Digital BW, The Print

Also, as I'm sure you know, Edward Weston specified that the prints 
should be made according to the
light source that he himself had used, a light bulb with tissue wrapped 
around it. (It must have been difficult
to arrive at just the right amount of tissue paper in order to bring 
the light down to a point that would
avoid fogging yet allot just the right amount of time for printing.)  
Some might simply view this approach as
a form of eccentricity, but I see this approach as piece of a very 
personal ritual. Whether Edward would have been
able to personalize the digital process to this degree might be food 
for thought, but it is moot. One credits Cole Weston's
integrity in never resorting to a dimmer switch, adhering to his 
father's wishes. As I have been told, according to Edward's
last wishes, Cole was to be the last person on earth to make prints 
from those negatives; Edward Weston made no other
specifications for passing on the right to print his work. (Although I 
understand that Kim Weston has printed images from
His Grandfather's negatives.  He's an excellent printer.)  I think this 
also sheds light on Bret Weston burning of his negatives
when he knew he was going to die. I think it might be viewed as an 
action of personal ritual, but also an action of a family ritual
if one wishes to place it in this sort of context. (Forgive me if I 
have reiterated anything already mentioned on this thread, for
I joined it late.)    Peter G.

On Jun 7, 2005, at 9:50 AM, J Vee wrote:

> Cole Weston told me what a problem it was to dodge and burn exactly 
> when
> printing some of those prints, while contact printing.  Maybe I am 
> mistaken,
> but I get the impression from the thread that some feel it was a 
> “simple”
> contact print.  I am not sure, but I think he may also have used the
> neg(dodge-burn) - pos (manipulate) -Neg (manipulate) which allows a
> “perfect” copy negative for contact printing (something I commonly 
> still do)
> J Vee