spoke with the owner and he is hoping to keep the space for now. Hopefully the gallery will reopen with an improving economy.

Does anyone have ideas how we as photographers can help these types of small local galleries thrive?

-Brad

[Merg Ross]

Brad, it has always been difficult for the small, independent galleries to survive for long. They depend on print sales, for the most part.

The galleries that seem to have the longest survival rate are membership galleries such as Viewpoint in Sacramento and Spectrum in Fresno, to name two with which I am familiar. The Center for Photographic Art in Carmel also has survived for many years but is currently in poor economic shape.

Aside from membership fees, these galleries rely heavily on annual print auctions for their income. This is an area where photographers can help, donating prints of their own or from their collections. Of course, monetary donations are also welcome.

I have seen so many galleries open and close over the years it makes me dizzy. However, there will always be those with the passion and courage to open yet another gallery devoted to the display and sale of photography.

[Alan Rabe]

The fact is that the general population just doesn't buy much Art, and virtually no photography. For Art it's likely economics, but I think the availablilty of quality cameras, particularly digital, that everyone now thinks they are photographers. They don't value photgraphs the way they once did. They just think that if they can find the spot they can take the same image.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

I'm offering the gallery some of the free space I have left in my next issue, which will be distributed at the AIPAD show. Hopefully it will help.