Sorry about the infrequent posting! As the semester comes to a close I am been crazy busy preparing for my final exhibition! That means: lots of time in the darkroom...So many hours!
I am also working on several other projects. One is a book of aerial photographs I have been working on for three years. Today, it was finally ready to go to the publisher. My mentor, Miroslav, introduced me to a former student of his and now prominent printer and photographer, Mr. S. He prints entirely on archival paper. None of this glossy paper, plastic coating crap. Just beautiful old fashioned paper. This is really important for this particular book because the photographs concentrate on texture and line. I wanted heavy paper, one where you could see the grain and fiber under the ink and around the borders. Mr. S helped me pick lovely 320gram paper (that's really heavy). It's perfect!
I arrived at the studio at 10:30am and we looked over the photographs and I described the paper I needed. We pulled out some papers to choose from, and a second round, and mixed and matched. He treated me like a VIP client, not a student. I suspect it was out of respect for his former teacher, Miroslav, who is truly loved around Prague. Every photographer in Prague worth his salt has worked with Miroslav and those students who are too young to have studied under him envy me for having the chance. I am so grateful for getting to work with him. Miroslav knows so much, it has been such a great experience.
But back to my day with Mr. S, the printer: after we picked the paper, he basically taught me how to create books and the basics of preparing photographs for printing until 3pm. He took 4 hours (!!!) out of his day to mentor me on information that would not only help me with our current project but also with endeavors in the future. I just couldn't help thinking that in the US, something like that (a professional donating that much time out of their day) would seldom happen. That lesson was a lovely surprise and gift.
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