Jean, You're absolutely right... (BTW, your English is great!). I suppose that we all caught on on the idea of the swap as a great idea to start 2001 and that we figured out that the discussion on details would come afterwards.
As for me, I would certainly prefer an "open" subject, rather than a pre-determined topic. As far as the number of prints, I have no particular opinion. My plan would be to send one print, but I would not want that to be a constraint for others. There may be something to be said for having a maximum format (size) for the prints (perhaps not larger than 8x10", this is pure guess work here). It would help if you plan to put them in a book afterwards. Perhaps a signature as well on the back (I did'nt participate in the first 2 swaps and these questions might have been discussed before). One issue for me is the toal number of prints to be printed and sent: I saw a list a while back on a Web site (can't remember the details) with well over 100 names on it. Then I asked myself: how long would it take me to print, say, 100 prints in the darkroom (assuming no burning and dodging) and I saw the time rise very fast... 100 times the following: pull paper out of box, place under the enlarger, expose, run to the processing trays + 2 minutes in the developer + 30 secs. in the stop + 2-5 mins. in the fix + 10-20 mins. washing + drying time: this is already well over 15 hours non-stop... Then run to buy enveloppes + place in enveloppe and write address + get stamps for all over the world + stick stamps on enveloppe + run to post office and drop in mailbox....This is another many hours... This adds up very fast (not to mention the question of cost for those who may have a budget constraint... Where these issues raised earlier? Of course, the rewards are commensurate to the effort in preparing these prints. But my question is: did I get the modalities of the swap right? BTW, this does not change my mind about participating: I'm just trying to figure out what is involved! Merci de nous rappeler à l'ordre, Jean! Et Joyeux Noël dans le doux pays de France... Guy Glorieux Montréal, Canada Jean Daubas wrote: > Hello pinholers, > > I would not like to annoy any more the members of the pinhole list but I > have a doubt about the correct transmission of my message of last tuesday. > By the fact, I got some problems on my PC and with my e-mail software. I'm > not sure my post has actually been sent to the list; what makes me think of > that problem is that I see numerous people answering to James's proposition > for a new print swap but I find none of them expresing any comments or > answers about the suggestions I made in my message. James asked us to > express ideas while we affirmed our will of participation in this new > swap... > It's why I beg your indulgence and allow myself to send you again my first > post, in order to be sure that it reaches all members of the list. > Sorry for the eventuality of a "double exposure" to my bad english! > Have a merry Christmas and thanks to all of you pinholers for the high > quality and the nice open mind (...open "bodily orifices" seem to find their > way too...) of this list > Pinholing cheers from France > Jean > > Original message from Jean Daubas was sent to the list on : > Tuesday, December 19, 2000 12:27 PM > Subject: [pinhole-discussion] new Print swap > > > Hello James and all pinhole swappers ! > > > > When I started my PC this morning, I wanted to post a message about > > launching a new print swap since the last one was some months ago now... > > What a surprise when, reading the posts arrived during the night, I > > discovered James' mailing and his intention of organizing a new print swap > ! > > Coincidence or overseas telepathy ? > > I've been lucky participating in the 2 previous Pinhole print swaps : the > > first one already organised by James in 1999 (14 swappers) and the Zero > 2000 > > Print Swap which i myself coordinated in the spring of this year (18 > > swappers, several among us were already present in the 1st print swap). > > The 2 swaps have been wonderful experiences for me; the pleasure of > opening > > your mail-box and finding envelopes coming from various countries , the > > surprise of opening these envelopes and discovering pictures and words > from > > people you don't know... Pleasure of sending one of of my own pictures to > > everybody ! > > And after, pleasure of finding a way of keeping and enjoying this > collection > > of pictures and letters ( I manufactured large albums for each of the > swaps) > > ! > > Now, James, you ask us some ideas... So, I would like to express comments > > originated by my 2 first experiences. > > > > - 1 - The first Print Swap was a " no imposed subject" swap and the > second > > one was a "imposed camera" (Zero 2000) print swap. I personnaly think > that, > > if we are going to repeat swaps on a regular basis (i.e. 2 or 3 by year) > it > > would be better to define a "subject", which gives some coherence ; of > > course, this "subject" has to be broad enough to respect every swapper's > > freedom and also to obtain a collection showing the diversity of ways to > > express a subject by pinhole pictures ! > > > > - 2 - The other comment is maybe more personal and is about the number of > > prints : I must say that 1 only picture has been for me frustrating; I > mean > > that I had difficulties to choose a single picture to send to the > swappers. > > The prints I sent were always belonging to series and I felt frustrated to > > "reduce" my work to a one picture only ! I was not alone in this case > since > > I noticed that some of the swappers did not send the same pictures to all > > swappers, which mean they did not want to make a single selection ! Of > > course this depends on the way everybody works and I would not allow > myself > > to express any judgment; I only know that, for myself, pinhole pictures > > always belong to a kind of "continuous work" since for me pinhole > > photography is a slow process used to keep traces and to express duration > > and depht of vision upon apparences. It's why a single picture has just a > > little meaning for me. > > Is it possible to imagine a Print swap in which we would send a small > serie > > of 3 pictures for example ? > > It is just a question about which I would like everybody to express; of > > course I am perfectly aware of the difficulties arised by such a > proposition > > : a lot of time and of course the economical cost of 3 prints instead of 1 > > ( I am very sensible to these problems since I go on with traditional FB > > paper darkroom work, which is time consuming and costly). I just wanted to > > express my "frustration" about the "1- picture" swaps. All comments are > > welcome since I cannot make a clear opinion about that ... > > > > So, I am ready to sign for the next print swap and you can count on my > > participation. > > If I had been the first to express the intention of launching a new swap,I > > would probably have suggested a subject as self- portrait (I presume > nearly > > each of us photographers keep a trace of ourselves from time to time on > our > > pictures). self portraiture seems to be a "not-too-narrow" subject since > > there are so many ways to be "present" in a picture. > > All Comments about this idea are welcome ! > > > > > > Please apologize for my approximate use of English ! > > > > I'm eager to read your opinions and suggestions ! Thanks you, James, for > > organizing the next swap and tell us if we can help you. > > All pinholers, have a nice Christmas and a great new pinholing century > !!! > > Kisses from France > > Jean > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "James Kellar" <ja...@kellar.com> > > To: <pinhole-discussion@p at ???????> > > Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 12:51 AM > > Subject: [pinhole-discussion] December Mailing > > > > > > > I would also like to announce that I will be organizing a print swap in > > the > > > up coming year. If your interested in participating start sending me > your > > > ideas. > > > > > > Go out a take a pinhole photo. > > > > > > James > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "James Kellar" <pinh...@jameskellar.com> > To: <pinhole-discussion@p at ???????> > Sent: Friday, December 22, 2000 4:37 AM > Subject: Re: [pinhole-discussion] swap > > > Hi all, > > > > It sounds like a lot of folks are interested in a print swap. I'm going to > > wait until after the holidays to do more work on it and I'll let you know > in > > a week or two. Also I have gotten a few messages on the subject to my old > > email address, If you could make sure to use my new address which is > > pinh...@jameskellar.com. > > > > Thanks and a happy holidays to you all. > > > > James > > _______________________________________________ > Pinhole-Discussion mailing list > Pinhole-Discussion@p at ??????? > unsubscribe or change your account at > http://www.p at ???????/discussion/
