Digital BW, The Print

Djon said:

>Weston used the most technically >advanced camera that was available to
>him at the time...that Graflex SLR.

Actually Weston used the Graflex only for studio portraits and then mostly
in his early career as a commercial portrait photographer. Most of his
photographs from the mid-1920s forward were made with an 8x10 camera.  He
used several different brands of 8x10 cameras, the only one I remember
offhand was the Century Universal.

>If you've seen the enlargers of the era >you understand why his poverty
>wasn't the only reason he didn't own
>one.

"The era" in which Weston photographed was an approximate 40 year period
extending from about 1915 to about 1955. The enlargers from that time frame 
were fine.  His refusal to use an enlarger
wasn't based on any deficiency in the equipment, he just didn't think that
enlargements produced the degree of detail and tonality he was seeking and
could obtain from contact prints.

>I think the reason he made contact >prints was the simplicity. He used
>the easiest process.

No. See above.

I don't know what you mean about using the "most technically advanced paper" 
and being thrilled with its introduction. Weston used many papers. According 
to his son Cole he used Haloid paper durng the last part of his life and 
also used Convira, Velox, and Azo at various other times.