Charles Cramer Print Offer

Aspen in Fog, Boulder Mountain, Utah

Charles Cramer—a very modest and very down-to-earth guy, yet supremely skilled and incredibly hardworking—has many connections to Ansel Adams, including the fact that he teaches printing and photography at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park. Yet I think of him more as a natural heir of Eliot Porter, whose catholic, loving and wise regard of the natural world often eschewed the monumental in favor of monumentalizing more detailed, horizonless views, such as river reflections and patches of forest floor.

I'm very pleased to present Charlie Cramer as TOP's print sale artist for this winter. The two prints we're offering are Aspen in Fog, Boulder Mountain, Utah (2003), and Canyon Reflections, Coyote Gulch, Utah (2006). Both images are incredibly beautiful, state-of-the-art inkjet prints. I've had this one on my wall for a week, and sometimes I just sit here staring at it:

Canyon Reflections, Coyote Gulch, Utah

The purpose of our print sales is to bring you a variety of high quality work at much lower prices than you could get it for otherwise—in this case, less than half what these prints ordinarily cost. We do this by taking orders for only a short time, and then setting the photographer madly to work fulfilling whatever orders we receive. It's a win-win situation: the artist earns more in a lump than many photographers make from ongoing print sales in a year, but the low prices enable people to buy original art who maybe otherwise wouldn't.

It's also a significant part of how TOP earns its keep, which for fans of the site might count as another win. (Most of the proceeds go to the artist, however.)

Interestingly, Aspen in Fog was shot on 4x5 film, and Canyon Reflections is from a digital Phase One P45 39-megapixel original. Both of these prints are made on Canson Platine Fibre Rag paper on an Epson 11880 using Epson UltraChrome K3 inks. Canson Platine is 100% cotton, with no optical brighteners. The white is almost perfectly neutral, yet very bright. It gives an excellent Dmax and the surface is lovely, with minimal gloss differential. And it's thick—310 gsm, 16 mils. And has a big color gamut. As Charlie says, "What's not to like?"

The image size of Aspen in Fog is approximately 11 x 14.2 inches on a 13x17-inch sheet, and Canyon Reflections is a little wider at 14.8 inches on the same size sheet. The prints are unmounted and are signed by Charlie on the back.

Ordering details
Each print is only $175, and we'll be accepting orders for five days, until roughly sundown on Friday, at which point the sale links will be removed. The regular price for Charlie's prints of this size is $400.

These are unlimited editions. There's no limit on the number that can be sold, with the caveat that we reserve the right to end the sale early if demand is too high (making and shipping lots of prints is hard work, and a single photographer working alone can get overwhelmed).

-

[Sale ended 6 p.m. Friday, February 18th]

-

Note that PayPal does take credit cards from non-account-holders—the step-by-step procedure makes it look like you have to sign up for an account to pay with a credit card, but you don't. Just keep pressing through the procedure without signing up, and you'll get there.

Paying by check
You can send a personal check, money order, or cashier's check if you prefer, as long as the check is in U.S. dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank; but you must reserve your prints before the sale ends by sending an email to me (Mike) with:

• Your name
• Ship-to address
• Which print(s) you want and how many
• The amount of the check you will be mailing

I'll reply with a confirmation and the mailing address.We do not need to actually receive the check by Friday, but please don't delay in mailing it.

I really hope you like these beautiful prints. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. And thank you!

Mike

You might want to email a link to this post to anyone you know who might be interested in these prints! Thanks.

Please help support TOP by patronizing our sponsors B&H Photo and Amazon

Note: Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. More...
Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[Marty]

Canyon is gorgeous...out of my pauper's budget...but admittedly gorgeous...I'm gonna say inspirational as well.

[Jim in Denver]

OOH!! The Aspens are particularly wonderful!

[Paddy C]

Although I am not much into pure landscape photography, Aspen in Fog is stunning.

[Philip Storry]

Wow.

Yet again, you prove yourselves most generous gentlemen!

And I like the distinct contrast between the two selected prints - the muted colours and stillness of Aspen in fog, versus the vibrant colours and sense of motion in Canyon Reflections.

A superb choice, and an opportunity I really can't thank you for enough.

[Player]

"Aspen in Fog" is breathtaking, pulchritudinous.

[Tyler Westcott]

I have ordered both prints and couldn't be more excited. Charles Cramer's prints are absolutely inspirational to me, and it is invaluable to me to have the opportunity to have prints at home to admire every day, rather than once in a rare while at the Ansel Adams Gallery.

I can't wait - thank you for working with Charlie to bring these prints to us.

[Mark Hobson]

Charlie asks, "What's not to like?"

Having just returned from Ken Allen's (http://www.kenallenstudios.com) Protect Your Prints seminar, my answer to Charlie would be - no matter the pigmented ink set or the paper they are printed on, there is absolutely no inherent UV protection or print surface protection on inkjet prints.

At this stage of the the inkjet printing art, buyers / collectors thereof need to be very aware of the fact that pigmented color ink inkjet prints must be displayed under UV glazing (glass, pelxi, etc.) in order to prevent relatively rapid color deterioration - unprotected print = 30 years before noticeable deterioration vs. 130 years for a print under UV glazing (200 years in dark storage).

Add to that, the fact that pigmented ink inkjet prints have absolutely no surface protection. Prints are very vulnerable to scuffing/scraping abrasions as well as to airborne pollutants that can attack a print via their absorption into the unsealed microporous surface of inkjet prints.

The rather sad state of affairs at this stage of the game, re: UV/surface protection, is that extreme care must be taken in any handling of inkjet prints prior to air-tight framing under UV glazing.

Air-tight framing with UV glazing is virtually the only solution to address the 2 main - and not insignificant - issues inkjet involving the care and display of inkjet prints.

BTW/FYI, this comment is not meant in any way to discourage Charlie's or any other TOP print sales. Rather it is to provide to print buyers some information about a relatively heretofore little discussed issue with inkjet printing/prints.

[Patrick Dodds]

Thanks for sorting this offer out Mike - the first picture is so beautiful I just put in an order. I was hoping I'd like the prints so that I could order one not just to grace the wall of our home but also as payback for all the pleasure you've brought me over the last couple of years through your blog. Keep up the good work!

[Erez]

"Aspen in Fog" is fantastic. I had to order it as soon as I saw it's on offer.
Thanks for making this happen.

[Bron]

And just to throw some gasoline onto things, Mark Hobson is saying an air tight framing; there is some controversy about sealed mico- environments, approaching religious wars, amongst framers and conservators. I am very leery of sealed, as it conveniently ignores out gassing of all of the materials in the package. Like many serious issues, there is no easy answer, other than research, and making an educated decision.

I could rant, but this is very new, sealed environments, and we don't know yet. Google "Tacoma Narrows bridge", think unsinkable ships, and a touch of hubris to taste.

Bron

[ctein]

Dear Mark,

I don't know Ken Allen, but I am familiar with the work of other well-established researchers in the field. The situation is not so extreme as you portray.

I imagine you will be very happy to know that inkjet print permanence is not even close to being a “little discussed” topic. It's been the subject of extensive discussion and writing by fine printmakers, conservators, and conservation researchers ever since the media first hit the market.

Addressing your comments point by point would consume a whole column… And in fact I decided to make it this Wednesday's column. In the meantime, the short version is that one should always frame photographs under glass or acrylic, regardless of medium, UV absorbing glazing is unnecessary except in the most extreme circumstances, and don't even try for an airtight frame–– it won't work and it's a bad idea.

Full details will follow in less than 72 hours (antici .... .... .... pation [g]).

pax \ Ctein
[ Please excuse any word-salad. MacSpeech in training! ]
======================================
-- Ctein's Online Gallery http://ctein.com 
-- Digital Restorations http://photo-repair.com 
======================================

[Oldsweng]

Ctein, I'm looking forward to your posting!

In my collection the old type R prints have horrible, wildly fluctuating, longevity. In contrast the Cibachrome prints are holding up very nicely. I have every confidence the pigment inkjet prints on rag paper will outlast me by several decades.

Mike, I am really looking forward to receiving my prints!

[Ben Rosengart]

Paddy C wrote, "Although I am not much into pure landscape photography, Aspen in Fog is stunning."

I could say the same thing. Lovely, lovely work.

[toto]

Mike, I noticed that there's no option to order two prints - of the same image. Just in case someone would like to.

[Mike Johnston]

Toto,
That's true. I should have thought of that. If anyone would like two of the same image, they should just email me, and we'll take care of it.

Mike

[Martin Doonan]

I'd been wondering to myself whose work Charlie's seemed to evoke and then you mentioned Eliot Porter (one of my favourites): another nail-hitting hammer, right there.

And on that matter, it seems to me that work of this sort is exactly why the colour print was invented and why computer screens have so far to go.

Expect an order from me, for sure.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

The aspens really grabbed me from the beginning, and when it came up as one of the prints for the sale, I failed my saving throw against art :-). I'm looking forward to seeing it as an inkjet print (since that's how I do my own printing, there's more for me to learn there than in places I'm never going myself). Also, the price was irresistible.

Maybe a few more excellent images at this sort of modest size will help me deal with my urge to print BIGGER and make me more content working on shooting better instead. (But...but...but...I can make it bigger really easily right now!)

[PLM]

Charlie's work also reminds me of Christopher Burkett's work.

[neely fallon]

Mike (or Charlie),

Could elaborate on the making of "Aspen in Fog"?

Film & scanner used in particular.

Simply stunning color & depth.

Thx - neely fallon

[Juha Haataja]

Looking forward to receiving a print - thanks for organizing this!

[Richard]

It's strange, but echoing the comment by Paddy C and others, I'm not really into landscape photography "of this genre" - but I just had to order that Aspen print. Blink. And I'm going to hang it on the wall and enjoy it, and hope my visitors enjoy it as well - irrespective of longevity (mine, or its!)

[Rob P]

Thank you so much for making this print offer available. I'm a big fan of Charles', and Aspen in Fog happens to be one of my favourite images of his.

[Rob P]

BTW, please do a print offer from John Sexton next! I love his work, but unfortunately can't afford to buy an original print, even at his reasonable prices for one of today's best landscape photographers.

[Matt P]

Add me to the list of people generally uninterested in landscapes, but drawn to Aspen in Fog. I suspect that in person it would rival the Eliot Porter work I saw at the Amon Carter Museum.

Now to figure out how to come up with $200...

[ctein]

My two prints arrived today.

Gorgeous!!!!!!!

pax / appreciative Ctein

[David Bostedo]

"My two prints arrived today."

Color me jealous.

[Mike Johnston]

David and others,
Ctein's was actually the very first order, because he told me two days before the sale started that he'd be sending me a check. But Charlie has already mailed out the first batch of prints, and another will follow soon. The earlier you ordered, the earlier yours will arrive.

Mike

[Mark Francis F. Lopez]

Just pulled the trigger - first time I'm buying any sort of fine art prints. Really looking forward to seeing the print in person!

[ctein]

Mike exaggerates. It was less than 12 hours before the sale officially started. [g]

Delayed gratification, nuh uh. That's for grownups!

pax / childish Ctein

[Ken Tanaka]

My "Aspens" print arrived today. Need I say that it's a simply wonderful image and print?

If anyone is still on the fence about biting on one of Charlie's prints let me nudge you towards clicking Buy.

Even if you're not a landscape or scenic enthusiast (which I'm not especially) these prints are veritable encapsulated clinics of digital printing. The tonal and color separations of my Aspens print are exemplary. Yes, Charlie had a lovely lightly fogged forest scene to help lend depth to the image. But he has masterfully preserved, and probably even amplified, what the scene gave his lens through careful post work and printing techniques. Nothing is crushed. Nothing is blown. Every object is discernible but nothing is intrusively sharpened. It's a perfect example of restraint and skill being deployed from the lens to the paper.

One of the great handicaps that many, maybe most, photographic enthusiasts suffer is simply not seeing much good work in-person. Yes, the Web offers small samples. Some of the best magazines, such as Aperture and Silver Shotz, offer better glimpses. Photo books, better still. But nothing really substitutes for seeing a fine print -- of any subject -- in front of your face. Charlie's offer here is a splendid, and relatively inexpensive, opportunity to see what can be done with means and materials you probably already have. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper, less time-consuming, and longer-lasting than a workshop, eh!

[David Dyer-Bennet]

My Aspens arrived today, and is definitely worth it.

And the packing looks to probably get it safely through a small war -- multiple layers of corrugated cardboard both sides, with thin strips to make a well the size of the high-quality clear envelope with the print and the cover sheet and the thank-you letter from Charles (you're welcome!). And then that whole thing is put in a box!