Digital BW, The Print

I made new 2400 prints on EEM, Ilford Glossy and Epson Photo Paper plus BO and QTR prints on my 2100 on EEM.


This time I increased the scanning resolution to 1200 DPI (Epson 4870, Vuescan, color negative)


Photoshop's color picker values taken at random from the EEM print at actual pixels: 249, 249, 247; 234, 234, 233: 253, 255, 251.


If I duplicate the background layer, desaturate the duplicate and change the blending mode to difference, there is none.


However, some color dots start to appear at a magnification of about 200 per cent. The Ilford print is till dead neutral.


I do not know the reason. It could be print or the scanner or the increased scanning reolution or the scanning software or the monitor or a combination thereof.


The EEM and the QTR (2100, OEM inks) prints are identical.


If one changes the brightness or the contrast of the file, the coloration changes, too.


There are no color dots visible on a fine BO (EEM, Epson Matte Black. 2100) print, but of course it looks terrible at this kind of magnification!


The main thing is that the prints look monochromatic at normal viewing distance. Who would ever show a 1200 DPI scan of a photograph at this kind of magnification?


Epson Premium Glossy being too glossy and "plastic-like", the Epson Photo Paper print is most alike my very old gelatine silver prints. It is a pity that the paper is not archival.


I am not fond of glossy prints, but the juries of international exhibitions seem to be, especially in tha Far East. My favorite is a slightly warm varnished print on good fine art paper.


Ukko Heikkinen


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