I describe my process as painting with light.
. First, to create the story, I select and compose the subject. To expose the subject on the film, I set the amount and quality of light through studio lights, filters, aperture, and shutter speed.
· Second, from the film a negative is created. In the darkroom, I place the negative in an enlarger to create the print size.
The secret of a good black & white print is to control the tonal range (from the blackest blacks to whitest whites and everything in between). To manage the tonal range, I control the amount and quality of light through aperture and filters, and exposure times. Exposure times are determined for specific sections of the print which is called dodging (less light) and burning (extra light).
.To view creative highlights on selected images click Painting with Light download.
· Notes:
o A poorly composed image on film cannot be corrected in the darkroom.
o A quality composition may require multiple printing attempts to achieve the desired results.
o Once the print has been processed through the chemical bath, if it is not a quality print, it is destroyed.
