Digital BW, The Print

Jerry,
 
One of the things I've observed over the years is that if you're going
to break rules - say, for instance the horizon thing, don't just dent
it, but rather, fracture it and make the horizon off by 30 degrees or
so.  That way it's pretty obvious that you are making a statement.  You
are not bound by trivial "rules", but dance to the beat of a different
accordionist!
 
Karl Wolz
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Olson [mailto:jerryolson@...] 
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2002 8:58 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] The perfect print
 
Hi Barry,

Here's a list of things that make a print as "perfect" to me as it can
be. A lot of them are little things, but when added up they can make a
HUGE difference between an extremely good print and an average one. I
assumed you meant technical things, not artistic things that make a good
print... These would be from a photographer's point of view, but
probably not an artists.

1. Horizons should be absolutely straight, especially if the scene is a
seascape. Even a 1/16th of an inch tilt is not acceptable to me.

2. A good print is very slightly darker at the edges than in the rest of
the print.

3. There should be no evidence whatever of "Spotting" dust or scratches.

4. Buildings should NEVER lean over, and their verticals should always
be exactly even with the edges of the print.  Only an amateur
photographer would ever present a picture to be judged with a building
that was leaning backwards.

5. In most cases, but with certain exceptions, a print should have a
deep black, a paper white, and a full range of grays.  A Very low or
high key print are exceptions.  There may be others, but not many.

6. A print shouldn't have its brightest or lightest part running off the
paper. The eyes always go to the brightest part of the print first, and
it shouldn't be at the edge of the paper.

7. It is probably best in MOST cases that the center of interest not be
dead center in the image. Again, there are exceptions to this.  

8. The quality of the paper the image is printed on is important. For a
terrific print that you is going to an exhibition, you should print it
on a quality paper. Thicker papers are generally better, but again there
are always exceptions. Japanese papers are beautiful, but most of them
are very thin.

9. There are many other little things that I think would improve a
print, but they are only personal choices, and some people would really
disagree with me, such as I prefer NEVER to see grain in a sky. Some
people love grain, but I don't.

10. A landscape framed by an out of focus foreground or a tree branch
coming into the picture from the side doesn't improve the picture, only
detracts from it, in 
my humble opinion. Others might like it.

These are some of the rules we were taught at Brooks Institute of
Photography, and I think most of them were right on the money. 

There are some photographers who would delight in breaking every one of
these "rules". They would probably apply less to street photographers
and photo journalists.

Hope this helps a little, anyhoo.

Jerry



bggilliand2001 wrote:
> 
> Just got in the latest batch of prints from the August exchange. It
> was difficult for me to evaluate and critique the prints as I am not
> an expert on technical skills, I just know what I like. Most of my
> posts are questions, as this is, because the skill set on this list
> for those who post often is far more technically advanced than mine.
> I wonder, how do you judge a print? What is a perfect print to you?
> What criteria do you use? Do you have a certain method?  For those
> that don't post and just listen, you have a voice too. What is a
> perfect print to you? I think technical merit is important, but I
> think it goes beyond that. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> Barry Gilliand
> 
> 
> 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
> 
> If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish
to unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this
same page.
> 
> Please follow these basic guidelines:
> - Include your full name with your message.
> - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
> - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to
keep them short.
> - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the subject
header.
> - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or
"flames."
> - Complete your Yahoo profile.
> - Before posting a question, search the message archives and the
various resources on the homepage.
> 
> 
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/




Yahoo! Groups Sponsor


ADVERTISEMENT
 
<http://rd.yahoo.com/M=233351.2287381.3722242.2225242/D=egroupweb/S=1705
019182:HM/A=1212977/R=0/*http:/www.gotomypc.com/u/tr/yh/grp/300_textG/g2
2lp?Target=mm/g22lp.tmpl> 

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

If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish to
unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this
same page.

Please follow these basic guidelines:
- Include your full name with your message.
- Include the address of your website, if you have one.
- As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to
keep them short.
- As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the subject
header.
- Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or
&amp;amp;quot;flames.&amp;amp;quot;
- Complete your Yahoo profile.
- Before posting a question, search the message archives and the various
resources on the homepage. 




Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>  Terms of Service. 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]