Jennifer Prince

My current body of work focuses on the creation of tabletop sets, hand -built to reflect miniature alternate realities. Many include real vegetables, and star teeny posed photographs that I’ve instructed my family and friends to pose for. Others rely more heavily on small toys, props, and items hand fashioned out of who -knows- what. Who-knows-what has quickly become my favorite material…

After constructing my diorama, I light it and make extensive notes about how the image I see through the camera’s viewfinder will translate into black and white values. I then shoot and develop the film according to the demands of math, science, and deep gut-felt instincts. After making enlargements, I study the final composition, exposure values, and emotional translation of the image. Most often this all leads to a re-shoot or twelve, with the ultimate approval sparking a true celebration (batting cages, double feature at the drive-in, skinny dips and two kinds of fondue!)

Once I have made my final print on matte fiber-based paper, I paint it. I use Marshall’s photo oils and pencils- thinned to my liking,, and also like to experiment with watercolor, water soluble oil paint, graphite, and Berol prisma-color pencils. After the print has dried thoroughly, I make a color photograph of each for final sales.