Digital BW, The Print

Hello Dan,

>>"I found that it's a very different set of Photoshop skills and
>>sesitivities that's called upon compared to working with scanned 
>>negs, like a completely different track or channel." snip  
>
>I can't really say why but I get some really intersting "glowing" 
>results with the digital image. 

Every time I'm surprised at something I have to remind myself that
it's not the same medium.  I think I unconsciously assume that a
digicam is just electronic film, but it isn't (in spite of a CF card
ad in a Target store titled "High Speed Digital Film"...right next to
the "Digital Starter Set" consisting of a digital camera and a 4x6
printer for $99).  


>I don't know if that will make me give up B&W film 

I thought I'd never switch, then started using an 8mp Canon Pro-1 and
went through a mourning period because I couldn't get my beloved Tri-X
look, then suddenly found myself enjoying photography more than I had
in several years.


>(Screw filter on, screw filter off, put in filter book, take 
>out of filter book, where is that darn filter I just had 
>it!)
 
Hah!  and then you drop it in the sand <g>



>...still need to sort of previsualize the results. The B&W mode 
>on my camera viewfinder only does the Minolta interpretation of a 
>grayscale image which is seldom good for anything but infrared 
>filtered shots.
> 
>What would be really nice would be a digital camera that had some 
>of  the same color to B&W flexibility you have with camera raw.  
>Then you could atually get an idea in the field what sort of B&W 
>results you'd get.  Sort of previsualization on the LCD rather 
>than in the minds eye.  Except you could change your mind back 
>in the lab. 

You may be able to do this with your camera now, I think most will.  I
shoot RAW images in BW mode.  With the Pro-1 the LCD and EVF are in BW
so I'm visualizing and composing that way.  But the RAW file keeps the
color info and I restore it in the RAW conversion.  Then I apply my
color to BW conversion techniques in PS. I love working that way and
is one reason I've not gotten into a DSLR - I'm hooked on the preview
screen, it's like a miniature view camera.


>Too darn convenient maybe! Probably spend all my time tweaking
>sliders in Camera Raw and oohhing at the results and never 
>get around to printing any of them.  

I've been using digital capture about a year now and can look back and
see a process of refinement over time as my understanding and skill
grew.  I've got it pretty well down to a lean and mean efficient
workflow and don't waste much time.  It's a really nifty fun and
creative world.


Regards,
Clayton


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