ABSTRACT
Hand alteration is a way to expand the photographic lexicon and is not meant to replace or threaten traditional modes of working. When hand-altering work, take the freedom to push and pull the ideas and materials until resistance is felt. Push on the walls of familiarity, but learn to stop before resistance turns into chaos. When one hits
resistance to new ideas and methods, it indicates you are entering uncharted waters. There are no guides, instructions, or maps to offer direction. You are on your own. This enables you to know how far you can stretch the medium and yourself. Maintain a record of your experiments so the results can be duplicated and your knowledge shared. Keep in mind what Picasso said: “The eyes of an artist are open to a superior reality.”
