The Online Photographer reports that photographer Charles Cramer has redesigned his website. According to Mike Johnson of TOP the new site includes more beautiful and breathtaking landscape images. (Reports seen at Imaging Insider.)
I just spent some time visiting Charlie’s new site. It’s appearance is consistent with what I recall seeing previously, but look a bit deeper. Navigation of his beautiful and compelling photographic work seems much more logical now, and there are several substantial text pages well worth reading. I enjoy his “Fine Tuning in Photoshop” text on the printmaking page, where he succinctly cuts to the heart of the film versus digital printmaking arguments:
“Photoshop has a steep and frustrating learning curve, but it allows much more fine control over an image than was possible in the darkroom… This is very similar to the dodging and burning I used to do in the darkroom. Let’s say I wanted to darken the edges of an image, a very common adjustment. In the darkroom, it could take up to half a day to reprocess the print to see the change. With Photoshop, the results can be seen on the monitor—in real time! This allows for a great increase in the fineness and sensitivity of the adjustments.”
And when Charlie reports that, “I’m convinced Ansel would be pleased!”, you know that the statement carries some real weight.
But the real significance of Charlie’s work is not the use of this or that technique or technology – it is in the beautiful photographic art he creates. While the ultimate experience comes from viewing his prints, you can begin get a sense of what he does by visiting his online gallery.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
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