Digital BW, The Print

I thought I would mention a few things regarding the inkjet issue,

First, as a Board Member for the Palm Beach Photographic Centre, we
completed the 5th annual FotoFusion here in Delray Beach, Florida two weeks
ago. We had the pleasure of having many of the biggest names in photography
attend. Names like Arnold Newman, Joyce Tenneson, Vincent Versache, Ross
Whittaker, Robert Farber, Helene Delillo, Michael Kenna, David Michael
Kennerly, Darrel Guilin, Barry Haynes, George DeWolfe, Jill Enfield, Rick
Sammon, and many many others,

Guess what folks? The majority of these people are shooting digital. A
Versache 20x24 pigmented color Epson 10000 print sold at our annual auction
for $1000. I had two 11"x14" quadtones sell for approx. $400 each. An Arnold
Newman and a Ruth Bernard sold for over $2000 each for 8x10 silver prints. A
Michael Kenna silver print sold for over $1500. BUT, not many people are
Arnold Newmand or Ruth Bernard.

Yes, many of these photographers are commercial image makers, but they all
do personal work and projects. With over 3000 people attending the
workshops, lectures and panel discussions, the digital programs were sold
out, the photography programs were well attended but not sold out. We have
discontinued all darkroom programs and alternative process programs for lack
of interest. Two of our programs that were standing room only were Tom
Lopez's digital capture and printing lecture, and George DeWolfes Piezo
lecture. Also well arttended were the Adobe Photoshop programs by Barry
Haynes and Julianne Kost.

Presenter after presenter all had the same theme. Digital is here to stay.
Yes we are competing against silver, platinum, bromoil, photogravure, etc.
But digital is where it's at. In fact, Vincent Versache started off his
lecture by asking how many of of the 300 people in the room were shooting
digital. Almost 60% raised their hands. He went on to predict that within
3-5 years there will only be a few very select film emulsions made by the
big three left on the market for those rare occassions that film is needed.
Ilford, Kodak, and Fuji are all dedicating themselves to digital. For all
intents and purposes, the "ONLY" new cameras being introduced on the market
(with the exception of Hasselblads candy color 503's) are digitals. What's
up with that? Versache is now 100% digital and has not shot film in over 18
months!

At the auction, we sold over $25,000 of images to raise money for our (Palm
Beach Photographic Centre) "at risk" childrens programs. Of the 125+  prints
that sold, I would venture to say that 60-75% were all digitally produced
either by capture or by scanning and printing. The digital revolution has
only just begun.

I met with a gallery owner today who want's to rep my work. He looked at 60
of my 16x20 "Carbon Pigment" images and told me that he was very excited
about my work.  He did not seem at all phased by the fact that the work was
digital. In fact, we discussed the materials I used. I added that I printed
with the finest carbon pigments on acid free 100% cotton rag paper. I matt
with buffered acid free 100% rag museum board. He had no questions after
that with respect to archival issues.

My point here is let's not get nuts and panic. The revolution is here and as
the years go on acceptance will become easier and easier.

Viva La Revolution!

Mike

Michael J. Kravit
Architect/Photographer
Boca Raton, Florida