Tag Archives: black and white photography

In the summer of 2022 I made a quick trip to Wilmington, NC. I was there to help some family members pack up and move out of town. It was a quick in and out over a weekend. I knew I would have one evening to myself so I planned on going down to Kure Beach to make some black and white photographs of the sand and surf.

Rippling sands in between the grass on Kure Beach, NC. (*Nikon N90s, Nikkor 24-35 AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

After a long hot couple of days of packing and loading I grabbed my gear with about 2 hours before sunset and headed out to Kure Beach. I knew there was a pier on the beach and some vehicle access but I had not been there before, so I didn’t really know what to expect. The sky was clear so there was no hope of getting a moody sky over the ocean. I had to work with what I had. I wasn’t disappointed when I arrived.

Kure Beach, NC sand ripples — Ripples in the sand at Kure Beach (*Nikon N90s, Nikkor 24-35 AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

The sun was long and golden, but setting pretty fast and getting softer and softer as my time on the beach went on. I started out with a roll of Kentmere 400. I had not shot this film before and wanted to give it a try to see how it held up. I normally shoot Kodak Tri-X, but I was looking for a new film to switch to because the cost of Tri-X has gotten a bit high for me to just throw in the camera and shoot.

After looking at the spec sheet of Kentmere 400 and the curve that Ilford provides I thought it could be a promising replacement. I love the way Tri-X has some separation from the mid tones from the blacks. Something about it is just fantastic. I was hoping Kentmere 400 could get close. All the other films I have tried up to this point were either too even (flat) in their tonal rendition or too expensive.

I started shooting the sand and the grass as the sun started heading down casting long raking light across the ripples revealing wonderful patterns and texture. I had to keep in mind to make sure I didn’t just walk over the sand and leave footprints all over, ruining any possible compositions. Metering was tricky for sure but I used the matrix meter on the shadow areas of the beach and decided to let the Kentmere 400 put the highlights where it wanted. I have to say I was pretty pleased with how this film handled it.

kite boarder Kure Beach, NC — Kite boarders race across the surf at Kure Beach, NC. (*Nikon N90s, Tokina 300 f4 AT-X AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

Once I was done with the sand and grass I started down the beach. There were a dozen or so kite surfers out jumping and carving the waves. What cool thing to watch. I stopped and pulled out my tripod and swapped my lens for my 300mm Tokina prime. Once I got set up these guys saw me and started showing off. What a treat. I was loosing some light as the sun kept dropping and my shutter speeds were just on the edge of too slow but I managed to get a couple acceptable shots.

kite surfer jumping in the air — Kite surfer jumping in the air over the waves at Kure Beach, NC. (*Nikon N90s, Tokina 300 f4 AT-X AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

There wasn’t many people on the beach that evening but I wanted to test the limits of the Kentmere with a backlit silhouette shot of some people walking on the beach. I am a sucker for back lit black and white photographs. I hung out a little, while the kite surfers were starting to come in for the day. Up the beach, with the sun almost at their backs, was a family doing some beach combing. Perfect. I kept the 300mm on and swiveled my camera around on the tripod and made a few exposures. I metered for the sky and stopped down one stop and took some shots.

beach combers Kure Beach, NC — Family of beach combers on Kure beach, NC. (*Nikon N90s, Tokina 300 f4 AT-X AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

I knew I wanted to head down the beach to the Kure Beach Pier for some minimal long exposure shots. It was a little bit of a walk so I packed up and started down the beach. I remembered seeing some amazing wave photographs by some photographers I follow on social media and thought I would try to get some images of the waves on my way down to the pier. The waves weren’t much to look at compared to the giant ones I have seen but why not… So I shot a bunch of frames as I walked. It was fun.

waves at Kure Beach, NC — Waves rise and fall onto the beach at Kure Beach, NC. (*Nikon N90s, Tokina 300 f4 AT-X AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

By the time I got down to the pier I shot through all of my Kentmere 400. I had to reload with Tri-X. With my Nikon reloaded I started taking stock in what the pier had to offer. The sun had set, and the last of the light was fading. Lights on the pier came on and it was a beautiful evening on the beach. I made some images on either side of the pier but nothing that excited me. Then I decided to go under the pier for that long look down the pylons.

Soft long exposure under the Kure Beach Pier. (*Nikon N90s, Nikkor 24-35 AF, Kentmere 400, Xtol 1:1*)

I set up directly in the middle of the pylons looking down the pier out to sea. I just loved the way the pier made a little house shape at the very end. Nice piece of interest to direct the eye. Directly behind me were some teenagers hanging out in some hammocks they strung up between the pylons. Right behind me… like 3 feet behind me. I made my meter reading in camera, calculated reciprocity and started shooting with my cable release. I wanted something smooth but still some view of the waves instead of the totally flat ghosting of the water so I kept my shutter speed on the shorter side. The image above is my favorite of the series I captured.

What to I think about Kentmere 400 along side of Tri-X? I have to say that I really liked it. I wanted to find a black and white film that would fit in with my existing development process that gave me similar results. Kentmere 400 in Xtol 1:1 is pretty close to Tri-X in my view. Contrast and tonal range is very similar. The grain structure is very similar too. I was happy enough with my results I ordered a bulk roll of the Kentmere 400. I will do some more experimenting on development times with the Kentmere 400 to see if I can get a closer look to Tri-X but I think if I were to put two images side by side, one Kentmere and one Tri-X, it would be hard to tell the difference.

If you are wondering if Kentmere 400 is worth adding to your creative workflow I would say it is absolutely worth it. Your mileage may vary, but I wouldn’t hesitate. Load it up and get out and shoot.

Photographic Prints

What are Print Editions?

April 3, 2023 admin

If you have been looking into purchasing a fine art photograph you may have noticed that many times a photographer will label the prints as limited edition or open edition or even non edition prints. What does all that mean? What does it have to do with the photograph you may be purchasing and how does it affect you? Let’s take a look.

Unlike other forms of visual art, photography (and sculpture in some cases) can make many copies or versions of an original. Paintings are different. Sure, you can make a copy of a painting and sell posters, limited edition prints etc. but you can hang the original on the wall and there is only one original. With a fine art photograph the final product isn’t a negative or a digital file, it’s the print. However, the print is where the last portion of the creative process is done by the artist with photography. This makes photographic prints inherently reproducible making it impossible to have an “original”.

With that said, fine art photographs are made, not taken. Much more than a press of the shutter button goes into the creation of a final photographic print.

Limited Edition

A limited edition simply means that a photographer has decided they will only produce a set number of prints for a particular image. It is a promise to the collectors, that the photographer will only produce a limited number of prints. For example, a photographer may decide to only produce 10 prints of the London Bridge. Each print is numbered 1-10 out of 10 i.e., 1/10, 2/10. Therefore, it is called a limited edition.

If a photographer limits their prints it puts some responsibility on the them to maintain provenance of the edition. This means the photographer needs to keep records of all prints made and sold. This should include who the original purchaser is, what number print of the edition it was, and any other details. By doing this the photographer can prove the value of any print that is purchased by a collector. Of course with any print an artist should provide a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). More on that later in this post.

A Time and Place. Limited Edition Silver Gelatin Print, 1 of 10, signed by the artist. Exhibited 2015, Littleton Museum, Littleton CO.

There are some pro’s and con’s to this approach. The big upsides to collecting limited editions is that there is only so many of these objects created. This automatically creates value if the print is popular. This also depends on the number of prints in an edition. If a photographer prints 200 in an edition, then, in my opinion it’s not that scarce and the chances of most photographers selling out an edition of 200 is rare. However, if a photographer prints 20 in an edition, then the value of each print should be higher. If you are a collector and can get in early on a limited edition the value of the photograph has a likelihood of continuing to hold it’s value. Not to mention the uniqueness of owning such a limited supply of the print.

On the downside, there is no guarantee that the print will hold it’s value. Also, for the photographer, this really limits their ability to create more prints if the photograph becomes popular, painting them into a corner. Many times a photographer will raise the price of a print as the edition sells. This makes sense because when a print is popular, the edition has a good chance of selling out. If the photographer has limited availability to sell the print they can gauge value by how well it sells, maximizing their potential profit from the sales.

Open Editions

When you buy an open edition print you should be getting the same quality, and attention given to the print as a limited edition, BUT there is no limit on the amount of prints the photographer is going to make. With open editions, certificate of authenticity, artist signature, purchase price and number of print should all be provided with the print. This still lends provenance to the print just like a limited edition except that there is no end to the print run. It could be a very popular photograph and be printed 800 times or, not so popular, and printed only 5 times.
I feel that open edition prints are a good middle ground for both the photographer and the collector to get into collecting photographic fine art prints. It let’s an early or mid career photographer to find out what work is most sought after and collectors to get in on a print when they have the budget to purchase.

If a mid career photographer sees success and starts to be heavily collected or represented by a gallery, the photographer can stop producing open editions and move to limited editions. If a photographer keeps good records of who has purchased open edition prints he or she can contact all the collectors notifying them that the open edition has been closed.

Non Editions

This is simply a print that is sold without any provenance or documentation. Many times without an artist signature. To a collector these are not as desirable. Sure, it may be a fantastic photograph, and if you love it buy it! If it brings you joy and happiness when you look at it that is the most important, but it probably won’t be something collectable. If you enjoy photographs and don’t really care what their value will be, but you want it hanging on your wall, then non edition prints are a great way to go for adding some interest to your home or office. Don’t let it stop you from buying one.

Certificate of Authenticity

When purchasing any time of art a collector should expect to get a certificate of authenticity (COA). This is a detailed account of the origin of the artwork. It should state the artists name, title of the work, dimensions date the print was issued, what number in the edition, signature, as well as other pertinent details.

The COA is a very important part of purchasing a piece of art. Without it, the artworks value is much less.

What About Me?

For now, I provide my collectors with Open Edition black and white fine art prints. I am not represented by a gallery at this time, so I don’t really see the need to put limits on my print numbers. I feel that this is the most flexible approach for me as a photographer, and still provides a high level of value to any collector who purchase prints from me. If things change in the future I may close an open edition but for now they are open.

If you want to purchase a print from me please inquire. Soon, I will have online purchasing at my website.

Hopefully this was some helpful information for you as you begin your photographic collecting. As Always, if you want to be kept in the loop, sign up for my email list. I send info on new prints, exhibitions and general happenings so you can keep tabs on the latest.

Behind the Shot

Keeping it Simple

March 8, 2022 admin

Last summer my wife and I made it back to Montana to visit some friends and hang out in the area we used to live in. There were a lot of things to do, people to see and general catching up. I didn’t really make big photo plans for this trip so, photographically speaking, I packed pretty light. Limiting myself to my 35mm camera, a couple lenses and a few rolls of black and white Tri-x we hit the road for Montana.

We were able to spend a week with some close friends on the Gallatin river just outside Bozeman and hit all of our favorite restaurants. Our dog was in heaven again. Being able to roam freely along the river and hang out in the sun whenever and where ever she wanted. It was a very relaxing time.

Photographically, it was a place I had been many times before, for some reason I wasn’t really inspired to make photographs. Maybe because it felt so familiar. Not really sure, because it is a beautiful place to photograph.

Simple black and white composition of bridge at Sacagawea Park. 35mm, Tri-X, xtol 1;1

With a few days left in our trip we moved to different accommodations. We booked an Air BNB “down the hill” in Livingston, MT. I had been there many times but I hadn’t spent more than a couple of hours there at a time. Mostly to go get some lunch or dinner at one of the great places in town. My wife had plans that took her away from town for those few days leaving me without transportation, so I was relegated to hoofing it around town on my own.

At the edge of town, along the banks of the Yellowstone River, is Sacagawea Park. I had not spent much time there before, but it was pretty close to where we were staying so I decided to explore it a little. While shooting black and white photographs I look for simple compositions, I wasn’t really looking for an epic view of the mountains. (The forest fires were raging then and the sky was filled with smoke anyway.) I was able to isolate a few of the charming features of the park while I explored. One of them being the bridge that accesses the park.

The final photo turned out pretty much like I wanted. It has the calm feeling I wanted to portray with the still water reflecting the arches of the bridge and the discovery of peaking through the woodland to find the old bridge just beyond the water. Keeping the composition and gear simple when I made the photograph, it helps me remember the sounds and smells of that day when I made it. A very good memory.

(Mostly) Black and White Photography Tips, and Behind the Shot