Digital BW, The Print

Some thoughts:

1) forget PS classes or books. Make a friend on line, local phone call
or in person (ideal) who you can ask "How do I?". They can tell you
"click X, click Y, then click Z". Even if you have to wax their car to
return the favor. Photoshop is complex but you only need know 1% of it
to start making reasonable prints. Then, you can learn the rest while
you continue to print. 

2) Epson Heavy Weight Matte paper is a pretty good yet low cost paper.
It won't be a limiting factor in the quality of your prints for a
while. So use low cost paper so you can print a lot. You need
experience not an expensive paper.  

3) Epson refurbished printers are essentially new ones that had one
problem. Epson fixes the problem under warranty, makes sure they're
perfect and sells them as refurbs. Both of my refurbs looked brand
new. Plus you get Epson support and new printer warranty. That's a
major deal. (from someone who normally doesn't believe in support or
warranties)

4) Read www.scantips.com and Clayton Jones articles at
www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm  You'll learn a lot in a short amount of
time at those two sites. 

5) Just do it. Very very few ever go back in the dark. Just like in
the dark, you'll get to making reasonable prints quickly. Then you'll
spend the rest of your life getting better. 

Bob Michaels

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Eric Maquiling
<eric@m...> wrote:
> On 10/16 20:15, Ken Carney wrote:
> > Just a few thoughts.  I don't know if you'll really need monitor
calibration
> > printing b&w with a dedicated inkset.  Photoshop has a steep
learning curve
> 
> Good response.  So monitor calibration is just for color then.  What
> do I know about color anyway?  :)
> 
> > (but then most everything else does for me).  If a good beginner
> > photo-oriented class is available, it will save you much time.  I
think your
> 
> 2 kids, 0 time, book would be better.  Just got a recommendation to
> get "Photoshop for the Digital Photographer"
> 
> > life in the alt world will be much simpler if you will go with
high-res
> > imagesetter negs, instead of inkjet.  See www.danburkholder.com. 
You'll
> 
> Yes, Dan Burkholder's web site is nice.  It will be a while for me
> start all the alt stuff later.  I'm still debating on getting a cheap
> 4X5.  I miss using large format.
> 
> > Epson heavy-weight matte paper is pretty good when it's behind
glass.  
> 
> Okay, anyone else for the Epson heavy-weight?  Got  a couple of
> recommendations for it.
> 
> I will probably get the 1280 used....is there a source for refurbished
> 1280's?  Besides Epson? :)
> 
> -- 
> Eric