Digital BW, The Print

Austin writes:

> Well, it is possible to come up with very good
> images converting color to B&W, and what "qualities"
> and/or "characteristics" someone else may deem
> "duplicate", may not be the ones YOU deem, but
> that doesn't make their belief incorrect.

And vice versa.  Sure, you can convert color to B&W with interesting
results, but that doesn't help if they are not the results that you want.

> Another issue is, why is duplicate important
> at all?

The reason photographers shoot B&W film in the first place is that they wish
to obtain a certain "look" that is unique to B&W film (and sometimes to a
_specific_ B&W film).  I don't see any reason why they should be expected to
sacrifice all of these flexibility and choice in favor of some color-to-B&W
half-solution.

> Why not take it for what it is, and if you like it,
> so be it, and if you don't, so be it.

Why give up what photographers already have?  There's no _advantage_ to
converting from color to various ersatz B&W renderings.  What's wrong with
continuing to shoot B&W in the first place?

> ... does it give you the results you want is what
> should be what is important, not trying to "duplicate"
> something.

If the results I want are Tri-X, then it must _duplicate_ Tri-X.  I'm not
interested in "almost as good."  And I know that many other photographers
feel the same way, which is why they continue to put real B&W film into
their cameras.

> Of course not, but it certainly may give someone
> an image that they are very happy with ...

Then again, it may not.  And in that case, they must shoot B&W to begin
with, or they won't be happy.  Why does that seem to be a problem?

> If you want Tri-X, shoot Tri-X, but not everyone
> wants the look of Tri-X.

Those who don't are not obligated to shoot the film, nor would I presume to
suggest that they do so.

> Also, Tri-X is simply not Tri-X.  It is very dependant
> on the development, and therefore one persons Tri-X will
> not be the same as another's Tri-X.

All the more reason to shoot Tri-X to begin with.  That might be difficult
to simulate from color.