The juror for November’s “Small Works” show, Lindsay Harris, selected three award winners for the Eleanor Boudreau Jordan Award. She awarded Best in Show to Rock Creek Park, a palladium contact print by DeDe Faller, pointing to the softness and rich detail in the print. Faller told us about the palladium process, large-format photography, and the best time of day to take photos — read our Q&A below.
I’m guessing the photograph is in Rock Creek Park, because of the name. Is there any other backstory or motivation for this piece?
Rock Creek Park was taken some time ago. It is a contact print of one of my early works. Most have water and mist. In photography, especially before digital, landscape means large format. If the subject is not moving, you naturally go for the biggest negative for the best quality print.
Can you tell us a little bit about the palladium process?
The picture now in the gallery is a palladium contact print. Palladium is a semi-precious metal used in some dental work and catalytic converters. The process is almost identical to that used in platinum printing, using the same chemicals for coating the paper and requiring a black and white negative. Continue reading Q&A with Award Winner DeDe Faller