Re: editions

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Reddig" <lisa@julianrichards.com>
Subject: [pinhole-discussion] editions

> Hello
>
> Does anyone know anywhere online I can learn about the rules of editioning
> and pricing prints?
>
> Thanks
> lisa

This is such a direct question regarding a discussion we have had before
that I shall enjoy taking time to make ananswer.

Editioning is a method of ethical offering that begain with lithography and
other such print making. It has been well reveared that the 'best' prints
are the first ones off a newly etched plate, while disproved by the
lithographer who learns his picture later in the edition; and with respect
to the photographer this idea of numbering editions has taken on bizzarre
dimensions.

My view, based on personal experience in the arena of fine art print making
(my mother, whose recently had eight first editions accepted into the
Smithonian) and arbitrated with Ansel Adams whose fine art experience is
truely unique; and added to by Al Weber, teacher of photograhy enorm . . .
To do anything less than make an edition all in one term without a break to
make another print in the mean time is pretentious, to say the least. To
carefully mark the sequence of the exposure and then of the development is
ethical and to be applauded, because it gives us an opportunity to see if
your quality varies from print to print. You might personally bcome aware
of an inconsistency with every ten to 15 prints, or how much better you get
with each print . . . or how they fall off after 38 of 45 prints.

Ansel used to number his prints based on the number attempted. His half box
of 250 pieces of paper meant he made 125 prints. Some would go into the
trash, some to museums and some into a box to be spotted and mounted later.
That's what we have available, now, by the way; except for the secondary
market. And, he didn't number every edition. But, those he finished of the
125 were then dried, sorted out (some got tossed) and then he chose to sort
the best [in his opinion] to the worst. The would be spotted, mounted or
boxed and sold in the order they were chosen with edition numbers so
assigned.

Sometimes, I have numbered my editions according to worst to best, with the
first in the edition selling for one price, gradually incresing the price as
they sold to make the first purchase sustain an increasing value or support
the rareity, becuse I rarely like goingback and making prints after I
already printed a picture. I have simply too many great negatives waiting
to become pictures.

When I do go back and make another eitition, I write the number as a
fraction. Above the line is the numbers of each print made in that session,
below the line is the numbers of prints total and with a decimal point tell
which edition. I have some that are 1- 25/25.2 with numbers 11, 24, and 25
as some of the best in the editions, surprisingly [numbered cronologically]
consistent every run.

Go figure for youself. I believe it's a matter of personal ethics. Many,
many great master photographers number the negative for their filing system
and never number the prints.

Steve Shapiro, Carmel, CA
Received on Fri Dec 21 04:55:44 2001