Having just finished a show at our Brigham City Museum Gallery in which works from artists such as Ctein, Val Brinkerhoff, Craig Law, Tom Till, Tillman Crane and others were on exhibit, I heard a lot of commentary from those viewing the show. On listening to the comments & fielding questions, it got me thinking about what it really takes to make excellent images.

Excellent images, not just technically perfect boring ones.

I looked carefully at the works on display, from Tom Tills' 30 x 40 Ilfochrome that was stunning, to 4x5 carbon contact prints by Julie Parsons. I saw the 30 inch Giclee prints of Val Brinkerhoff & the finely crafted B&W landscapes of Rodger Newbold. And, naturally, I looked at my own images in the show. All the images were good. The represented various styles and interpretations, all on the theme of "The Great American West".

David Stoecklein had 30x40 prints that were quite different from the grand scenics. Cowboy life images that had a directness that compelled one to linger while viewing.

Val Brinkerhoffs Giclee of anasazi ruins were masters of clarity.

All the photographers had good works in areas accessible to those who viewed the images, yet most who saw them and had visited these sites had no images to compare in quality of both vision and printing.

Why?

The topic of the show, The Great American West, was a simple one. No constraints. Just the artists interpretation, that was all we asked. The images we received were excellent from the technical as well as the visual standpoint. No one photographed areas most of us cannot get to if we are willing to walk a bit. No one had any "secret locations" known only to them.

Yet the images were compelling & brought many back for extra visits to see them again and again. Many who viewed the prints had been to the locations but did not have images of this quality to show for their visit.

Why?

My contention is that it is the little things that make the difference. Nothing major, just attention to detail coupled with a knowledge of the medium that comes from practice, a willingness to get up early or stay out late to pursue the light, and additional willingness to make the trek when one tries for optimum conditions.

Tom Till has an excellent image of Canyonlands in Southern Utah in a 30x40 Ilfochrome print that had some crying "fake". "I've been there & it didn't look like that to me, so it must be a fake" was one comment. This from a photographer who values convenience & his point & shoot over waiting for the light, planning for excellent results & uses consumer print films & glories in the knowledge he doesn't have to spend more than $1.49 for an 8x10 print. For him, Tom's images were fake.

In reality the image in question was the result of the attention to the small details that add up to success. Things like picking a film that will interpret the subject matter you are photographing. Planning on being at a location to try and get the light you want. Getting up early or staying late to follow the light. Hiking a bit to get the overlook that fits your vision. Processing the film at labs that can bring out its quality. Having a professional print made & framing it in a way that shows off the print.

All the little things that add up to a result one is proud to point to and say, "that is my work". All the little things that keep you from having to apologize for anything(other than maybe being too good).

In this show and so many others we see the same things. All the great photographers are sticklers for details, the 'little things' that so many don't have time for.

Things like camera format choice. Serious photographers choose their film format to fit the subject, coupled with their vision. Many don't work in the format they initially started out with. Tillman Crane works with ultra large format cameras, but you can bet he didn't get one of them for a present as a kid. He worked his way to it & it suits his style. To make it work, he takes it one step at a time & the results show consistency & vision. All the little things add up.

It is not a question of Canon vs Nikon. It is a question of whether the choice fits the photographer. A little thing that makes for ease in shooting, which makes for a better result. If you are comfortable you will get better results and get them more often.

Little things like using lenses that feel right to the photographer. We all have our favorites and after working with them for awhile, those favorites may change due to experience. They may not be the same as when we started and lenses we tried at the recommendation of others (or due to ad hype) may not fit our vision or method of working. Even lenses that aren't technically perfect are tools of creativity on the hands of a photographer who likes to work with them. A lens you are comfortable with is a little thing that is often overlooked in the rush to buy something newer, that magic answer that will "improve" your results. It takes time to get to know any lens, to get comfortable with it and gain confidence in its performance in your shooting. As you do so, this becomes a little thing you take for granted.

It is more than camera & lens. A simple choice in film makes all the difference in the world. Maybe you don't see the world in VelviaColor? Personally, I still miss Fuji 50. A difference in how the film interprets the world in front of my lens makes a major difference in how it prints later. Many excellent photographers can go to the same location & come away with different results, all very good. Film choice is one of the little things that makes a difference. One gets strong, masculine images that jump out and grab you with their boldness. Another has feminine, quiet, peaceful images that seduce you with subtle pastels & shading. Film choice makes a major difference in the result & allows the photographer to express their creativity, to make a place their own.

Film choice is a major choice for many & arguments fly fast & furious. "You can't use this film for that subject", etc., etc., etc. In reality, if the film gives you the results you want, who cares what film you shot the images on? You are expressing personal vision, not launching a space shuttle. You are creating art and expressing personal vision and the film is only a way to do it. If you use one film for a time & learn its moods, the choices become simpler. A matter of how you choose to work with light, not an argument with the film. Familiarity breeds confidence & better, more interpretive results.

Small things, like planning to get to your location when the light has a good chance of being where you want it makes a major difference in your results. Planning on being in an area for late afternoon light, when the scene you want to photograph lies on the East side of high mountains & sits in shade all afternoon guarantees no warm, direct late afternoon light on the rock spires. A look at a map could have prevented the disappointment. But, get there & realize your 'mistake', and the creative photographer looks for the reflected light and open shadows and new opportunities rather than complaining that the obvious shot isn't there. Planning helps prevent disappointment. Some images are only shot a few days a year & nature waits for no one. Want delicate arch in Utah with the sun through the arch? Get there when it happens or miss it. It is simple.

Use of a tripod is talked about often but so many leave it in the car. A cable release is a big help. Small & light, it works well in helping you get the best from your pains in hauling a tripod up a hillside. Then there is the willingness to change the tripod height, to get lower or higher after the first look. The effort needed to improve an already good composition helps many images beyond the first view. It is a little thing, but few scenes are only good from one viewpoint.

Film processing by a good, dependable and clean lab is a small thing that pays big dividends. The extra spent on The New Lab or A&I or comparable labs is saved in heartache seen when price is the only criteria. If you spend the time to take a nice image, get it processed by professionals.

When you print your results, have them done well. KMart and low end shops just can't do a good photograph justice. Custom printing will show better and last longer. It is a small thing but when quality counts, the small choices become big when others are looking at your prints. These small decisions add up to prints that you do not have to apologize for. Prints you get complimented on. Prints you are proud to hang on your wall.

When framing, it is the attention to detail that makes the difference. Bainbridge Artcare boards help protect your investment by actively trapping gasses harmful to images. Fine frames cost a bit more than cheap ones and last much longer. Framing a photograph to show it off at its best is more than putting it in a standard size frame because someone else did it. Yours may be crying for more mat space & a bigger frame size, or may need a small, natural wood frame to enhance textural details. One frame style does not fit all. Again, a small thing that adds up to viewing pleasure for those you want to see your images.

I do believe strongly that it is the attention to detail that enhances our images and displays our talents at their best. Photography seems so easy. So few do it well. Most who do it well are nitpickers who pay close attention to the little things and get results that show it. Protestations to the contrary, little flaws show up large and few things are worse than watching someone study your image while you sit back silently praying they don't notice the small flaw that looms larger by the second as you watch them looking at your image. That ragged cut mat. The poor spotting job. The print that is too large for the mat.

Errors will be made no matter what & we can learn from them. That is how many of us learn to pay closer attention-we have experienced them. Our attention to detail often comes as we notice a problem after the fact &vow it won't happen again.

When you see the works of the masters, remember they were not born knowing how to operate a camera or print a flawless print. They learned a little at a time just like everyone else. But, it is their attention to the small details in the process that help ensure quality images. Images good enough that some who see them may be sure are "fake" simply because most don't pay attention to the small details that spell quality.