Digital BW, The Print

Hello Steve,

Thanks for the reply.  I think I _will_ have another go at Norman K's
site.  Last time I was there it was mostly over my head, but it's been
a year or more.


>(A painter with the best visualisation ever who can't mix paint to 
>achieve colour will never produce much - and a paint mixer without 
>visualisation want achieve much either!)  Understanding of process
and 
>equipment enables creativity.

I understand this concept very well, and agree completely.


Re my workflow:

>This is quite hit or miss and if something doesn't fit they way you 
>would like you are stuck - you are not able to explore your 
>creativity!

I think you are making a huge assumption here - how can you possibly
know what my experience is?  After nearly 4 years now I have learned
enough about how it works to do whatever I want to do.  I can scan
negs or work up new digicam images and get whatever effect I'm after,
in a relatively short time.  I have quite a good practical working
knowledge of the system - I just don't express it in formulas and
engineering terms.  I use the PS densitometer, but I have it set to
display RGB units - I think in RGB units and S-curves.  I have very
precise control over my images and prints, and get what I want.  I
feel no limitation on my creativity.  I can move a point on a curve by
1 RGB unit and see a difference in the print.  The only limitations I
bump into come from the materials themselves.  For example, UT7
doesn't get quite as good a Dmax as BO.  So please do not assume that
this simple workflow does not give good, precise and consistent
control.

I understand the concepts you are espousing, and don't disagree with
them.  But I think it is a mistake to assume the someone who doesn't
approach it that way will make poorer quality prints or have more
difficulty or less consistency (or whatever).  


>We are all busy people but if you love your craft or hobby I think 
>you would be well rewarded taking the time to understand the 
>technical aspects of its implementation - 

No doubt.  I am continually eager to learn more (why else would I have
been following this thread?) and will go back to NK's site to have
another look.

>and particularly tying 
>together your existing knowledge of the darkroom environment to its 
>digital equivalent.  They really are very very similar with
identical 
>principles 

Yes, I have found exactly that.  It's one reason why the simple
workflow is so satisfying - because even though the digital stuff is
completely different, I can still think creatively/conceptually in a
nearly identical manner.  It's really great.



>I would suggest the knowledge is already there but the connections 
>to the new work area have not been made.  

Another dangerous assumption - I think I have made some very solid
connections.  I would guess that if you could somehow take my thought
processes as I work, analyze them, and express them in engineering
terms, you might find something very close to your concepts.  I'm just
choosing to come at it from a different direction (or you might say
that my connections have been made to a different plug <g>).  In my
workflow article #4 I have attempted to describe the effect of the
hidden translation layer and how to work with it, but it's not
expressed as formulas and logarithms.  It's more like "push it here
this much and it will bulge out over there that much".

It's true that I'm working with a "black Box", as you say.  But if I
have figured out the black box to the point where I can make it do
what I want, easily, quickly and consistently, can anyone tell the
difference in the final print?

I hope you understand I am not suggesting there is no need for the
technical knowledge or approach.  I have very much enjoyed following
your discussion with Paul and have learned a lot.  I'm sure I will
benefit as I gain more technical knowledge.

I just don't want you to think that the simple workflow cannot produce
extremely fine results.  There are LOTS of people for whom a more
technical approach is beyond comprehension, at least in the beginning.
 I get, almost daily, email from people who have found my web site who
thank me for "saving" them after they struggled unsuccessfully with
other approaches.

I hope you will carry on with your work and continue to report your
findings.  I'm learning a lot.


Regards,
Clayton


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