Digital BW, The Print

Hello Tyler,

>...things have improved and openned up a bit.

Excellent point.  Over the past year every aspect of this has improved
enormously - inks, printers, papers, software, knowledge - and the new
developments continue.  I think everyone would benefit from a complete
re-evaluation all their concepts, ideas and notions about digi BW
printing.  It's a whole new ball game and we're only in the 2nd
inning.


>for those who are primarily concerned with grain representation...

For the record, that is not the reason I got into, or still do, BO
printing.  I first tried it in desperation after months of struggle
with various curves approaches using MIS inks.  It was a lifeboat
which saved me from giving up in frustration.  In the beginning had a
lot of inner conflict about the dots, but after some months passed and
I began seeing more prints made with other methods, I began to realize
that, in spite of the dots and graininess, I preferred the look of the
BO prints (for all the reasons people usually recite: intense Dmax,
luminance, sharpness), and also came to appreciate it's ease of use
and low cost.  Gradually the fact that dots could be seen became less
and less a factor in my thinking (many people who know nothing about
this have viewed my prints, including good darkroom practitioners, and
never once has anyone commented on the dots, even when examining small
4x5's up close).  So it has become almost a non-issue.  The fact that
BO prints resemble the look of Tri-X is an additional plus for me
because I happen to love that look (it may not be a plus for a
Tmax-100 user <g>).

To the best of my recollection, of all the things I've read about BO
printing, in this forum and elsewhere, Nicholas is the only one who
has actually stated that a desire for grain representation was his
reason for doing it.


>One photographer walked up to a print he had never seen before 
>and said, "that's 35mm TriX, I'd know it anywhere", 

Isn't it great when something like that happens.  You know you're
communicating on some level with another person who understands.


>I found proper scanning and sharpening techniques were vital, and
>varied with image.

I keep learning more and more what a huge difference this can make. 
I'm experimenting now with Qimage.  It has made a significant
difference on some prints and none on others.  I'm still trying to
understand why.  My problem is not enough time to fully devote to it.
 I just have crevices of time out of my normal earning a living
activities.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm