When a photographer makes the final print, the work fully
his or her own. The words of Ansel Adams, that the negative
(transparency) is like a musical score and the print is
the performance is true. When I make a print I am often
astounded by how much it departs from the original transparency,
or how much it varies from previous prints. In the field,
photography is the art of seeing; in the studio it is the
art of print making. I want the viewer to see what I saw
and feel what I felt in the most compelling way. Since there
really is no "true representation" in any art
form, each step of the process is a translation, an evolution
towards self-expression.
I spent ten years mastering Ilfochrome (Cibachrome) printing,
which at one time was the most stable and colorful color
printing process available. Over the past nine years I have
been learning digital processes, scanning my film transparencies
and fine tuning them in photoshop in preparation for printing.
Digital photography gives me more control over the subtleties
of color, value and contrast throughout the entire image
than is possible in the darkroom; they are much sharper; and the prints are more archival. The digital process also
allows me to assemble my multi-part panoramas into one frame.
All of the images in this website are available digitally, and some of them as Illfochromes. I also have many Illfochrome prints not on this site, that can be viewed at my studio in Boulder, Colorado.
1. ILFOCHROME: Dramatic, highly glossy
prints with a strong color palette and great depth with
rich tones, made in the wet darkroom by enlarger from a
color transparency in analog fashion. I control sharpness,
contrast, and hence color, by a process called unsharp masking.
These prints can be hung for viewing for 25-40 years without
noticeable changes in color. They will last indefinitely
in dark storage. I am not making these prints any longer, but some images are still available in this medium. Inquire.
2. INKJET/ GLICEE: made from a film original which I scan on a drum scanner at very high resolution, and correct in Photoshop. As I make
these myself in my studio, I have complete control over the final
print. I prefer the very smooth, bright white, matte surface,
acid-free and 100% cotton rag papers, which yield a large color palette
with excellent resolution, which is very accessible to the
eye. Sizes up to 8 feet long are
available. Inkjet prints are sharper, longer lasting and
more carefully controlled than darkroom prints. Also known
as giclee prints.
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ORDERING -
Images on my web site can be ordered in
any size. I have hundreds of prints
from the many locations and the different categories listed
on the site, and of course, the best way to see them is
visit my studio in Boulder, Colorado. I am a one-person
studio so special orders take 2-6 weeks. These
are all very painstakingly hand-made prints, made to the highest standards
of craftsmanship. The square pictures are made from a 2 1/4"
size original transparency, the rectangular ones from a
4x5" transparency, and the panoramas from multiple transparencies.
They all have excellent sharpness and detail. While it is
impossible to make the internet images match an original
print, they are a close representation in overall color,
value and spirit. I can have prints larges than these sizes made under my supervision, to the same standards. Please contact me if you have special
needs or questions.
- PRICES -
I make prints from 11x11" and up. Email me for prices for your particular needs. CB@ChrisBrownPhotography.com
