First Entry
Black and white photography is a deja vu experience for me. Some 35 years ago I registered for a beginning photography class at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. I was an adult flanked by college kids in a huge auditorium. It was odd but kind of refreshing.
I had a blast. Everything to gain and nothing to lose. No grade point average to worry about, no competing classes to study for, and plenty of time to read and complete the assignments. What could be better!
The class included both lecture and darkroom practical. I spent hours taking photos, developing black and white film, and making prints.
It didn’t take long to decide I needed my own darkroom. I hired an electrician friend to run power to a small storage room attached to the house. We cut a hole in the outside wall and added an air conditioner - a most have in an airtight room in Arizona!
I spent hours in there. Time just sped by.
Soon I was registered for an intermediate class. I learned new techniques and more about the creative process. There were more outings, more film developing and more prints made.
Steadily the darkroom routine faded away bit by bit as life and work demands increased. But I never stopped taking photographs.
Fast forward 35 years and here I am fully immersed in online webinars and books about digital black and white photography. No film to develop these days but hours in the field and in front of the computer sorting, editing and finalizing black and white photos.
I’m still having a blast!
The return to black and photography is refreshing. In some ways the art form is more demanding. It requires more attention to composition, field technique and print output.
Paulina Peak Sunset 171838LND800BW
Composition has to be spot on for black and white photography to attract attention. Without color to entice the viewer into the frame, black and white images reply on a compelling composition and dramatic light.
My field capture technique is different too. Visualizing in black and white has always come pretty easy to me, but I had to restudy how colors translated to shades of black, white and gray.
Traditional black and white images are meant to be printed to paper. You might think paper is all alike but you would be wrong. It took me weeks to sort through photography paper literature. Fiber-based versus resin coated, textured versus smooth, glossy versus satin, cotton versus alpha cellulose, Baryta-layered versus not, and inkjet versus wet processing … just a few topics to research.
So this is it. I’m launching a new venture, Steve J. Giardini Black & White Fine Art Photography. The new direction is narrowly focused. The goal is to create the highest quality black and white photo prints possible. From image capture to print creation attention will be on the details.
Here’s what to expect.
Only top images will be considered for the portfolio.
The best black & white computer editing software and techniques will be used.
All prints will be created under my direction by a top printmaker with state-of-the-art printers.
Museum quality, acid-free, lignin-free archival papers and inks with longevity of 100+ years will be used.
All prints will be ink signed and titled.
A Certificate of Authenticity will be issued with each print.
Collector Limited Edition images with a maximum of 100 print circulation will be offered.
A warranty will be offered with each print sold.
For those who prefer color photos rest assured I will still be creating and producing open series, digital signature color prints on metal, canvas and paper. The color image website will continue and will be maintained with new images and print purchase options.
Here’s the new black and white site. Let me know what you think.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.
Cheers,
Steve
steve@giardiniphotography.com
480.204.3109
