Two Worlds
My new printer has arrived. I broke the last one, an Epson R2400, through overuse. It started to make grinding noises and the prints came out stripy. So I decided that I should upgrade to an Epson Pro 4880. It a big printer, state of the art, A2, weighs 55kg! It's about the size of an old-style photocopier. I can print to canvas and on just about any paper known to man.
I'm really eager to give it a run. I've profiled my paper and the test prints match the monitor display perfectly. I've printed some images and it is awesome. The quality of the prints at A2 is breathtaking.
Its funny, but for some reason, holding an actual print of an image makes it seem much more real than looking at it on a monitor. Lin disagrees, but then, I'm the photographer so I guess it means more to me to have the print.
But, I now have the frustrating problem of selecting which images to print.
I have loads of great images that you've seen here, and some you haven't seen yet, pretty much all of them nudes. However, I can't put them on the walls! We have a constant stream of kids round and it's not appropriate to have nudes (even tasteful and relatively modest ones) on the walls with other people's children around. Our kids would not be fazed, but the others would. Plus we have several friends, some of them devout Christians, who would certainly be horrified if there were naked people on the walls (this is rural middle-class England, remember.)
So I'm printing lots of pictures of my kids, pictures that you can't see because we don't show them here as a matter of policy. At least I have lots of good studio kiddie pics! But there is only one place that I can safely hang my nude prints and that's in our bedroom, so that's where they are going at the moment. Unfortunately it means that only Lin and I can see them.
Two Worlds that can't overlap.
What would you do?
Do any of you with kids display your nude art on the walls, and if so, how do you cope with the underage or more morally-upright visitors who would object?
Here a picture of me (shock and horror), next to my really big machine, and with the first 3 framed prints from the printer. Technically you're getting 3 nudes for the price of 1, except for the reflections and small size, and of course having me in it. It was taken with the self timer on the 350D as the battery wasn't charged on the 5D.
I'm really eager to give it a run. I've profiled my paper and the test prints match the monitor display perfectly. I've printed some images and it is awesome. The quality of the prints at A2 is breathtaking.
Its funny, but for some reason, holding an actual print of an image makes it seem much more real than looking at it on a monitor. Lin disagrees, but then, I'm the photographer so I guess it means more to me to have the print.
But, I now have the frustrating problem of selecting which images to print.
I have loads of great images that you've seen here, and some you haven't seen yet, pretty much all of them nudes. However, I can't put them on the walls! We have a constant stream of kids round and it's not appropriate to have nudes (even tasteful and relatively modest ones) on the walls with other people's children around. Our kids would not be fazed, but the others would. Plus we have several friends, some of them devout Christians, who would certainly be horrified if there were naked people on the walls (this is rural middle-class England, remember.)
So I'm printing lots of pictures of my kids, pictures that you can't see because we don't show them here as a matter of policy. At least I have lots of good studio kiddie pics! But there is only one place that I can safely hang my nude prints and that's in our bedroom, so that's where they are going at the moment. Unfortunately it means that only Lin and I can see them.
Two Worlds that can't overlap.
What would you do?
Do any of you with kids display your nude art on the walls, and if so, how do you cope with the underage or more morally-upright visitors who would object?
Here a picture of me (shock and horror), next to my really big machine, and with the first 3 framed prints from the printer. Technically you're getting 3 nudes for the price of 1, except for the reflections and small size, and of course having me in it. It was taken with the self timer on the 350D as the battery wasn't charged on the 5D.
Labels: printing
posted by Richard at 7:47 AM
6 Comments:
I've gone through this dilemma, not just for hanging on walls but for what to post on my site. I have beautiful nudes by other photographers sitting in drawers because my girl has a young son, and like you it isn't because of him that I don't hang them. I have struggled with which persona to pursue on my website and have, in the end, succumbed to Puritan sensibilities (for the most part). However, I put up some nudes in a post titled "For Whom Do You Photograph" and those get more hits than anything else on the site. People who come for the naked girls, though, don't stay long. I am certain they don't read the posts.
I have to say, though, that your post made me chuckle.
YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THE 4880! I've been using my 4800 for nearly three years now, it has performed flawlessly for all that time. However, you not only must decided what to print, but as well on what paper, because of the huge cost to switch the black inks (I know you already realize this). I'm only hoping that Epson corrects this problem with its next printer upgrades, and if they do, I'll go for the 7880 successor in a flash -- I now really love those 20"x30" prints!
As to your main dilemma about what to hang, again an advantage to being an old codger: I've got nudes hung all over the house. Our friends are used to it, the kids grudgingly accept it (and they're only home twice a year or so), and I frankly don't give a rip about any visitors who might be "offended."
You too will get to that stage, I predict. Just wait until no more ramifications can be visited on the kids, then pull an Oscar Wilde or D.H. Lawrence on everyone. After all, who's remembered, them or the outraged neighbors and kin?
In the meantime, the bedroom's not too bad, as long as you can keep rotating the stuff.
Congratulations on the new printer. I'm soooo jealous.
When I went to Art Chicago with the people from Michigan I did notice the difference in the prints on the wall of famous photographs that I had only seen before in magazines, books or on the net. I have often thought that the images I see on the web or in print are probably much better and more impressive if you are actually looking at the print in your hands. They are.
As for the kids. I admire your problem, but have no solution. It's kind of like they said about Michael Jordan - you can't stop him, you can only contain him.
You can't stop people from finding out, you can only contain it for a while.. Some kid will hear about it, or your kid will tell or fall to peer pressure and the kid will get a trip to see the bedroom or the secret stash place or the computer to see the "special" pictures and swore to secrecy. But then someone will tell someone, who tells someone and pretty soon the ministers wife hears it and the jig is up. The authorities will be called, you'll be arrested - corrupting minor children as a promoter and producer of porn, the kids will be sent off to some horrid institution, then you'll lose your company and jobs, then the photo equipment to pay lawyer fees, then the house goes, now it's divorce time. Then you are both finely acquitted but have no life and the kids are now two years behind in school and are minor criminals and drug users from the nasty things they learned while in the custody of the government.
or....
This to shall pass and a few people will get bent out of shape a little, a few will see your side, most won't care and a few will be envious. The kids will be a great success in school. Will go on the graduate from college with honors and get terrific jobs. You both will get a few gray hairs and be successful in your work and photography endeavors and when guests come over they will see a huge print, of the lovely lady laying there with the little silver ball just peeking out, hung right over the couch.
D.L. Wood
You two do an amazing job with this blog. Just had to leave a comment. I read everything you post and just really enjoy your persective.
Take care,
David
Thank you David!
And thank you also Mr Wood...I'll go for option two, although hell will freeze over before I allow that particular print to be hung on my wall.
I walk around nude all the time in front of my son, as my mom did with me, nudity was never an issue when I was growing up. I have a very hard time relating to people who do find it to be an issue. So yes, I would proudly display nude art around my home, and think nothing of it.
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