Digital BW, The Print

> Lenswork is trying to make their photogravure(sp) and 39.00 11x14 
> Huntington Witherill silver fiber prints seems even more of a bargain by

> adding("not inkjet")
> They do have a sort of anti digital flavor to there magazine. This was 
> discussed on the piezo list awhile back I believe.
> Maybe they should say these mass produced prints are NOT INKJET if they
> were we would have to charge more...

Folks,

I was the first person to arrive at the Lenswork open house in Anacortes
few months back and had a few hours to talk to Editor Brooks Jensen and
Photogravure Printer Russ Dodd (like my self an RIT graduate). 

What they are trying to do is sell 1,000 prints at $100 instead of 10 at
$1,000. By doing this they are trying to do is maximize the exposure and
acceptance of photography to as large of an audience as possible. Until
the masses of people are able and willing to buy, and thus be interested
in photographic prints, it will be difficult for but a few people to make
an adequate living via photography.

Russ's photogravures are beautifully done. It is obvious that he brings
20+ years of experience to his prints. The process is labor intensive and
is done by hand 1 by 1. It is not an automated process. I believe that he
said that he was able to achieve a contrast range of 1.8-1.9.

The silver prints that they sell use a screen-printing process with a dot
pattern of 300-400 lines per inch. They are hard to distinguish from a
"genuine" silver print. A Lightjet 5000 prints at 305 lines per inch.

I believe that Lenswork says that their prints are "Not An Inkjet" because
in the mind of the public there have been continuing quality and archival
problems with inkjet prints. Remember color prints on Epson paper.

People are also hesitant to spend money on a print that they think is spit
out of a machine like a "Xerox" print. You must realize most people have
never heard of Piezographic B&W prints. Biases of the public will take
time and effort to overcome.

Lenswork accepts submissions of Piezographic B&W prints, however they
prefer scanning gelatin silver prints. If piezo prints are accepted they
would probably prefer working from the digital files. This is what they
are used to. Some things take time to work out.

Lenswork in my mind is clearly the best magazine when it comes to the
non-technical aspects of photography. I have no association with them
except as a subscriber.

http://www.lenswork.com/index2.html

Thanks,
Stan Colson 
RIT '76
Kirkland, WA.





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