Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Michael Kravit" 
> Here is what I have been doing, however, there must be a 
better way....


You can also do diffusion, similar to using that black panty hose 
stretched over embroidery frame technique, by:

Take you main image.
Duplicate the layer.
Set the duplicated layer to DARKEN.
Do GaussianBlur on the duplicated layer.
Adjust opacity, view at 100% mag., and watch the blacks in the 
image begin to "glow". Opacity will probably be set to very slight.

Or, to get that Softar look, when the diffusion is on the camera, 
do the same thing as above, but set the new layer to LIGHTEN, 
and then the highlights will glow.