今天受某摄影师的恩惠，我有幸在当地一个比较高级的画廊展出了照片一共六幅。这次是我有史以来参加的人数最少的展览了。
我现在已经不得不开始接受花钱装裱照片的概念了。第一次学期结束，我惊讶地得知我需要花近100美元去MATTE我的作业。上个学期因为舍不得花钱装裱作业，受到批评。现在终于发觉自己已经受不了拱起来的照片了。一个也是因为照片越印越大，不装起来没法看。这次展览我犹豫了好久怎么装，如果MATTE再FRAME，不是CUSTOM的话，照片也要重印，也要进100一张，而且不一定效果好。如果买现成的CLIP FRAME，直接放进去，虽然便宜，但是感觉太惨了。（很惊讶自己会觉得不上档次）所以后来我决定送到店里DRYMOUNT到一种塑料板上，然后后面是可以挂的框，这样照片就直接突起在墙上，很简洁干净，大概30美元一张，价格还可以接受。只有期盼着能卖掉一幅回本了。然后又发觉虽然看起来效果是好，但是不经用，照片磕碰不起，因为直接在外面，有点象一次性用品，除非就永远挂一面墙上不去碰了。然后又听了别人建议后，觉得自己印16X20还是太小了，盼望着以后可以印大，不过目前为止，我是没钱印更大的作品的。我已经开始一步一步接受过去我嗤之以鼻的那一套高档画廊艺术了。不知道是我被同化，还是这是必经之路。

Thanks to Ian Lemmonds, I’m honored to show 6 pieces in a local art gallery.

Now I have to accept the idea that I need to spend money on presentations. At the end of my 1st semester, I was surprised to know I need to spend almost $100 to matte my final portfolios (Giving the fact I’d never been in an art school, & in China I can do lots of things with $100). I got a A- last semester partly because I begrudged on the presentation. Now I found myself can’t stand those unflat prints. The other reason is I’m print bigger & bigger, it’s hard to see it unless it’s proper presented. I hesitated alot on how to present my work for this show. If I frame & matte them, even not custom framed, it will cost me $100 a piece. But still it can’t achieve my expectations. If I use the readymade clip frame, it’s cheap but looks poor. (I’m surprised to know that I will feel the presentation is poor). In the end, I decided to send them to lab & backmounted to sentra board with floating frame in the back. So that the print looks floated on the wall, simple & clean. It cost $30 a piece, not too bad. My only hope is that I can sell one to break even.(It failed.) It looks great on the wall, but too fragile. The print surface is easily damaged because there’s no protection. It almost like a one time shot, unless it’s put on a wall & never be touched again. & also I want to print them larger than 16×20. Up til now, I can’t afford to present them any bigger. Now I begin to appreciate those gallery high art presentation(which I used to sniffed at) little by little. I don’t know whether I’m being assimilated or it’s the way everybody else has to go thru.

我过去一直相信IMAGE本身的价值高于一切，可能过分相信了，照片的印刷质量（颜色、对比。。。），存在形式（相纸、印刷品、数码文件。。。），PRESENTATION（如何装裱展示），没有一样是重要的。但是我现在也承认如果是在展览中，或者是网站上，其实一切也都很重要，因为是给别人看的，就好比你有一条想法，必须翻译好说出来别人才能懂，声音也要够大。但是IMAGE本身仍然高于一切。IMAGE本身又是什么的？现在回想过去拍照时，我只注意构图，可能还有颜色。现在觉得IDEA高于一切，当然我仍然喜爱构图还有颜色，不过也可以抛弃，如果我舍得的话。那么说起来，我是在用相机作设计（不是平面设计，我恨平面设计了）。

I used to believe in the value of image of itself more than anything. The quality(color, contrast…) of the print, the way it existed(photo paper, print reproduction, digital file…), it’s presentation(matted, framed …), none of these matters. But now I have to admit they are important, in an exhibition or on a website. Because it’s purpose is to show people. It’s like you have a great idea, you need to translate it well so that other can understand & you need to say it loud. But still the image itself is the most important thing. What’s image itself? Now I think back, I used to only paying attention to compostion, sometimes colors. Now I realize the idea is above all. Of course I still love compostion & color, but I’m willing to let them go if I can. In another word, I’m designing with camera (no long graphic design, I hate it now).