The red-crowned cranes, affectionately known as tancho (full name: tanchōzuru) by the Japanese, are sometimes called “snow ballerinas” as they gather at winter feeding sanctuaries and dance with one another on winter days. When spring arrives, they disperse: each pair flying off to their preferred nesting ground. For this series, I knew immediately that I would not print the images on baryta papers (my preference). Instead, I will print them on Canson’s Edition Etching Rag. To emphasise the cranes’ beauty in motion, I accentuated their lines and reduced micro contrast, in effect, relatively emptying spaces of detail to enhance the abstract elements of tone and form. It is a slight nod to the aesthetics of Japanese woodblock prints of the 19th century. The resultant more abstract and slightly painterly effect is what I wanted to achieve, and I hope you like these images.
