Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Mark Hahn"
<markhahn2000@y...> wrote:
> I can't help you since I use Photoshop, but during a recent general 
> surfing session I came across someone selling a "pro" B&W converter 
> plugin for PS and was baffled why anyone would need one with the 
> Channel mixer being so straight forward to use.  The big selling 
> point was that you could select Channel Mixer settings that 
> correspond to specific B&W filters and I could not help but wonder 
> why anyone would want to limit themselves to just the standard filter 
> sets... 


But you don't limit yourself..  It's not like the Channel Mixer
becomes disabled when you install this..  In the case of something
like the plugin you describe, having it create channel mixer presets
is a GREAT idea.  It's akin to buying an action (like Fred
Miranda's)...  Not only do you now have the presets, but they can
become starting points for learning how to take advantage of the
different settings available with the Channel mixer.  For someone
REALLY trying to leaarn and digest specific PShop functions, a set of
actions/presets or a plugin like you describe can flatten the learning
curve significantly.  In effect, not only do you get the functions it
contains, but you learn by example..

>like going into the digital domain with its almost limitless 
> possibilities and then limiting your possibilities to those that 
> existed 50 years ago... hmmm.
> 

Not so, as I point out, these resets can become starting points..
Fromthere you can play. It's the difference between handing a child
who has never seen baseball a ball and bat and asking them to hit the
ball without example, on the one hand; and on the other showing them
another child playing baseball instead first..

Keith