Digital BW, The Print

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

Ann,
John Paul Caponigro web site has some downloadable tips you may want 
to look at. Check these tips out at, 
http://www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/lib/downloads/technique/technique.php
Look under the "Proofing" section. There he has a few tips on how to 
test at minimal material cost.

You may also want to make a (or use someone else's) step wedge. To 
make your own, follow these steps:
1. Make a new document at the resolution you normally print at. The   
   image itself doesn't have to be big, say 5x7 @300ppi 
2.Make a black & white linear gradient across the image
3. Go to Image>Adjustments>Posterize, and set the steps to 10, 
   thinking Zone System, but any number above 10 is fine.
4. Now you have a your 10 step Step Wedge, with Black and White with  
   8 steps of gray.

Now you want to see how to affect the contrast of this wedge. You can 
use either Curves or Levels. It all depends on what you're 
comfortable using. Let's use Levels first.
1. Make a Levels Adjustment Layer. When the dialog box opens you'll 
   see 10 (or what ever the number you set in the Posterize step  
   above) spikes in the histogram. Use these as a reference, and  
   note  the numbers.
2. When you move the white Highlight slider to the left you decrease 
   the number of light tones and increase contrast. When you move the 
   black Shadow slider to the right, you decrease the number of dark 
   tones, and again increase contrast. Moving the gray Midtone  
   slider  to the left or right tweaks your hight or shadow tonality.

As you'll see, this is much more control than you had in a wet 
darkroom.

Finally, to understand what your image will look like when printed, 
here's a quick & dirty way to preview and proof it, once you 
understand what your Levels adjustments do.

1. Using a flatten duplicate version of your image, create a new  
   layer above  it. Set this layer's Blending mode to either Overlay  
   or Softlight. Overlay is more contrasty.
2. Make the gradient and set your Posterize steps to 10 or whatever 
   number you wish.
3. Open the Levels dialog on this layer. DO NOT use an Adjustment 
   Layer, because that will affect ALL LAYERS underneath it.
4. Make your tonal adjustments to this gradient layer. Use 
   the "Preview" checkbox to see the effects of your adjustments.
5. When you're done, duplicate the Image and flatten it, and make a 
   print (using one of John Paul's techniques would also be a good 
   idea)
6. When you decide on which step looks the best as a print, go back  
   to your layered image (the one with the Gradient layer still  
   intact) and TURN OFF your image layer,which should be the 
   Background layer. Now, use the Eyedropper Tool and click on the   
   step that gave the results you liked.
7. Create a new Layer, change its Blending Mode and fill that layer 
   with the gray tone you've just collected. Turn the Image layer  
   back on.

That's it. Sounds like a lot when read, but it is pretty easy and 
straight forward to do. As some else had stated, there are no magic 
numbers, use your eyes. However,this approach will give control over 
the image in a fairly emperical way. For example, for the way you 
create your images, in time you can have a series of these gray 
tone/blending modes swatches that you can use as "Contrast Filters", 
that you will be able to simply drop into your image files when 
printing.

Hope this will be of some help,

Jarvis Grant
Washington, DC