That’s how Jim M Goldstein began a post last week in which he offered a proposal to encourage people to experience and acquire prints:

One of the unique aspects of digital photography is that we’re now able to enjoy photographic work with out viewing it in printed form. More so now than ever before supporting a photographer is shown almost exclusively online through photo forums, blogs, and other online communities. While viewing photographs online is easy and relatively inexpensive it is a hollow experience by comparison to holding an actual print from a photographer you respect and admire.

The goal of this project is to introduce fine art photography, photography books, print exchanges, and other photography related products to photography fans of all walks of life. It is also to spur photography fans to think in terms of financially supporting talented photographers so they can continue to do what they love.

Like many of you, my first experience with many photographs was with surrogate images – in my case most likely reproductions in a book, though today it could just as likely be with a version posted online. I’ll bet that many of you can recall the experience of visiting a gallery and seeing for the first time a print from which one of these reproductions was made – and having an “Oh, My God!” reaction to the original print. Perhaps like me, you stood in front of some of these prints for minutes – perhaps many minutes – in order to take in what you had not been able to see in the reproductions.

Follow the link to Jim’s site to find about more about his project. (And while you are there, check out the rest of his blog, view his wonderful photography, and subscribe to his podcast.)

I am going to participate in the project, and I’ll post more about the nature of my participation shortly.