Digital BW, The Print

Richard,  Some of the "snap" in black-only seems similar to the snap
produced by over-sharpening.. not just a matter of contrast.

Black only is arguably "artificial" Vs QTR in the sense that it's
created *by the printer* rather than in the file by imaging software,
such as Photoshop. 

In small prints b/o sometimes draws attention to itself (seems
artificial) because it lacks tone where the file probably has it..this
can be dramatic and a good thing graphically, as in the very black
faces in our recent print exchange.

In that print exchange I felt several images would have been more
handsome Via QTR (including Clayton's...!), whereas several probably
looked better as black only. I'm undecided about my own image in b/o
Vs QTR...needs a better scan, I didn't do the best possible job. 

Relying on one or the other seems limiting, like exclusively using one
type and size of black and white film for photojournalism, scenic, and
studio work. 

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Richard Sintchak
<rich815@g...> wrote:
> What is exactly "artificial" about the snap in BO prints? Snap is
snap. How
> it's created (contrast, sharpness, etc.) does not matter. Just
curious what
> you mean by that....
>  Richard
> 
> 
>  On 9/25/05, djon43 <djon43@y...> wrote:
> >
> > UC is warmer than Eboni. This is exaggerated with warm paper IMO. I
> > like it...reminds me of Agfa's Portriga Rapid :-)
> >
> > In little prints (eg 6X9") black-only "dots" tend to dominate, going
> > so far as to obscure some detail. Sometimes this is nice, makes some
> > images look snappy. In our recent black-only print exchange a print
> > that began as 6X7cm negative obviously lost detail in favor of "snap"
> > due to black-only's simulated grain...IMO the same image printed via
> > QTR would have had more detail on the tiny 8.5X11 paper, but might not
> > have looked as dramatic.
> >
> > In larger prints the dots remain same size as in small prints, don't
> > enlarge like silver grain. The dots get forgotten Vs grain or image
> > details in larger prints: bigger prints can literally look sharper
> > than small ones.
> >
> > Black-only is sometimes preferable for the artificial "snap" it adds
> > to some images. It's a subtle graphic effect that sometimes helps
images.
> >
> > IMO IMO IMO
> >
>