Digital BW, The Print

Hey Dave,
I think we all know that we've been led down the primrose path so to speak.. Be that as it may we are where we are.. I think it would be fair to say that we are all hungry for a better under standing and improved print life.. On the plus side their was a time when our trust translated into a customer commitment by us out of blind faith.. Many really got stung from that ... hearing what they wanted to hear.. Today we are smart enough to not over commit so at least our own risk factor is removed from the equation.. So today it's about the science of improvement.. I like that place much better. Granted it's a frustrating place.. Mark is doing what he can and a great job at that.. Considering the need for more he and the others like him are a small army.. The fact is the variables seem limitless.. so maybe this will never really be an exact science.. 
As far as some of the coatings.. They didn't show up last week and many have been around a while.. If ones sole total focus is longetivity then a print probably should not be displayed or coated and live in a fancy box.. On the other hand if it is then all we can do is the best we know how and be honest about the potential shortcomings.. Some processes, such as gelatin, may not be feasible for many or most of us.. The fact is your a print maker and you have to rely on others for most if not all of what you use and what they say it is.. You are not  involved in the manufacturing process of any of it right? That's how it is.. I'm not trying to rationalize anything with my remarks or settle for second best.....  rather I just don't have the time to be bitter about something I have no damn control over.. I just want to be a good printmaker.. I just have to understand how to honest and knowledgeable about what is possible for me to deliver as best I can.. 

jimbo


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Kachel 
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 6:55 PM
  Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Gelatin's two-edged sword


    
  Jimbo,

  I am not being critical of Mark, or even implying that something is
  ³expected² of him. I just wanted to know what he might happen to know on the
  topic of the spray¹s effects on papers. With regard to Wilhelm¹s testing,
  the apparent lack of testing of just the spray leaves us, in my opinion,
  with insufficient information for trusting such a product. There seems to be
  no basis for us to know that while the spray is prolonging the life of the
  inks, it is also not shortening the life of the paper.

  We can be fairly certain we know what to expect from the better papers
  available. But once we spray something onto that paper, it is no longer a
  known quantity.

  One thing we know for certain is that there is a long history of
  manufacturer¹s of photographic materials and ancillary materials telling us
  things that are simply not true or at best, things they don¹t actually know.
  We have plenty of reason to be distrustful of product claims.

  David Kachel

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  Fine B&W Photographs

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