- Joined
- Apr 6, 2003
- Messages
- 2,498
While arranging my picture archives I came upon the first photographic
test I made shooting knives (see below)...
This was early in 2001 when I had a vague idea to produce a major
publication on folding knives. I had no idea where this will lead to, but
decided to play with different options of presenting folding knives in
full page illustrations.
I did not like the way it was done up till then, and was also concerned
about creating a visual language which would not confuse the viewer.
Custom knives are often depicted on elaborate backgrounds, surrounded by
confusing artifacts. I decided to show the knives alone - something like
showing the beauty of a great painting on a plain wall, letting it "sing" for
itself without any surrounding distractions.
I soon realized that a plain background would work best for me.
This is what I wrote in 2002, in the preface of my first book, "Custom
Folding Knives":
"...The world of hand made Art Folders, natural as it seems to us
collectors, is quite unheard of "practically unknown" to the general
public, including most art lovers! These one-of-a-kind art treasures are
most often created for a small though ever growing circle of collectors,
thereby ending up hidden away from public view in private collections
around the world. True, there are museums overflowing with large
displays of 'cutlery', from prehistoric stone knives through ancient
Egyptian gold daggers to modern dueling swords and fighting bayonets.
But nowhere, to my knowledge, will one find a permanent public display
of exquisite Damascus knives, fully embellished in gold and diamonds, or
of beautifully engraved folders - all hand crafted in recent years. Being
an avid collector, as well as writer and photographer of several modern
photographic guides (from wild flowers and underwater sea life to
handguns), I was often disturbed by the lack of any public display of this
art form. Therefore, one summer evening, while checking several of my
favorite custom knife-maker sites on the web, I made a decision to
correct this situation. I decided to create a significant journal devoted to
modern day folding art to fill the definite void.
If you are reading these words, then (as the saying goes) the rest is history..."
Now, 7 years after this test picture was shot, I am working on two books
at the same time, Book #6 and Book #7, both on custom knives of course!!!
All the best
David Darom (ddd)
test I made shooting knives (see below)...
This was early in 2001 when I had a vague idea to produce a major
publication on folding knives. I had no idea where this will lead to, but
decided to play with different options of presenting folding knives in
full page illustrations.
I did not like the way it was done up till then, and was also concerned
about creating a visual language which would not confuse the viewer.
Custom knives are often depicted on elaborate backgrounds, surrounded by
confusing artifacts. I decided to show the knives alone - something like
showing the beauty of a great painting on a plain wall, letting it "sing" for
itself without any surrounding distractions.
I soon realized that a plain background would work best for me.
This is what I wrote in 2002, in the preface of my first book, "Custom
Folding Knives":
"...The world of hand made Art Folders, natural as it seems to us
collectors, is quite unheard of "practically unknown" to the general
public, including most art lovers! These one-of-a-kind art treasures are
most often created for a small though ever growing circle of collectors,
thereby ending up hidden away from public view in private collections
around the world. True, there are museums overflowing with large
displays of 'cutlery', from prehistoric stone knives through ancient
Egyptian gold daggers to modern dueling swords and fighting bayonets.
But nowhere, to my knowledge, will one find a permanent public display
of exquisite Damascus knives, fully embellished in gold and diamonds, or
of beautifully engraved folders - all hand crafted in recent years. Being
an avid collector, as well as writer and photographer of several modern
photographic guides (from wild flowers and underwater sea life to
handguns), I was often disturbed by the lack of any public display of this
art form. Therefore, one summer evening, while checking several of my
favorite custom knife-maker sites on the web, I made a decision to
correct this situation. I decided to create a significant journal devoted to
modern day folding art to fill the definite void.
If you are reading these words, then (as the saying goes) the rest is history..."
Now, 7 years after this test picture was shot, I am working on two books
at the same time, Book #6 and Book #7, both on custom knives of course!!!
All the best
David Darom (ddd)
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