Digital BW, The Print

Steadman Uhlich wrote:

> In his letter to readers, the editor in chief says that digital prints do
not have the tradition, heritage, and well....some other qualities he thinks
important for collectors...given that they are made by "machine" and not in
a traditional manner.  So...from now on...this mag will not have any
articles or feature any discussion of digital prints.

It seems to me there are a couple of approaches that warrant letters to the
magazine that will get them into more of a corner.

For example, I'd want to know if silver prints that went through a digital
step are covered.  For example, what of the Lens Work type images.

Next, I'd want to know how collectors or the magazine can tell if there was
a digital step if the process.  Can they really police the policy?  Do they
have affidavits from all their advertisers and the photographers and others
whose photos are published?

I wonder what the other attributes of digital are that are of concern?
Maybe they could be specific.

If longevity and light fastness is one factor, how do they know that the
photos that are featured and advertised are properly processed?  If they are
not the carbon pigments on good paper is probably more archival.

In fact, if the partial toning that we silver printers were doing, it turns
out that the images are not really that archival.  I think I'll be able to
measure the yellowing of  partially-toned silver prints.  It may be low, but
I hope to match it -- in fact non-warming paper (no brighteners) may do it
already.

We must confess that the easy of making many copies is a problem for any
machine print.  Collectors want an object that cannot be made in quantity.
How one raises prices, all else being equal, is to limit output.  From an
economics perspective, the control that a monopolist has is limiting output.
It is only from that action that prices rise.  So, out put limitations is a
key to collectible value.  But, how many prints to A. Adams "make?"  I think
over 80,000, but this is hearsay.

So, there are issues we can work with here.  If the magazines' policy
becomes self-defeating, they'll change.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com