Digital BW, The Print

Bruce Watson wrote, in part:

>... B&W on matte paper is sort of like a string quartet. 
>It can have really smooth tones, is exquisitely detailed, and 
>has sufficient range that you don't feel like you need any more with 
>many scenes. Yet the range of expression is limited. ...

>The reason people want greater Dmax with their B&W prints is because 
>they want more than the limited range of expression available from a 
>string quartet. ...
> They pursue gloss media for the greater Dmax 
> because they want that solid bottom end of string bass and tuba.

> Really, increasing Dmax is about the only thing we have left to pursue. 
> B&W only communicates though variation in value. The highlight end is 
> already pretty amazing. The only way we can meaningfully increase our 
> visual vocabulary then is to increase Dmax.

> If we could get a Dmax of, say, 2.2 on a smooth matte paper, we'd have 
> all the range we could meaningfully use, and be left to actually use it...

I'd have to agree with most of this.  Dynamic range is a major part of the
game.  Just because it's there doesn't mean one has to use it all, all the
time.

Some of the non-dmax issues that remain include fragility of the medium.
Rub your finger across a Photo Rag 100% black and then rug your finger
across a Crane Silver Rag (CSR) 100% black.  The Photo Rag is wrecked; the
CSR almost looks better.  This is a huge plus for the Silver Rag paper and
others using this new technology.

Some open issues with the new technology CSR and Innova F-Type v. matte
paper is whether easy tape hanging is going to be sufficient to hold the new
papers flat and whether we'll have the glass fogging issue.  My observations
noted in a post yesterday suggest that the new gloss technology may not be
afflicted with the fogging issue, but time will tell.  Has anyone tried
simple tape hanging under glass?

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com