Digital BW, The Print

Hello,

I am new to this group and through the "search" tool I specifically 
searched out Optical Brightners and their effects on images.  I am 
trying to discuss this topic further....(if anyone cares...:)

There was a link provided to The Wilhelm Research Instititute where 
one of their write-ups specifically stated, in their own words, that 
OBA's should not be used in manufacturing papers for fine art.  I 
found this to be very interesting as a loyal Hahnenuhle user...it 
brings up a few questions from observation and thought:

(1) According to Wilhelm - "color shifting" really occurs under 
different sources of light, and for this OBAs should not be used in 
manufacturing of true "fine art" papers.  This makes sense, but then 
why is everyone, including myself, seeming to use papers w/ OBA's and 
are not having all that many problems with it?  Is this just a matter 
of time?  

This leads into my next issue - 

(2) I dont want to use a yellow, or what manufacturing marketers call 
a "Natural White" paper.  Supposedly, under the right lighting, OBA's 
cannot even be seen and the paper is "natural white" anyways.  Which 
creates a problem here --  when you start with a bright white base vs. 
a natural white base, as we know, you must have a different profile.  
This makes complete sense that in the "right lighting", your image 
created on an OBA-using paper will color shift as the base color 
shifts.  Additionally, in the same situation, an image printed on OBA-
free paper will look accurate, and a OBA-using paper will not.  

I guess the bottom line is that OBA-using papers you have color-shift 
risk, and OBA free papers you do not.  

This to me is unnerving and seems to be exactly what wilhelm 
institutue argues.  It is probably the reason why Epson has chosen to 
have their flagship smooth photo paper be an OBA free paper, as 
opposed to one with OBAs which they easily could have done.  It is 
also probably why there has been so many new OBA free papers influxing 
the market over the last few years.  

this leads me to my next issue
 
(3) if so many people care about OBA-FREE products, and are willing to 
use "off white" papers, why is there not an abundance of "off white" 
OBA free Canvas???  

I guess the only explanation is that OBA free products are primarily 
used by fine art photographers who printmake for themselves and have 
an acute understanding of the OBA issues, vs. the customers of a 
printmaking service bureau who might puke if they saw their image on 
a "natural white" canvas/paper.  I would also imagine that the last 
thing a printmaker offerring the service wants to do, at this point, 
is to educate his customers of all the bad effects of OBAs.  Why "stir 
up the pot", I guess that makes sense to me.    

Anyways, I think this is a very interesting topic and I, as my own 
printmaker, am leaning toward going in the OBA free paper direction 
from here on because WHY deal with potential color shifting when you 
dont have to, and it doesnt cost any more money....I have no customers 
to please but myself and those who buy my art; and when the art hangs 
on the retail wall, the business, or the home, it better look how it 
should. 

My business as a photographer, my money, and my life's passion for 
deriving happiness -- are determined by my images.  

George