There is a feeling of satisfaction in the presence of a fine print – and uneasiness with a print that falls short of optimum quality. The difference between a very good print and a fine print is quite subtle and difficult, if not impossible, to describe in words. The fine print represents, to me, an expresssive object of beauty and excellence. It is this authenticity, and its technical and aesthetic manifestations – presence– that is reflected in the work of a master photographer.Īnsel Adams used the word presence to describe a print that was “finished.” He had no definition for the word “presence,” so I’ll try to describe its importance, explain how it is brought out in a print, and discuss what I believe is the best method to produce it consistently. Thirdly, and most importantly, a masterpiece is the result of the individual artist’s authentic genius. The work comes solely from an individual creating from a solitary position. Secondly, a masterpiece is the creation of an individual artist, not a collaboration or committee. It is a picture that is not borrowed or stolen, and though it is perhaps derivative in nature, it is made out of the stuff of the universe, unique and often unbidden. The authentic portrayal of presence produces a masterpiece.Īrt historian Kenneth Clark, in his small book, What is a Masterpiece, calls a masterpiece the “creation of an individual artist’s authentic genius.” A masterpiece is first of all a creation. Luminosity creates our world as photographers, and it is this understanding and portrayal of light that ultimately produces presence. If we look at the history of black-and-white photography and the great pictures it has given us, it is the honesty of presence through the articulation of the black-and-white scale that gives credence to black-and-white masterpieces. Simply applying a technical trick like some magic wand that one can wave over paper and ink will not, in itself, produce a masterpiece. 4×5 Wista View Camera, 150mm Zeiss Protar, Tri-X The B&W Master Print