Digital BW, The Print

I've recently re-worked my workflow to the following sequence.

Shoot RAW & then convert using Adobe Camera RAW converter (using a Canon G3,
FWIW)
...it's a lot of fun for me to 'develop' the pictures this way even if my
results are not better than the super fine jpeg...

...once imported into PS(7) as an 8bit RGB I apply the following adjustment
layers...

Levels - this is the REASON I write this note...I've been holding the alt
key when grabbing the Black/White sliders TO SEE what's clipping & noticed
that if I only set the end point at the edge of the farthest element, it
wasn't always clipping anything!!  Hence one would not have a white or black
in the image actually.  I like to do this first since curves & Dodge/Burn
are relative to the contrast extremes.  I could be wrong on this observation
but it's working for me.  I do not always move the white slider, since I
don't need/want a pure white, or one doesn't exist in the image I took.  On
occassion I even contract the whites by pulling back to 248-252 on the
output end of the levels slider.

Curves to suit taste.  I leave the layer there even if I don't make an
adjustment in case I want to change to opacity mode only (darken, softlight,
overlay, etc.)

Dodge/Burn layer (ala - alt+new layer, color grey, mode overlay, opacity 50%
(I can increase to about 75% later if need be), check fill with 50% neutral
gray)...most buring is done at about 8-30% opacity with brush at 65%
hardness & 0 spacing...I like it a little soft edged.  D&B is being done
with a graphics tablet that makes it fluid for me, just like traditional
Silver printing...don't use the tablet for much else though.  One hand has
the pen, the other is on the keyboard shortcut for the brush.

Channel Mixer if going to B&W (I check my RGB channels first for
tones/spread I want to emphasize and then start with 45-65% into that
channel once the monochrome is checked)...some images I see exclusively as
B&W images, others only color, a very few have me doing both for a while til
I settle.

Possible Second Curves...to set black point only...which I've changed from
default to .25 clip/Enhance monochromative contrast/snap neutral midtones (&
saved as my defaults, so this is always what I get when 'auto-ing').

Print curve for MIS Vm set (in a 1270) if printing B&W, otherwise to a 1280
w/ Perpetuals that were profiled.

At this point I may make a duplicate of the original 'background' file and
USM that layer...file size isn't important to me at this point and it gives
me a quick retreat/comparison too.  Just to be clear, this duplicate sits
just above the background layer, so it gets all the 'effects' that have been
applied above + the USM without altering my 'original'  I like all this
malebility saved into the file.

I like my workflow...it's been quick & methodical for me...thought I'd share
FWIW.  I plan on archiving to CD the original .crw+.thm next to the final
worked file with a common element in the name so they sit together in the
index.

Cleavis