Digital BW, The Print

Carolyn,
Thanks very much for your informative reply - I will work on trying 
your suggestions - 

1. making a contrast mask on the  overlay or soft light duplicate 
layer to only affect certain areas (first I have to figure how to :-) 

2.creating a new adjustment layer and setting it's blend mode to 
overlay or soft light - Do I have this straight ?

I can get a good looking image on screen with the Curve or Level 
adjustments but it just doesn't "kick it" as you put it, on the 
print. And yes I have used the droppers to set a black point. 

Funny thing is that although I have not had the opportunity to use a 
calibrating tool or software, I do have good wysiwyg from screen to 
print by using
a. adobe gamma
b. using a 21 step (and even a 100 step) wedge, I can see all the 
steps on my screen and they all print distinctively (is that the 
right word - I can distinguish between them all)to my printer. So I'm 
not sure why I dont get ""kick" in my prints
Frank

Carolyn Frayn wrote:
> You might also try a soft light blend rather than overlay, subtle, 
not so
> destructive to your histo... also try a contrast mask on the 
overlay or soft
> light so that only those areas you want effected will be.
> 
> Rather than duping the background layer, use a curve or levels 
adjustment
> layer, don't set anything within the adjustment but set the layer 
itself to
> the overlay or softlight mode, that way, you get the same effect 
without
> doubling your file size... Sometimes if warranted I'll do a curve 
adjustment
> within the blend mode.
> 
> I assume that a curve adjustment just isn't kicking it enough? Have 
you
> tried using the eye droppers to set endpoints, rather than just 
moving the
> end points in in the histo, giving a better depth?
> 
> Carolyn
> 
> > 
> > In order to achieve a decent contrast range in any of my prints 
(on
> > EAM or Photorag & MIS inks) I always have to duplicate the 
Background
> > Layer (with varying opacities) and set the Blend Mode to Overlay.
> > 
> > If I dont, I never get a decent contrast with a good black tone. 
To
> > try and give you a "picture" - in traditional printing I favour 
grade
> > 3 or 4 rather than grade 2 or 1.
> > 
> > Is this a perfectly acceptable method of working or am I doing
> > something wrong further up the line. Are others using the same 
trick
> > 
> > thanks
> > Frank
> >