Board index Photography Artistic Questions The End of the Print Portfolio?

Artistic Questions

The End of the Print Portfolio?

Discuss style and artistic aspects of photography
benjikan
 
Posts: 344

The End of the Print Portfolio?

Post Sun Oct 18, 2009 7:03 pm


The End of the Print Portfolio?

I was recently asked to share my portfolio with a magazine and asked how would they prefer to view it.  To my surprise they said "just bring your laptop, that will be fine" and they added that "more and more photographers are presenting their work using this medium".

I was pleased and disturbed at the same time. Being that the press are moving towards the internet and are losing millions in print media, I suspect that seeing the images on screen was more relevant than seeing my work in print. As a result of this changing paradigm, photographers will have to consider their output based on other conditions that were not considered even 2 years ago.  Considering the price of constantly updating your book, as well as the environmental considerations, perhaps that is a good thing.  I have considered printing books, as an alternative which costs about 4X -10X less than printing your portfolio yourself.  Just check out the deals available on the Internet.  Custom portfolio's can't compete.My leather bound portfolio and plastic sheet mounting cost around 450€ per book, not including the carrying case.

I would like to hear your impressions regarding this subject and how you see where and how the presentation of commercial photography has changed and is going.
Ben

http://www.benjaminkanarekblog.com/?p=1344

sean_mcr
 
Posts: 493

Re: The End of the Print Portfolio?

Post Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:00 am


Funny I should come across this now while I'm proofing some shots on an Ezio monitor that set me back $2000, calibrated with a Spyder3 Elite, for printing on very expensive sumerset velvet paper, using an epson R2880 with ink that costs about 30 grand a gallon. Digital photography Is not cheap, not by a long way.

Printing is a real craft, neglected and foreign to very many digital photographers. The only way I'd ever consider handing my photographs over to a print on demand service is to have access to their printer and paper profiles so I could soft proof the shots. Best print/book makers in the world today is Steidl; But that's the dream, I'll have to stick with making my own prints.

I've got to say that "just bring your laptop" would shock me to, actually it would worry me. You and I both know an image on a laptop just can't compare to a well printed and presented print. It shows a certain standard, "just bring your laptop" is a little blasé. A book portfolio and a print portfolio are two very different beasts, editorially speaking. It may well be a good idea to have a book printed but I'd say 450 euros is money well spent on a portfolio. Can you put a price on a labour of love? (well sadly you can but that's another topic for another day)


Cheers

Sean
What uses having a great depth of field, if there is not an adequate depth of feeling? -

W. Eugene Smith

madlights
 
Posts: 914

Re: The End of the Print Portfolio?

Post Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:10 am


Yep Kind of disturbing. Somehow it seems a print has some sort of intrinsic value, something you can actually hold in your hand. Something you can keep. I know it's one heck of a lot harder to print correctly (even digital photos) than it is to display them on a monitor. I've wasted more paper trying to get colors correct etc. etc. And black and white is even worse for me...and that's on my way outdated 4 color wide carriage. I can't even imagine with the multiple color cartridge printers, or sending them out and have them come back the way I want them. But when a print turns out (and haven't printed in a darkroom in longer than some of the people on here have been alive) it's really something. It's not this transient medium...it's like something real...I can't explain it.

I know that some galleries, and some art exhibitions are now accepting digital 'files' (I hate that word "files") for jurying. Used to be slides, and still pretty much is...but the acceptance of digital entries is growing. There's a certain finality in slides or prints too, that displaying photos on a laptop, or desktop doesn't have. Is there any longer a "decisive moment"? in that regard? Or can that moment be changed as needed? and improved upon and improved upon?

It can be understood I guess with the death of print, or the severe illness that it has, at least...that it would come to that I guess. It's just kind of sad. Digital photographs invoke emotions, thoughts, memories....but there's a box of old prints made with an Ansco box camera when I was a little kid, that just doesn't have a value. Don't know how else to express how I feel..

Also relatedly, in commercial art...much of the emphasis for a long while in education, in that area has been in digital. Would imagine the same holds true with portfolios in that field, since so much of advertising and presentation is done on the net.

(Careful with that archival ink Sean - somebody'd knock you in the head for it at that price :D

Guess it's a sign of the times...something gained. Something lost. Don't know where the balance point is.

dansudbury
 
Posts: 17

Re: The End of the Print Portfolio?

Post Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:06 pm


It is sign of time... They call it evolution... Keep your printing knowledge alive because it will soon be a rare thing around and rare usualy = more $

gpaai
 
Posts: 904
Location: Irvine, California

Re: The End of the Print Portfolio?

Post Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:33 pm


Given a choice to have a laptop in my trunk or a hard cover. Canvassing the public, potential models seem so impressed when pulling out a book to show them. As far as industry clients (something I don't have too much experience with yet) such as magazines, I think they are after your style no matter what format it is presented. From what I understand, chances are final editing will take place in their facility. If I'm wrong, I stand corrected.

Gary
I love photoshopography.......


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