Digital BW, The Print

I just think people spend too much time obsessing over what a guy did many
years ago, without the choices available today.  Who knows what he might
have done if he were doing it today.  There are so many factors that go into
the equation other than a good eye: results, money, time, knowledge,
exposure to alternatives, technical sense etc etc.  What these guys did do
was learn a particular methodology for expressing their artistic ability and
learn it well.  To debate whether Weston would have used digital photography
today is akin to debating whether Caravaggio would have preferred
photography over painting.

I understand that people within an art form like certain qualities of one
methodology and therefore desire retention of these qualities as they move
to a different methodology because of other qualities.  In this context the
air dried fibre vs digital print discussion is relevant.  If one can retain
a desired aesthetic from one methodology AND obtain other advantages by
moving to a different process then that's an admirable goal.  But to debate
whether an individual might have done something differently at a different
time is a pointless exercise - unless that individual is a participant in
the debate...


> From: Darin Boville <darin@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 17:07:01 -0700
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Digital Weston
> 
> Well, it seems like a legitimate issue. People are still struggling
> about whether using inkjet technology weakens their art. You can have
> your own view but you can still see that the issue exists. If you
> admire Weston the issue might be relevant.
> 
> --Darin
> 
> www.darinboville.com
> 
> 
> On Jun 6, 2005, at 4:44 PM, Steve Kale wrote:
> 
>> Perhaps this is blasphemy but who really cares?
>> 
>> He made great images that people liked/like a lot using his chosen
>> technical
>> process.  Choose yours and get on with it.
>> 
>> 
>>> From: jonnytenz <jonnytenz@...>
>> 
>>> 
>>>  I don't think he would embrace digital printing - capture, readily.
>>>