Digital BW, The Print

Bo,

Thank you for the wonderful story. It sounds like your friends are 
happy and content with what they are doing. To tell you the truth, 
the only reason I switched from a wet traditional darkroom to digital 
is because I became sensitized (allergic) to the chemicals I was 
using to produce platinum prints. When I switched, I made the 
decision that I would ONLY switch if I could make prints that 
compared to the quality and expressiveness of platinum.

I have been able to obtain this goal. But, you are 100% correct in 
that a technically perfect print DOES NOT make a great photograph. 
The heart, soul, and talent of the photographer all contribute to the 
image.

Some of the greatest images I have seen were made by friends with a 
Holga and it's plastic lens. 

Show your buddies the Hahnemuhle paper, if they do not like it, well 
that is too bad as it is a lovely paper.

Have a wonderful weeekend in Sweden.

Best Regards
Mike



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "sm7bxd" <sm7bxd@y...> 
wrote:
> Post scriptum to the inlays about English and best methods!!
> Satir???
> 
> I'm an amateur - heavy one.....
> I have friends living on photographing....
> We talk to each other......
> 
> WE agree on that the best photoes was not of the best qulity
> ones, are NOT made by the best cameras or papers and etc etc etc....
> 
> 1/ The photoes has of good composition
> 2/ The amateur/pro used his material with his scill
>    and know how about "that film" "that paper" "his longed
>    earned experimenting with it etc etc.
> 3/ He didn't necesserely had that 2000$ tripoid with him/her
>    at that very moment
> 4/ The chemical used was regular!
> 5/ His heart was in it.....
> 6/ He was there - or he, better knew - to be THERE!
> 7/ He often had his thumb in the middle of his hand - but he knew
>    that!
> 8/ The grain was VISIBLE . ...HUUUH....what a pitty....
> 9/ My comment - the grain DID ENHANCE the "picture"
> 10/ Their eqipment was not "the best".
> 11/ Some of them got prices her in Sweden for "best that..." and
>     best of "this" etc.
> 12/ They are still using lenses and cameras that some of us would't
>     touch  - but they know their limits!!!
> 13/ Some of them went - as "classics" here in Sweden.
> 14/ Their "souping" had shocked You.
> 15/ They wouldn't touch a colorfilm...
> 16/ Some of them are poor......but happy... giving a d--n...
>     but very respected....
> 17/ They are both amateurs and pros!
> etc etc...
> 
> To You starting "picturing" - give a "d--n"!!
> 
> AND they don't know a world of English more from that coming from 
> their TV-sets looking at Humphrey Bogart films like "Casablanca"
>  
> Telling them about Epson - Quad - Computers - they don't listen - 
> they apologize and go for the darkroom to get some pease!
> 
> I use quad and expensive things - they don't know the 
> word "drumscan" - however THEY still manage.
> 
> I love my friends - this is a contribute to my fellows - It's me 
being
> crazy - I love new things - but has never gotten the reputation my
> fellows have - using old fasion methods.
> 
> So - I keep strugling - with this new things...
> However my friends and fellows say they love my "pictures" even 
after
> 40 years.......even if they say "how did you manage that light" -
> Photoshop of cause -- "Whats that??"
> 
> WE are getting old.....
> 
> I don't know if quality is "drumscan" that and that and this - 
> I think it's one word "PRESENST TENSE FORM" and "BEING THERE" and 
> BEING YOURSELF" - giving a damn about things just knowing the limits
> of what we have as equipment.
> 
> They are crazy????
> 
> Is Sweden 75 years back of everything conserning Photo?
> 
> I don't think so!
> 
> How shall I help them going the "Piezo" - And thev "QUAD" way....
> 
> This is said - as a thought - to the previous inlays in this thread.
> Yes I agree we ought to learn pure English at first - and then sent 
> to hospital for using old cameras and darkrooms ----
> 
> They could have a "Macdonalds Hamburger" in front of their two 
screen 
> computers making "Quads".
> 
> How can I help them?
> 
> Please - just ironics about my friends - I'll try to show them
> a Hahnemülle paper this evening and my setup...
> 
> Huuh...
> 
> I don't think they will be interested......
> 
> I fully agree with the inlays here ... but...
> 
> Bo Wrangborg
> Sweden
> 
> /Hasselblad, Minolta Dual Scan Multi PRO, Three 1290(80)
> the whole house full of B/W negatives - a corner for my friends
> and a still burning interest for the "picture".
> And of cause I almost forgot - four children, a wife and a big Dog!
> The Dog do understand me! He sleeps under the computer!/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Aitor.p.inclan" 
> <aitor.p.inclan@a...> wrote:
> > Fist truth. 
> > Learn English like if it was your mother language if you want to 
> understand
> > something in the web about digital print.
> > Live in a country were you can find all those inks and paper you 
> are talking
> > about.
> > Saludos
> > Aitor
> > 
> > 
> > > Many people ask me how is it that my inkjet prints have 
> an "etched" look
> > > with rich deep blacks and brilliant highlights.  This ability 
has 
> been the
> > > culmination and development of a number of traditional and 
digital
> > > techniques that I have come to use over the years. Well, here 
it 
> is, for the
> > > very first time I will tell all! ;-)
> > > 
> > > The following truths are true. They are not open to discussion, 
> nor are they
> > > the only workflow available. But!, if you want the truth, then 
> here it
> > > is.....;-)
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 1
> > > 
> > > Use great optics! No buts about it, no discussions no 
> arguments....period.
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 2
> > > 
> > > Shoot your film and learn the Zone system. I am not an advocate 
> of testing,
> > > but you need to know what your materials will do.
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 3
> > > 
> > > Process your negatives in a staining Pyro developer. This is a 
> religion and
> > > I fully understand that. BUT, you wanted the truth, so here it 
> is. Process
> > > your negatives in PMK Pyro. The stain acts fills in between the 
> grain
> > > proportionately, That is, more stain builds up in the areas 
where 
> there is
> > > less silver and less stain in areas where there is more silver. 
> And, most
> > > importantly the negatives will have very high accutance and 
will 
> exhibit
> > > strong edge effects. You will see a fine black line along areas 
> of tonal
> > > change. The negatives will glow and so will your prints. 
> Especially so with
> > > low light situations, soft light, and fog!
> > > 
> > > You may not agree, but hey the truth hurts!
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 4
> > > 
> > > No matter how good your service bureau tells you their new 
> fangled Imacon
> > > is, insist on a drum scan. Insist on a flat scan, that is tell 
> them you want
> > > absolutely NO ADJUSTMENTS. No USM, no contrast adjustments and 
no 
> gamma
> > > adjustments. Ask them to scan your PMK Pyro negatives as RGB 48 
> bit files.
> > > Have them scan using a native optical resolution resolution of 
> the drum
> > > scanners that is the smallest resolution that you can use. That 
> is, scan at
> > > 300dpi at the image size rather than at 4000dpi at 1:1. The 
> reason for this
> > > is simple, at the lower dpi settings the drum will not scan the 
> grain. If
> > > you scan at the higher resolutions the drum scanner will adjust 
> the aperture
> > > and will scan right down into the grain and your Tri-X scan 
will 
> be the most
> > > georgeous example of TX grain you have ever seen.
> > > 
> > > This applies to drum scanners omly and may not be applicable to 
> CCD
> > > scanners.
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 5
> > > 
> > > Do as many of the tonal, contrast, and gamma adjustments as you 
> can in 16
> > > bit mode. Use duplicate copies of your images to make 
selections 
> and
> > > adjustment layers. Then you can copy these selections into the 
16 
> bit file
> > > as needed.
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 6
> > > 
> > > Buy the best paper you can. Saving $0.50 per sheet and buying 
> Epson Archival
> > > (Enhanced) Matte is silly and short sighted. The better papers 
> are 100%
> > > Cotton Rag, acid free and will help you obtain deep dense right 
> blacks,
> > > lovely midtones and brilliant highlights.
> > > 
> > > Truth No. 7
> > > 
> > > Whatever I say here works for me in my studio, in my darkroom, 
> and in my
> > > town. It may not work for you in yours. Technology is changing 
so 
> fast, that
> > > in 15 minutes everything that I just told you make be untrue!
> > > 
> > > Mike
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "btmcelhaney" <kmcelhaney@t...>
> > > To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y...>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 11:25 PM
> > > Subject: [Digital BW] Re: Piezo Pro 24 RIP
> > > 
> > > 
> > >> >
> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>Images from 35mm Tri-X, scanned at 2800 dpi
> > >> > on Minolta Multi, printed 18x27 on 24x36 Legion Photo 
> Matt.<<<<<<
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > That sounds nearly impossible to do while retaining any kind 
of
> > >> > quality! What's the secret? I would certainly like to see 
one 
> of
> > >> > those exibition prints.
> > >> >
> > >> > Bruce McElhaney
> > >> > McElhaney Portrait Studio
> > >> > Livonia, MI
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., toomagenta@a... 
> wrote:
> > >>> > > In a message dated 4/2/2002 10:34:38 PM Eastern Standard 
> Time,
> > >>> > > butchhul@a... writes:
> > >>> > >
> > >>> > >
> > >>>> > > > George,
> > >>>> > > >
> > >>>> > > > I am also using a 7000 with the IP4 RIP and MIS-FS 
inks. 
> Just
> > >>>> > > > finished framing and hanging a show of prints that I 
> finished
> > >> > this
> > >>>> > > > past weekend.
> > >>> > > Butch,
> > >>> > > Thanks for responding to my query.
> > >>> > > I am glad to hear from others who are using the system 
and 
> are
> > >> > happy with it.
> > >>> > > Not too many people chimed in, which I am guessing is a 
> sign of
> > >> > lack of usage
> > >>> > > rather than dissatisfaction.
> > >>> > > Congratulations on your apparent success. I hope your 
> exhibition
> > >> > leads to
> > >>> > > many other successes.
> > >>> > > (Must also say, Mike Kravit is both a gentleman and a 
fine 
> source
> > >>> > > of information for any traveling down this particular 
road.)
> > >>> > > I must agree with you 110% on this point. Not only has he 
> offered
> > >> > his
> > >>> > > knowlege, experience and expertise, but he has generously 
> offered
> > >> > to send a
> > >>> > > sample print so I can put an eyeball on the picture!
> > >>> > > They say that what goes around, comes around, so I hope 
> some of the
> > >> > best
> > >>> > > things that come around come back to  Mike.
> > >>> > > This list is a pleasure to participate in, and I hope 
that 
> I can
> > >> > someday
> > >>> > > contribute to it in a positive way.
> > >>> > > ( Images from 35mm Tri-X, scanned at 2800 dpi
> > >>> > > on Minolta Multi, printed 18x27 on 24x36 Legion Photo 
Matt.)
> > >>> > > Sounds like an amazing feat!
> > >>> > > Thanks again,
> > >>> > > George J Kunze
> > >>> > >
> > >>> > >
> > >>> > >
> > >>> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, 
Bookmarks, 
> Polls and
> > > other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
> > >> >
> > >> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
> > >> >
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> > >> >
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> > > 
> > > 
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> > > resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
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> > > 
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the 
> various
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> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]