Gene Laughter:

I was asked today if I ever manipulate the clouds in my landscapes to make an image more dramatic. My answer was, "Absolutely!" This brings up an interesting subject. Where do you want to go with a bromoil print? Many follow exactly the image on the negative ... and do it well. That's one way and a very good way. Others go a more sketchy route, or follow a more impressionistic path. Options. That's what it's all about. Follow the course that you feel comfortable with. Yesterday I posted a link to a bromoil print by Eleanor Park Custis. Beautiful bromoil! It was completely photographic in it's rendering. She could have gone for grain - or she could have added color. She went the direction that was her best shot, I'm sure. It's all in the eyes of the photographer and artist. Mortensen never did a print that he didn't manipulate like crazy. He was a master at it. So was Greyspeerdt ... and Missone. Gilbert Hooper loves making his own clouds and he makes them so well! Yet others follow exactly the negative ... and create masterpieces in doing so. There's no right - no wrong. Only what one wishes to achieve. I do a lot of manipulation: selective inking, razor blade etching, adding colors, retouching, etc. Why? It's the way I want to go and I really enjoy doing it! Here's the bromie I posted this afternoon after razor bade etching the clouds and adding some pencil color (oil pencils). One of the wonderful things about the bromoil process is the vast amount of control and options one has. There's but one rule: Have fun ... and follow your bliss!!!!