Digital BW, The Print

Frederick H. Evans (1853-1943) has always been one of my favorite 
photographers. I am in constant awe in front of his cathedral interiors, 
"The sea of steps" being my preferred one.

But it's only today that I read about how he managed to capture those 
difficult scenes, besides the well-known use of palladium and platinum.

Citing Anne M. Lyden:
"He would later use a double-coated plate, which essentially consisted 
of a fast emulsion on top of a slower one. The combination allowed him 
to perfectly expose his interior scene: he would capture the effects of 
light in the brighter areas without loosing detail in the shadows."

I don't know if this was current practice or if he came up with it, but 
it definitely is pre-digital HDR. So, let's forget about the tasteless 
misuse of this technique one sees too often. The lesson I will keep is:

HDR used with moderation and a sense for the authentic photographic 
process and its limits will in well chosen situations allow us to make 
better B&W digital prints.

Louis