When do you find time to print/play photos

windrivermaiden · Oct 10, 2007

I'm sitting here on the dawn of what looks to be a georgeous day, looks like the UV index will be 10 for sure...and the desire to print is so strong. Of course I have a million and one things that have to take priority over passion. It seems I rarely find time to print and play with my photos.

So...How do you all make time for your passion? Or are we all in the same boat?:meh:

terri · Oct 10, 2007

Frankly, I let the laundry pile up and the house get dirty. Funny thing about those tedious chores: they never "end", so it seems silly to me to tell myself I "get" to go into the darkroom as soon as they are "finished".

The same can be said about the million and one other things that interfere with our limited time to be creative. I can't do anything about working full time (aside from ducking in here and working on my site and other naughty time-stealers while I'm at work), but I do try to prioritize so a day off to print is REALLY a day off to print. Laundry, for instance, can be done during the work-week, at night.

I gave up on the "superwoman" line many moons ago. :mrgreen:

Alex_B · Oct 10, 2007

windrivermaiden said:
I'm sitting here on the dawn of what looks to be a georgeous day, looks like the UV index will be 10 for sure...and the desire to print is so strong. Of course I have a million and one things that have to take priority over passion. It seems I rarely find time to print and play with my photos.

So...How do you all make time for your passion? Or are we all in the same boat?:meh:

well, this is the same in the film world and the digital world alike!

when you start processing and/or printing, you have to neglect other duties

I would really need 48 hours per day

windrivermaiden · Oct 11, 2007

Aren't paper plates a blessing?:hail: Now, what can we do about that pesky 9-5 thing that just takes up our time?:mrgreen:

When I get time to print I do, print like a maniac. With Gum, I can prep the paper, then do chores while it drys, expose and put into the wash, then do more chores or what ever only taking a moment to change the wash water. (I do still water bath for them). I'd like to have dedicated space for my craft, but with 720 sq ft shared with 3 other people there isn't much space for that. I think I do ok with my conditions. I guess I'm just being greedy.:meh:

terri · Oct 11, 2007

Greed is good. :mrgreen: Wasn't that in a movie? Surely if Hollywood said it, it must be true.

Actually, it sounds like you have a very organized method in place for the gum prints. It could be that the small space even helps you (okay I'm reaching here, just play along) since you can keep a close eye on the drying for the prints as you move through the process, while still getting other chores done.

My house isn't huge, but it is a 2-story traditional thing which means when I disappear into the upstairs room that I call my darkroom - I'm going to studiously turn a blind eye to whatever is calling. The laundry room, the bathrooms, the yard - it's just going to have to wait. And Monday morning is always just around the corner.

Christina · Oct 12, 2007

Never enough time in the day. I think this is a problem for us all who do not do this as a pro. My weekends are crammed with photoshoots and 2am editing sessions. The weekend is mine. The laundry, the house, the school work and job woes are all forgotten.

Aquarium Dreams · Oct 12, 2007

I shower at night, have developed a uniform-like wardrobe, and keep food in the car, so I can be out the door ten minutes after waking. It helps.

Everyone has the same amount of hours in a day. I'm amazed by the things some people accomplish with their time, and would like to know the secrets of those super-efficient people who seem never to stress about having too little time.

windrivermaiden · Oct 13, 2007

Aquarium Dreams said:
have developed a uniform-like wardrobe,

Indeed! Black for working with chemicals that stain...and White for when I'm clearing hardened gum with bleach. And it is easy to get out the door to get going in the morning. No wondering if I'm going to match. Its all good.

Actually, when I look at all I get done in a day, I am amazed that I also get alot of printing done when it's sunny. I'm a full time student, and I work 40 hours a week. That with 2 kids...I'm the master of the efficient laundry load...the 15 minute dinner...the 20 minute grocery shopping. Get in, get stuff, get out.

This is what helps me print gum effieicntly:

I have kept good notes while I have printed in gum the last 5 years. In my notebook I have recipes of pigment blends that I like.
I mix stock solution in 6oz batches from them. (I'm thinking I might start mixing 8 oz)
I color match the stock solution to color chips that I have right there in my notebook with the recipe.
Once I get the pigment mix the way I want it, I calibrate my ratio of pigment to gum to print for a 1 minute exposure in a 1:1 ratio with dichromate.
I do a run of test strips with a 10 step value negative I made for that purpose and make any adjustments to the stock solution that I need. Sometimes I need to add a hair more pigment, and some times a bit more gum. And I'm ready to print when ever the chance arises.

This way, I only have one variable to contend with; the strength of the UV that the sun provides, I can either reduce my exposure or lengthen it to get what I want. If its really high UV index, I will thin the pigment stock with gum and still print 1 minute exposures. That way I avoid overexposure. I may have to come back with a second layer of that particular color later but I won't have ruined a print that has a week or two of time invested in it with a blast of too much of one color. You can always add another layer, can't take it away as easily. Although judicious etching with bleach will sometimes save a print that has too much exposure.

CDG · Oct 13, 2007

I guess the best answer I can come up with is that it doesn't matter when you print, as long as you print. For me, that means procrastination for other important things like essays and projects.

As of this posting, I have not slept since 9 AM yesterday when I woke up. I woke up, got into the darkroom to print some, came back, finished some important work for an interior design class I'm enrolled in, watched some South Park, rolled up some rolls of 35mm film, got the left primary removed on my motorcycle (it's currently in pieces on my dorm room floor). I proceeded to take apart 2 of my computers so as to clone the windows install from one harddrive to another. At 3AM I took a brief nap, awoke at 4 and took a shower. Then I loaded up my Jeep with my cameras, woke up my buddy and hit the trail for Canyon Diablo outside of Flagstaff. Arrived there a little after the break of dawn, and got back to my room around 9AM, where I proceeded to unload my equipment, and take a nap for 2 hours between 10 and noon. I awoke and processed my film - 6 rolls worth, and that pretty much brings me to the present. I have eaten several times within this time frame too.

In short, I guess you just have to make time to do the things you love.

windrivermaiden · Oct 14, 2007

Wow! to have the energy of a YOUNG college student. You are a busy boy. (Putting on my Mommy hat now.....Take time to rest a bit. I hear it helps you make better photos. :lovey: