The final week

Just as news comes out that the Ukrainian goverment have closed off the Chernobyl and Pripyat exclusion zones for tourists and tours, I am putting the final things in place for the exhibition. It was such a long time ago that I started planning for this and all of a sudden, theres a matter of days left.
Pictures are all framed, Wine has been purchased, just need to finalise the titles for the ones that dont have them.

Books, books, everywhere

I thought I was a bit late in getting the Blurb book order in, when the site gave me the printing completion date of 27th (before shipping) i was quite nervous that they wouldnt be here in time for the opening. They arrived yesterday!!
The books are really good quality and look great, theres a few things that I would change if I were to reprint them but hopefully everyone will like them and want to buy one!

All framed and ready to go

Big milestone done on the weekend and almost all of the prints are now sitting comfortably in the frames, big thanks to Mark @muppix.net for helping trim down the time on that one, they all look superb!

Fathers Day

Something a little different for today, I have gone back to Bobbing Crematorium every year on fathers day since he passed away. Today was the first time that the suns not been shining and ive had to take shelter from the rain. A really tranquil and peaceful place in Kent with really well kept gardens and surroundings, it was fairly new when I started to go there and has been interesting to see it grow over the years.
It has been good to have some positive things going on in life this year, this exhibition being one of those things. I thought it would be quite fitting to take along my camera this year and post up a picture from today.

Photobooks

After a false start with blurb, I had finished the book to find out that you have to start it in the size that you want, cant change size when you order it. It didnt help that I have to go against the templates and do my own thing… when will I learn.
So late night last night but its all done and ordered now. estimated print time is a week on monday so its really pushing it for the books to be here in time for the opening night but fingers crossed. a link will be posted once I have got them.

In Print

I picked up a copy of Practical Photography today, its quite wierd actually seeing MY article in a magazine, after spending 4 years reading about other photographers. 7 pages and unbroken as well, i was expecting some ads in between it but it runs from start to finish. $br $br If anyones seen the magazine, i would love to know what you think – please email or tweet me.

Subtle shades of white

I got a few quotes for mount cutting yesterday, when all this is over, i may set myself up as a framer if some people actually pay those prices. $br Ive decided to cut the mounts myself, I have all the equipment, I was just trying to save some time. I did some experiments yesterday evening using the mount board that i have in the house. $br Its amazing how a subtle difference in the card, makes such a difference in how the print looks, especially with B&W, the 2 types I have are Ice White and Antique White. Ice white makes the prints look too yellow and is way too bright compared to the print. Antique white is only slightly off white but in the frame, it looks way to creamy when around the print. $br Im off to hobbycraft today to try and find an in between white.

Youve been Framed

http://www.darkoptics.net/Content/images/frames.jpg. Picked up the frames the other day, theres quite a few of them and they do look quite empty without any pictures in them, kindly on loan from the Windsor Photographic Society. I recieved back the prints as well, Ilford Lab with their usual quality and service, need to get some Mountboard cut now so that i can start putting it all together, Its all starting to become a reality.

Prints to the lab

A bit later than I wanted, but its taken a bit more time than I had expected, but the image files went off to Ilford print today who ive been using for the test prints, their Silver Gelatine process give the prints are really gritty film feel which make the infrared stand out. Ive printed the initial 21 prints that will be in the exhibition and 5 backups in case I change my mind once i see them on paper.

I would like to say thats the big milestone for June, but its just the beginning, have to organise the mounts and a few extra frame sizes next

My first phone interview

Had my first telephone interview today, all the other interviews were done through text which although gave more control, meant that I would go over them time and time again, so this although it was tricky, was a bit more akin to ripping a plaster off.
Had confirmation back from the Sunday Times Magazine that the pictures would be in the online gallery in a few weeks… thats really exciting.