Digital BW, The Print

on 2/14/02 5:26 PM, Sam A. McCandless wrote:

> Next I want to look at that in the flat-bed. I'd appreciate any tips
> on how best to scan and how best to adjust (if at all) the scan
> before measuring it

C'mon Sam, make a print. Make a big print. First revel, then measure. ;-)

Todd

> Because I wanted to be able to shuffle and juxtapose the prints made
> with different curves, I printed Paul Roark's 21stepNew.jpg file onto
> 4.25" x 11" sheets of Epson Archival Matte, starting with the w5
> curve, which produces a neutral tone, which Paul thought might be the
> easiest to correct, if necessary.
> 
> This neutral tone wedge looked so good that I went ahead and printed
> 21stepNew from the other three curves too, without going directly to
> a photo as Paul suggested, because I was so eager to compare the
> other, sepia end of the range. It is a lovely, chocolate brown. So,
> but cooler, is its next-door neighbor, just as the neutral's neighbor
> is visibly warmer.
> 
> Out of curiosity, I also printed 21sepNew without any curve, and it
> came out looking just as good as, but lighter than, any of the other
> four and more brown than gray. I expect this "uncurved" option might
> have its uses too.
> 
> Unfortunately I started this last night, so I was up half the night
> trying different curves on different images I've had in mind for
> Sepia-Neutral. I think it's a winner, a "natural" for old photos but
> also very appealing for some subjects from any era. What's most
> impressive from the step tests however is how even the progression
> appears to be from step to step and without any merging at either end
> of the scale.
> 
> Next I want to look at that in the flat-bed. I'd appreciate any tips
> on how best to scan and how best to adjust (if at all) the scan
> before measuring it.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Sam