16 X 20 CAMERA
Broken down to its essence, a piece of art is made up of three elements: concept, composition and craftmanship. Craftsmanship is a vital part of my final product and one that is not easily conveyed on the web. I have included this section to explain how I work and why it is important to the final print.
Simply stated, I make in-camera 16" X 20" negatives. This is my chosen means of producing 16" X 20" platinum prints. This century-old process is less light sensitive than the more ubiquitous silver print, and therefore requires a contact print (i.e. a print the same size as the negative), rather than one that's been enlarged. For me, a contact print in platinum produces an object of richness and clarity that is simply not found in other photographic media.
I used an 8" x 10" camera for many years, making both platinum and silver gelatin prints. 8 x 10 cameras are fairly common among artists and can be used in the field with relative ease. The history and legacy of the view camera promotes a dicipline that fits the way I chose to work. In short, I found a suitable way of working and produced most of my early work this way.
During art school, a professor said to me "I'd like to see the images bigger." I wasn't about to give up contact printing, and was not interested in giving up platinum, so I considered the possibilities. Digitally-enlarged negatives were an idea, but they required more time in front of the computer and less in the field. After abandoning the darkroom for platinum I was not interested in returning to generate enlarged negatives. I soon began a three year process of building a 16" X 20" camera. I finished the camera in 2002, and have found the experience of using it enriching.
With digital technology the means for enlarging negatives is readily available, extremely accurate, and now, widely used. While I am cognizant of and fluid in the digital realm, my means of printmaking are as simple as ever. I use a 16" X 20" camera to produce large negatives. I avoid excess time in front of a computer and added time in the darkroom. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
http://www.scottbdavis.com/
Scott B. Davis: Los Angeles Night
All photographs are platinum prints measuring 16 by 20 inches. Each print is signed by the photographer and is from a limited edition of 10.
Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California — 2004
http://www.dawsonbooks.com/viewgallery.php?ID=36
Etherton Gallery
Scott B. Davis : The View From Here
Broken down to its essence, a piece of art is made up of three elements: concept, composition and craftmanship. Craftsmanship is a vital part of my final product and one that is not easily conveyed on the web. I have included this section to explain how I work and why it is important to the final print.
Simply stated, I make in-camera 16" X 20" negatives. This is my chosen means of producing 16" X 20" platinum prints. This century-old process is less light sensitive than the more ubiquitous silver print, and therefore requires a contact print (i.e. a print the same size as the negative), rather than one that's been enlarged. For me, a contact print in platinum produces an object of richness and clarity that is simply not found in other photographic media.
I used an 8" x 10" camera for many years, making both platinum and silver gelatin prints. 8 x 10 cameras are fairly common among artists and can be used in the field with relative ease. The history and legacy of the view camera promotes a dicipline that fits the way I chose to work. In short, I found a suitable way of working and produced most of my early work this way.
During art school, a professor said to me "I'd like to see the images bigger." I wasn't about to give up contact printing, and was not interested in giving up platinum, so I considered the possibilities. Digitally-enlarged negatives were an idea, but they required more time in front of the computer and less in the field. After abandoning the darkroom for platinum I was not interested in returning to generate enlarged negatives. I soon began a three year process of building a 16" X 20" camera. I finished the camera in 2002, and have found the experience of using it enriching.
With digital technology the means for enlarging negatives is readily available, extremely accurate, and now, widely used. While I am cognizant of and fluid in the digital realm, my means of printmaking are as simple as ever. I use a 16" X 20" camera to produce large negatives. I avoid excess time in front of a computer and added time in the darkroom. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
http://www.scottbdavis.com/
Scott B. Davis: Los Angeles Night
All photographs are platinum prints measuring 16 by 20 inches. Each print is signed by the photographer and is from a limited edition of 10.
Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California — 2004
http://www.dawsonbooks.com/viewgallery.php?ID=36
Etherton Gallery
Scott B. Davis : The View From Here
