What is a Print?

Thoughts on the plethora of alternative media.

Mounting an open-face print on Awagami Bizan.

This is not a trick question. If you're a subscriber to our newsletter you know that we're serious about photographic prints. So, I'm truly asking the question: What is a print?

I had to confront this question myself recently when I visited a couple of commercial sites that market every type of photographic print you can imagine. Paper prints, aluminum prints, wood prints, medium-density fiberboard prints, face-mounted plexiglas. Other vendors offer glass etched prints, prints on a variety of metallic substrates, the list seems to expand every year. Confusion reigns, at least in my head. Are these new displays actually photographic prints?

The Purists

Photographic printmaking has been going on for roughly two hundred years. All the classic greats were weaned on paper immersed in darkroom chemicals. The papers kept on improving and specializing and for that first 150 years or so prints on photographic papers were the only way to showcase one's work.

That's not to say that the wet darkroom has entirely disappeared. In fact there's a small resurgence of alternative process output such as platinum/palladium prints via inkjet negatives from digital sources. (Note to self: Bob's been pestering me to investigate). But there will always be some traditionalists who harken back to the old days and thankfully keep the classic wet print alive.

I still get a thrill when I visit a gallery that exhibits those traditional prints made by contemporary artists. My hat goes off to their dedication. More often than not, that dedication extends to their in-camera photography. I know I may be overgeneralizing, but I think these wet print artists are a more mindful, discerning sort.

I gave up the wet darkroom years ago. I hated the use of those nasty chemicals and the hours it took to get even one or two good prints. But I still remember the miracle of seeing an image suddenly appear under the red light.

The Digital Age

With the advent of digital photography, printmaking morphed into an alternate universe. Digital printers get better and better with each iteration. Fine art papers are better than ever and the choices are far wider than they have ever been.

There are trade-offs. Digital printing comes with a host of issues, from printer malfunctions to getting all the various functions to sync. Color management has become a science... and a pain in the neck.

And for those of you who print your work, you know that the printer doesn't do this all automagically. There are times when I spend an hour or more post-processing, soft-proofing and finally getting a print I love.

Ultimately, I'm amazed when I see that perfect print sliding into the tray, without harsh chemicals, four hours lost in the darkroom, and eight different tries to get the alchemy right.

In the end, though, we are still printing on fine art papers.

The New Wave

Now, of course, we're full tilt into a different kind of alchemy. Aluminum prints have been the rage for a couple decades now. At photo expositions I see prints on wood and glass and steel. I find these displays... interesting. I've wrestled with this for years now. Interesting, yes, but are they art?

I tend to think, and feel free to disagree with me here, that they are more decor oriented than fine art. Notice I say "fine art". I in no way am denigrating these modalities as art. Far from it. If an artist expresses her vision on other than paper, it is still an artistic vision. But I argue that whether it rises to fine art is debatable.

I'll offer just one of the reasons that leads me to this position. Look at how these alternate displays are mostly used. I mean in practice, in the real world. They are typically sold in large format to hang behind a couch or a ginormous wall in a modern home. They fill space, almost always with very high contrast, saturated color images. In fact, a lot of aluminum prints are sold while people are in vacation destinations. They are expensive impulse buys that carry the good memories home. I think that's wonderful.

Art is art. It is a reflection of the artist's passion. If a print on wood fits the bill, then I say go for it, and the viewers be damned. But I've come down on the side that says while it is art, it is not really fine art.

I know I'm a senior artist and I may have too rigid a view on this. Perhaps, even hopefully, the art world will eventually embrace these new and emerging modalities as fine art. Sure, there are some better known photographers that will break through that barrier to great acclaim. But for the majority of photographic artists, that is a barrier too high to be vaulted soon.

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