Digital BW, The Print

Hello Ann,

>Is there a rule of thumb to determine how to adust contrast ranges 
>for a print?
>i.e. in the darkroom i know how to change the contrast of graded 
>paper using a variety of chemicals. With MC papers one changes  
>the filter or dials in a filter change with a dichroic head.
> 
>so, if i wanted to go from a print that had a grade 3 contrast to a 
>grade 2 and was using +14 as a contrast number(as an example) is 
>there a guide line to determine how much reduction i should use?
>Or, are things not so simple?

It's not so much a matter of simplicity, but more of a conceptual
difference.  With film printing the image source (the neg) is
unchangeable, so we adjust the paper in order to change contrast. 
With digital printing it's just the opposite.  The image source is
adjustable and the papers are not, so we adjust the image to get what
we want.  The result of this is that the terminology of one doesn't
apply to the other.  For example, we don't think in terms of grade 2
or 3 any more because the contrast curves we apply to an image are
infinitely adjustable.  In addition, it is relatively easy to apply
different contrast curves to different parts of the image.  So graded
papers are a limitation that doesn't exist any more and conceptually
it's a completely different way of working.  It also gives us a far
greater degree of creative control.

 
>I don't mind testing, but would like to limit that testing to 5 or 6 
>pieces of paper rather than 12.

One of the goals in setting up a system is getting good WYSIWYG (What
You See Is What You Get), where the screen image is very close to what
the print will look like.  So you spend your time adjusting the image
on screen and make relatively few test prints.  With practice you get
much better at this and make even fewer test prints.


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm