Eleven:Fourteen

Mural, Superior, AZ, 2009, 11x14" silver gelatin contact print, Richard M. Coda

My first 11x14" contact print! The detail in this image is incredible and clearly cannot be appreciated in this web scan.

I really like working with this format. It's a little cumbersome when exposing the negative, but everything after that is standard operating procedure. I process the negatives one at a time (for now) in a Jobo 3062 drum with no insert, using one liter of chemistry per sheet. The negatives themselves are something to behold. I remember when Randy Efros showed us one of Brett Weston's 11x14 negatives... all I could think of was making my own. Last week I printed my next two 11x14" images. Once I dry-mount them I will photograph them and post them here.

I plan on selling my 11x14" contact prints as limited editions of 14 with 3 artist's proofs. Pricing will start at $400 ($200 below my regular price for 11x14" enlargements) for the first four prints. Prints 5-10 will be $500 and the last five prints will be $750. Buying early in the edition is encouraged.

These images may also end up in portfolios of 11x14" contact prints at a later date, but they will be denoted as such.

A visitor! Hoo could it be?

After dinner Sunday night I looked out the back window and couldn't believe it. There was a Great Horned Owl sitting on our fence. As I'm sure you all know, owls are usually noctural, so it's rare to see them at this hour of the day, especially in a populated area.

Anyway, I took about 60 or so shots with the D300 and a 300mm lens.

UPDATE: Tonight after dinner I heard an owl "hoot". I look out my office window and there it is just setting down on our back fence again. As soon as I saw it, it flew away. Then I go into the kitchen and see another one, much larger, sitting in our pool on the first "step". I open the back door to get a better view and I see the other one fly off our roof. We must have a mating pair who like our house. I hope so... they can take care of the field mice and chipmunks who leave their business all over the place out here.

New photo, July 14...

Lindsay's debut exhibit at SuVino

Lindsay and I had our artist's reception at the Su Vino Winery show last Thursday. The owners were very pleased with the show, especially Lindsay's work. I gave her the prime wall spots at the end of the bar. A lot of people showed up, but as it was about 110 degrees outside and it was also the 20th Anniversary of the Summer Artwalks in Scottsdale, most of them were looking for free door prizes. Many members from Imageworks showed up and we thank them for their support.

Lindsay's paintings in the prime location.

My friend, Juan Garcia, also an accomplished painter, talking about painting with Lindsay.


Lindsay and her artwork.

Lindsay and me. (Thanks to John Prouty for this one.)

The show is up until August 4th. If you are in the area, please stop by and let us know what you think. As it will be hot for a while, why not order a flight of wine while you're there! Su Vino is located at 7035 E. Main Street, Suite 110,Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 994-VINO(8466).

Father and Daughter exhibit at SuVino Winery - July 9

I will be exhibiting with my daughter, Lindsay, at Su Vino Winery in old town Scottsdale from July 9 through August 4, 2009. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, July 9 at 7:00 PM. This also coincides with the 20th Anniversary of Scottsdale's Summer Artwalks and there will be food and music at many galleries.

This is Lindsay's first exhibit (outside of school) and she is very excited. If you are in the area, please stop by and support her.

Su Vino Winery is located at 7035 E. Main Street in Scottsdale (at Marshall Way). Their phone is 480.994.8466.

Inspirations #11: Warhol

Gale Smith, 1978, Andy Warhol

When I was a senior in college I found a book at the Whitney Museum in New York that I became fascinated with. Andy Warhol: Portraits of the 70s. It was the companion book to the exhibit at the Whitney several years earlier. In particular, the image of Gale Smith reminded me of my girlfriend at the time, Sharon.

As I had started working with a 4x5" camera at this time I wondered what would happen if I shot with litho (film that printers used to make plates for printing presses) film. Litho film is inherently high-contrast but it can be tamed to a certain extent by use of low-contrast developers. So, I asked Sharon if she would pose for me and she agreed. I developed the film in Dektol, Kodak's basic print developer. The negative is high-contrast but still has a soft edge to it. I made a print on Grade 5 paper and hand colored it using food coloring and PhotoFlo. The result is below.

Sharon, 1982, Richard M. Coda

Now, this is SO easy to do in Photoshop or Photo Booth today that it's not even worth mentioning, but it was fun way back when.

When school was out I asked my brother and sisters if they would pose for me so I could do something similar as part of a gift to our parents. Below is the result.

Inspirations #10: Water from a Stone...

Well, they say you really can't do that.

Anyway, BIG STONES and BIG WATER are always inspiring, especially to photographers. Lately I have found myself yearning for landscapes... I don't know why. Maybe, as I approach 50 (T-minus 1 year) I am seeking some sort of solace from the continuous stream of depressing news that Man generates on a daily basis.

This image, Lake Tenaya, 1946, by Ansel Adams (and a similar image by Edward Weston from 1937, below), has always been one of my favorite landscape images.

Lake Tenaya, 1946, Ansel Adams

Lake Tenaya, 1937, Edward Weston

I haven't taken any landscapes in quite a while so I went through some older negatives that I had never printed in preparing for a print session I had yesterday. After I finished printing new work I went for this negative, which I took on my honeymoon at Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper, Alberta, Canada in 1990. This was the view from the lodge at Lac Beauvert. I made an 11x14 print that I think is very beautiful.

Lac Beauvert, Jasper, Alberta, Canada, 1990, Richard M. Coda

After making the print I also remembered a print that I have from my friend, Jody Forster.

Painted Cliffs, Apache Lake, 1980, Jody Forster

Mt. Jordan and Lake Reflection, Sierra Nevada, CA, 1999, Jody Forster

There's a dimensionality in all of them that's just contrary to the fact that they are two-dimensional photographs. These images are so beautiful that sometimes I feel like I could cry. Maybe you can get water from a stone!

Coming Soon!

New work... and old work. I have been developing lots of new negatives the past two weeks and even a few old (undeveloped) negatives from the "vault". I also had a print session today... very productive. Six new 11x14" contact prints (2 images, 4+2), three new 8x10 contact prints, and three old 4x5" negatives that I had never printed before. Also, look for a few new "Inspirations" posts soon.

Happy Independence Day!