Like many photographers trying to emulate the poets, Jain Palmer has had a distinct disadvantage; the image is fixed, and the imagination canŐt take over. For the last year she has been working on a series of monochrome and toned prints depicting inner reality in relation to animals and natural elements.
Because she presents to the viewer a completed image that is her own creation and interpretation, she finds the old proverb "one man's meat is another mans poison" sums up reactions to her work. Her pictures combine animals, landscape and the human form and provoke enthusiasm or dislike depending on the viewer.
"Turning the camera away from conventional representation of outer events to represent events of inner reality has proved to be a challenge." she says. "The act of drawing on physical material, outer reality, has shown its dificulties; I have had to resort to image manipulation during the printing stage to bring out the effect I was after."
"All the work has been undertaken in black and white", she says, "to give more control over the printing. I also found it an appropriate medium for my images as I was concentrating on shapes and texture which colour would have detracted from."
The animal images were taken using a Nikon FM2 with Sigma 75-300mm and 500mm lenses. Jain found the Sigma lenses to be versatile when photographing the animals, being able to closely frame them, follow movement and eliminating any unwanted surroundings which would have detracted from the intended meaning. The landscape shots were taken with 28mm and 50mm lenses.
Films used for the animal shots were Fuji's Neopan 400, 800 and 1600. These enabled high speed to be used to freeze movement while still keeping a fine grain. They also can be pushed very easily.
Jain uses a Durst C35 for her printing with a Nikkor 50mm. She found this small enlarger needed long exposures to make exhibition-size prints, but the results were satisfactory in terms of illumination and sharpness.
To emphasise the quality of her work she used Kentmere Art Classic fibre. Jain found the paper produced soft gradation when toned. She used Ilford PQ Universal developer, a slow soft developer, to give her control of the developing stages especially when solarizing the image.
The printing ranged from straightforward sandwich printing to complex integration of images from different negatives, involving considerable concentration.
All the prints were sepia toned with Speedibrews Speedisepia giving her further control over bleaching and tone of the sepia (you can mix it to what strength is required). When toning other prints blue she found she had more uncontrolled variations in colour, the sepia being rather too easily repeatable, but she found the results pleasing.
To contact Jain Palmer for details of her prints and exhibitions, please e-mail the Editor and your message will be forwarded.
Further images from the portfolio:
