Digital BW, The Print

I think that at the scan stage of digital you can get more
>information off the negative than you can by enlarging.

Sure looks that way: it's not so much any gain in resolution, it's the
scanner's ability to map the negative's entire tonal range exactly onto a
gamut from paper white to flat black. That right there is almost impossible
in the darkroom. And then the opportunity to go in and tone down a single
distracting highlight, or lighten up one side of a face, etc., etc.,
_really_ gets interesting!

>I would like to see what you are doing. As the description of the
>groups says it is about ALL methods for getting a B&W print from a
>digital file. I will e-mail my address you off list. If you want to
>send me a copy of your file, I can print it out for you on my 1200
>Piezo system for comparison.

I'll be happy to send a print; I have your address from your other message.
No need to print out anything for me: I've decided there are so many
variables in this undertaking that it may be physically impossible for
anyone to absolutely duplicate anyone else's results. This is as it should
be: no two painters or violinists or dancers give exactly the same
interpretation, so why should we, especially when we are each "performing"
our own compositions!

>One last thing I have failed to mention in spite of all the time I
>put into it. If you want an air-dried silver look from you inkjet
>prints you can achieve it by varnishing the prints. It takes practice
>but the results are very amazing.

I overheard some of the discussions about that on the Piezo list (before I
unsubscribed recently for lack of time). I used to be resigned to the fact
that I couldn't duplicate the air-dried glossy look using inkjet; now I
think I welcome it. A door has opened just a crack and I'm seeing quite
extraordinary possibilities for interpreting my negatives; there will be
steps backward, no doubt, but lots more forward. Nevertheless, the
varnishing idea is certainly intriguing; I would love to see results in the
"flesh" some day.

Best,

-- Nick

NICHOLAS HARTMANN                                +1 (414) 271-4890
611 N. Broadway, Suite 509                  fax: +1 (414) 271-4892
Milwaukee, WI 53202, USA                       polyglot@...

Technical and scientific translator:  German and French -> English