Paradise Lost: Jiuzhaigou

[Akira]

The characteristic tone of the negative film, the particular color of the waters of 

Jiuzhaigou and the color of their ethnic costumes fit well together.

Yes these were all shot on film. I used colour negative film for more than 95% of everything that I shot from about 1955 until 2008 when the advent of the D3 suddenly changed everything over-night!

Have you been using color negative films for your professional works?  Even for the printed matters like magazines?  Were there any particular reason?

[Ann]

I always shot on color neg stock for my professional work because I had (and I still have!) the facilities to do my own processing and printing so I could supply large prints which were closely colour-matched to the original objects.
 
You also have the advantage of being able to adjust the colour-balance very precisely, and Dodge and Burn as well, when you print your own negatives and you can't do that with transparencies.

It gave the Separators no leeway when they were told to "match it" but they soon discovered that they could do so; and the lower range of tones in a reflective print reproduce more closely to the original when C, M, Y and K inks hit paper than do the high-contrast colours in a transparency.

Clients seemed to appreciate the fact that what eventually rolled off the Press retained a very close match to the photographs which they had signed-off on.

[Akira]

Wow, thanks, Ann, for the details.

I did know that all the professional photographers I knew used negative films and gave their own reflective prints to the publishers when the images were B&W.  But I've never kown any who did the same "regularly" in color, except for the artistic photographers who use color negative films for their characteristic tone.  Very interesting!

[Ann]

There were not many photographers who worked with colour negs. — just a Lunatic Fringe perhaps?

It did involve more time and effort because I found it essential to do my own processing; but
I think that I got quite a few commissions precisely because I worked that way.

[HCS]

Good to see you posting here, Ann. Many familiar names/faces here for you.

Really great set of images, but that's been mentioned many times already. They give beautiful insight in this area.

About posting images in between text, one cannot do that when attaching images. For that, images need to be hosted.

[Ann]

Hans:

Thank you — both for your kind comments and explaining how fitting pictures into text works here.

Yes it's great to find so many old friends here and to be able to catch-up on what they have been doing recently.

[chris dees]

Welcome back Ann.

I've read about it. It's pretty devastating.
I was planning a trip to that region for next year.

[Ann]

Chris:

I do hope that you will be able to go to that amazing area; and I am sure that the local authorities will already be working like beavers to make the Park accessible again as soon as possible because it really is regarded as both a national and a world treasure.

Actually, Sichuan has both considerable natural beauty; the important Panda reserve, breeding and research station; the astonishing engineering of Dujiangyan irrigation scheme (which was constructed in about 256 BC!) to change the course of rivers; and significant historical treasures too so do try to spend several weeks there if you possibly can — you won't regret it!

[chris dees]

We've been to Chengdu and the Panda conservation but at that time we travelled to the East to Lijang, Dali, Yangshuo, etc.
This time we want to go more to the West/North.
One thing is for sure, we want to avoid the big cities as much as possible.
We can wait a year.

[Ann]

Chris:

You seem to like to travel in the same way that I do and to follow the "path less travelled".

It's the wild and lesser-known places — and the interaction with the people who live there — which always seem to result in the most memorable experiences.

[chris dees]

Yes, we do.
In two weeks we're heading to Uganda for a roundtrip. 

[Ann]

Gorillas?

Unfortunately, I don't feel that I have the physical strength any longer to survive the six-hour climb, including the need to machete my way through a thick jungle, to reach the Gorillas although my great friend Pepe from Cape Town is always trying to persuade me to do the trek with her.

[chris dees]

Yes Gorilla's and much more. Chimps, Golden Monkeys, Shoebill to name a few.
There're over 1000 bird species in Uganda and I hope to catch a few.
This will be mainly a nature trip.

[Ann]

It all sounds thrilling and I am looking forward to seeing your photographs when you return.

I have just arranged to go the rain forests of Costa Rica in January in pursuit of a Splendid Quetzal or two, a Sloth and some painted frogs among other delights — although a Jaguar sighting is exceedingly unlikely.

[Andrea B.]

oh my -- Costa Rica -- that will be a real delight!! My sister went there and throughly enjoyed it. I would love to see the birds!!