"Is this another 25 year old print?"

Actually, yes. Or, at least it might as well be.

This is actually printed (in a real darkroom) from negatives rescued after Katrina. The colors all got washed out and somehow the red is all that survived. And yes, there's plenty of dirt and scratches (and mold), but I actually really enjoy the effect.

Have you ever heard of Joel Peter Witkin? http://www.art-forum.org/z_Witkin/gallery.htm

Dirt, scratches, noise, mold, etc., are all viable artistic mediums. All photographs do not have to be crisp clean images to be viable. I could give a thousand examples of images that just wouldn't be the same without their respective flaws (character)... but I'm sure you can think of some for yourself if you try. =)

@psychodudu

See above. No Post-Processing on this image.

Unfortunately the original print (full color, without dirt, etc.) was destroyed and exists only in (my) memory. Printing this version was a sort of therapy and the result - for better or worse - is all that's left.

ah. not ana, but a king invitee? or, SeekingFocus, are you King's alter ego?

Yeah, King made me do it. From now on I promise to post only clean noiseless images. =)

Okay, folks, you can blame me in a way, but this isn't my photograph.

@SeekingFocus
Did you take this photo prior to its being damaged in Katrina? Sometimes folks post photos taken by others...a grandfather, for instance...and that is usually accepted.

@King

Yes, This was a model from a figure drawing class. She was nice enough to let me photograph her (though that is generally a huge faux-pas).

@dcreighton

I tried a Black and White version of this after I had scanned it just to see:
http://www.seekingfocus.com/WS/20061024_nude_resize.jpg

Any opinions?

For some reason I felt like it seemed to lack warmth or life. Now, the color version seems to be a bit too warm maybe, as that is the thing that is bothering people the most. The thing that really got me is that you can still see just a hint of her blond hair. I'm a sucker for tiny details like that.

@SeekingFocus
I prefer the color version.
I like working with life drawing (figure) models because they tend to be less self-conscious..and they know how to hold a pose.

I think the color version is better too now that I've seen a comparison. The back story here really adds context and makes the picture more interesting and enjoyable. You can never tell on WS if someone was just going nuts in photoshop to try and make an otherwise ordinary image stand out. I know I'm guilty of that for my latest post, failing I'm afraid. Thanks for the back story.

@SeekingFocus
Are you mad? mentioning Joel Peter Witkin on WS. Are you trying to get the site shut down by the morality police?

Anyway, it's the decay and degradation or your photo that is Witkin-like, not the model or the pose.

P.S. - I've always thought of Witkin as a perverse genius, but wondered if he would go the way of Diane Arbus.

@kadenajack

Yeah, I was certain I was going to get a fairly harsh initial reaction to posting this. To me though, it makes the difference of being done in a darkroom as opposed to digitally edited. I'm not sure why, but that physicality (of film) really seem to work better for me than know it was just run through a program. I'm not a fan of Photoshop myself, so I would probably have reacted the same way to seeing this image.

@King

I know, I know. I was however only making a comparison to the way he used scratches, dirt, bleach, etc., for their formal qualities, rather than thinking of them as opponents of image quality.

But yes, if he were to go the way of Diane Arbus, I'm sure he'd use it as a photo opportunity (as was rumored that she had).

@EVERYONE

Thanks for all the comments and dialogue. This is my first WS theme, and I look forward to more!

@SeekingFocus- The B&W version really makes it feel vintage while the red toned image gives a "edge". For me, and this is purely personal, meeting somewhere in the middle with a vintage sepia tone may the perfect combo. The image works as is but for some reason the red tone gives a negative response when first viewed. I think it is because it usually represents evil, hate, anger, passion, etc. All of which don't immediately come across. What I read when looking at the image is sensual reflection, peaceful repose, etc.

I do agree 100% with you about the bit of blonde coming through and that is partly where the Marilyn Monroe feel breaks through.

@SeekingFocus
Featured with your first image. Sweet.
Congratulations.

Congrats!

congratulations!

"Dirt, scratches, noise, mold, etc., are all viable artistic mediums. All photographs do not have to be crisp clean images to be viable. I could give a thousand examples of images that just wouldn't be the same without their respective flaws (character)... but I'm sure you can think of some for yourself if you try. =)"

I am 100% with you.

Hey, Jason (SeekingFocus), I have some 40-year-old, moldy, dirty, scratched Kodachromes you can borrow.

@King

I'd love to use them. I also do some Polaroid transfers and old/beat up film seems to lend itself to the medium. Also, I have been wanting to do a found negative project for some time actually.

@Everyone

Thanks again. This must have gotten featured just after I went to sleep last night, I didn't notice it until this morning. I really didn't expect it to make it to the front page, as I said about the initial reaction being harsh, but I'm glad everyone came embrace the uglier aspects! =) Let the revolution begin...

Thanks for all the feedback.

What a great story and so in union metaphorically and literally I would say with the irrepairable damage to New Orleans done by Katrina..