Digital BW, The Print

Hello Steve,

>Sorry I think I misunderstood or rather did not read properly your 
>original post...I now reread your post and see that you do control 
>your workspace as a means of engineering the result you strive for. 
 
>Please accept my apologies!

Understood and accepted.  I have more than once read messages quickly
and missed things.


>>...even though the digital stuff is completely different, I can 
>>still think creatively/conceptually in a nearly identical manner.  

>My point was simply that the digital stuff is actually exactly the 
>same, not different.

What I meant was that adjusting points on a curve in PS is
_physically_ completely different than switching contrast filters and
dipping paper in  smelly liquid.  Another difference is in the fume
room my feet and back hurt from standing hours over the sink. With
digital my butt hurts from sitting for hours at the keyboard <g>.  



>Sorry once again as it seems I did not express myself in the manner 
>I intended...

I believe our thinking is not so far apart, we just express it in
different terms and are having a bit of miscommunication.  I agree
that conceptually darkroom and digital work are essentially the same -
contrast and density.  However, I am not math oriented and find that
the simple workflow fits right into my conceptual framework like
comfortable old shoes.

I think our biggest difference is that you are desirous of avoiding
the black box, while I have made friends with it.  It's a pretty tame
beast, very consistent, and I have figured out how to poke it and make
it do what I want.  

With the 2200, Eboni, and some nice papers I have finally achieved the
long desired blissful state of being able to concentrate on
photography and make fine prints.  I'm no longer struggling with the
tools.  Any experimenting is now done because I want to, not because
I'm desperately trying to find something that works. We've come a long
way.

Carry on, I'll be following along.

Regards,
Clayton


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