Last week I talked about starting a project by figuring out the end point. Here is an end point that should be avoided at all costs. It’s the point called “printing for the box.”
One of my photo buddies asked me about the goal of my current photo project. “Are you printing for the box?” The implication is that the work would never see the light of day or any exhibition venue but would be resigned to spend its entire existence in one of those archival storage boxes. (Under the bed, of course. Isn’t that where your archival storage boxes are stored?) Now, you must ask yourself the question, “What is the goal of your current photographic project?” Printing for the box? Printing for an exhibition? Printing for a book or something in between? If you are going to keep a final goal in mind, it is best to start with a goal that is much, much better than an archival storage box under your bed.
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