Digital BW, The Print

Paul, In 1966, I could have bought a 16x20 print of "Moonrise" for $200.
Ansel had an exhibit in Santa Barbara when I was just beginning my
Brooks Studies. Photography as an "Art Form" wasn't yet established. At
the time, I would have loved to have bought it, but it would have been
equivalent to about $4000 today, and I was one of the REALLY poor Brooks
Students, (I was there on the GI Bill), so that was totally out of the
question! But I do remember it, and it did not have the black sky of the
more recent versions.  Of course I didn't know that then, because I had
never seen that print with the black sky. I just loved Ansels work, and
all of the F64 Group. I love the black sky of later versions. It MAKES
the print!!! Others may disagree, but I know what I like!

Also, it of course makes for a MUCH more dramatic image! If you just
print it like a commercial print, it doesn't have enough punch to carry
the image as fine art.


Jerry 

I could like somerset velvet if you could get a nicer black on it, and
if it were just a tad whiter. It has a very nice texture. 

I still love the torchon blacks, but not the texture!

Eclipse looks pretty nice to me. Photo Matte, too. Epson Archival and
Torchon are still the black champions though.