Digital BW, The Print

> James -
>

> I am going to do a copy and paste to respond to some interesting  
> things you have written:
>
> ((Not sure "mess" is an apt metaphor for the digital way of  
> working, especially compared to a wet darkroom.))
>









Yes, you are right. I was referring to a mentally messy thing.  
Although I come from a photography background, (BFA in photography -  
magna cum laude if I say so myself!) I was not the gear-head and  
never was. Everything I do is intuitive, and it was easier to do that  
in the darkroom then digitally, in my opinion.

> ((And it can be expensive to get set up to produce quality digital  
> prints, the more so the larger the print. Scanners and/or digital  
> cameras with enough resolution to make large prints are not cheap))
>





Well, yes lenses for the enlarger were not cheap but how often did  
you have to replace them? Digital technology changes far too quickly  
than traditional image making. Components are made on such a high  
demand that I tend to wonder the true quality of each individual  
printer and scanner...look what happened to me? I have been an Epson  
user from the "back in the day" yet, I have rarely had a printer last  
more than 3 years.


> (( There are hazards of working with photo chemicals over a period  
> of years))
>



This I am very aware of. A dear friend of mine believes she developed  
breast cancer from it. We don't know for sure, but I would imagine  
the constant exposure (no pun intended) to the chemicals has to have  
some health issues attached to it.

And believe me, I don't miss the 20 minute fibre-print waiting, for a  
print to come out just to see where I need to dodge and burn. And  
yes, I feel I have  a little more control over the final print  
digitally.


> ((I happen to like the look of them, not to say that I think they  
> are better than my old favorite Oriental Seagull. But Oriental  
> Seagull is no longer with us, no? (I could be wrong about this; it  
> was gone for quite a while about the time I was transitioning to
> digital.) ))
>







That was one of my favorite papers as well and yes, they did go out  
of business around 95, I believe.
>


>  ((But the editing... first of all, all your wet experience will  
> serve you very well as you
> edit in Photoshop. Nothing you've learned in the wet darkroom will go
> to waste printing digitally.))
>






Of course I know that and believe me, you don't have to "sell" me on  
this. I have come a long way in my thinking about digital imaging in  
the last 4-5 years simply because I am excited at how I can bridge  
the gap between digital and traditional imaging. I am still shooting  
film and will continue to do so until film is no longer manufactured,  
which I believe won't happen. It will just become more expensive.

By the way, I taught Photoshop for awhile and know what it is capable  
of :D I have been using it since Version 3.0.

As for scratching from negative holders..no, I rarely had that  
happen, thankfully. My only traditional printing complaint, as I  
said, was the wait time between prints. That and the fact that when I  
had a darkroom, I had to use the kitchen sink to do my final washing  
of prints. That meant lugging trays full of prints upstairs to my  
kitchen - that was a hoot :) Hmm, come to think of it, at least  
working in the darkroom gave me a little more exercise. My butt has  
increased in size since my days of digital - hehehehe....


So  my complaint now in the digital realm is the cost of materials.  
My flatbed scanner (Epson 4990) is ok with scanning negatives but  
nothing compared to a dedicated film scanner. Again - we are talking  
thousands of dollars, compared to my $400 enlarger. Now I (well,  
thankfully The Husband) am/is purchasing the 2400. $600 with a hope  
that it will last for some time. I do plan on purchasing an extended  
warranty through them to make me feel a little better anyway. Then we  
have the inks, the paper.....I really do think that compared to what  
i was paying in traditional image making, I am most certainly  
spending more money now. And as an artist, as opposed to a commercial  
photographer, I am not making the money back from it...at least not  
in the near future.

OK, I am done whining now. I do love these discussions though so  
let's chat away!

AnnMarie
www.annmarietornabene.net




>


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