14 May 2009

 

Choosing enlargements

Last week, for Mother's Day, I had some enlargements made to frame and put on our walls. The London Drugs photo lab did a great job—certainly better than anything I could have accomplished on a home printer, and on proper Fuji photo paper too. Most are family shots, though I did choose one of my more arty images to turn into a 12x18" print. Here's what we picked:

Sledding at Forglen - 03
M portraitMiss L
Mt. Baker from the Fraser River HDR
Surf hug
L in the Focus

Some of those photos are digital, some film, some colour, some black-and-white. I don't think I would have so many favourite images to pick from, and be able to have them printed and framed so inexpensively, in any photographic age except this one.

Yet, in another way, they could have been taken almost anytime. Closeups of young faces, kids laughing on a snowy slope or a sandy beach, a fishing boat and distant volcano—all could have been 20 or 40 or 60 or 80 years ago, and much the same. I guess that's one reason I like them.

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# 9:10 PM

Comments:

Big Prints Rule.
# posted by Blogger Alastair Bird : 14 May, 2009 21:52
 
That last photo, the one with the seat belt, that dates it, places it at least early 80s. And then it hits me, what?, that's twenty years ago!
# posted by Blogger Rodger Levesque : 14 May, 2009 22:42
 
Closer to 30 years, Rodger!

Besides, we had shoulder belts in the front seats of our cars in the mid-'70s -- and Volvo introduced the first one in passenger cars in 1959, which is 50 years ago now.

Plus, the kids' snowsuits and boots are of modern designs and materials; colour films of this quality weren't available 80 years ago; HDR photography wasn't possible the way I did it...

I was speaking more generally of the subject matter, after all!
# posted by Blogger Derek : 14 May, 2009 22:54
 
I adored that photo of L when you first posted it and I adore it still.

Your blog has everything Derek - technology, great photography, attitude, information and personal stuff. It's always a Must Read.
# posted by Anonymous Jon Jennings : 15 May, 2009 00:37
 
Thanks Jon. Blogging seems to be a place where my scattered interests and puzzling storehouse of trivia are a benefit!
# posted by Blogger Derek : 15 May, 2009 08:16
 
I saw this documentary about prehistoric cave paintings. The legend is that when Picasso saw them he said, "We've learned nothing."
# posted by Blogger Rodger Levesque : 15 May, 2009 18:26
 
that b&w of L could totally be a Dorothea Lange from the 30's. If, you know, the dustbowl was a happy place with well-fed children and stuff.
# posted by Anonymous Tara Nelson : 17 May, 2009 09:21