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Digital BW, The Print

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Newbie needs help in printing

Newbie needs help in printing

2007-07-27 by RITAYAN MITRA

Hello everyone,
   First of all I am amazed how informative and
helpful this group and its member are.  One other
thing is all of the members look like high up on the
learning curve while I am low down....so I have
reservations asking such broad and trivial questions
but any help will be appreciated.

My background

I am a graduate student (read: limited resources). I
am good at composing  shots.  I work with a pentax
k100d.

My aim
To do totally b/w photo with strong simple
compositions with the widest tonal range possible.  I
need to take very good quality prints and I know
nothing about how to go on doing it

My question 
1) Do you think given my lack of expertise I should
just depend on a professional for this?  If so can you
recommend a decent one
2) If you think I should do my own digital printing
can you refer me to a concise how-to material for a
beginner like me?

Any help is appreciated, no help is understood.

Rit


       
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Re: [Digital BW] Newbie needs help in printing

2007-07-27 by Sam McCandless

On Jul 26, 2007, at 6:54 PM, RITAYAN MITRA wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>    First of all I am amazed how informative and
> helpful this group and its member are.  One other
> thing is all of the members look like high up on the
> learning curve while I am low down....so I have
> reservations asking such broad and trivial questions
> but any help will be appreciated.

Don't hesitate, Rit, to ask any questions about B&W printing; the  
subscribers to this list are very welcoming and helpful.


> My background
>
> I am a graduate student (read: limited resources). I
> am good at composing  shots.  I work with a pentax
> k100d.

Do you have an ink jet printer now?


> My aim
> To do totally b/w photo with strong simple
> compositions with the widest tonal range possible.  I
> need to take very good quality prints and I know
> nothing about how to go on doing it

You've come to the right place. If you use a Mac, you'll also find  
the MacEpsonList.com, also at Yahoo, helpful unless you decide not to  
start with an Epson printer despite the fact (I think) that it's  
probably the best and least expensive way to start.


> My question
> 1) Do you think given my lack of expertise I should
> just depend on a professional for this?

No, because it's feasible to learn to do it yourself at much less  
expense and trying to do that to your satisfaction will cause you  
look harder at prints than you otherwise would.


>   If so can you
> recommend a decent one
> 2) If you think I should do my own digital printing
> can you refer me to a concise how-to material for a
> beginner like me?

You didn't say how much experience you have at printing in general.  
In almost any case, I think it might be best to start with Bill  
Kennedy's book, "The Photographer's Guide to the Digital Darkroom".  
Bill is on this list and has worked for 25 years in the  
photocommunications program at St. Edward's University in Austin. His  
book is about color, as well as greyscale, printing, and I think the  
more general context will be useful to you even though you are  
already focusing on B&W. Given his book's scope, it's very concise.

So are Clayton Jones's articles at

<http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm>

where there is a good overview of, as well as some more specific  
technical articles about, digital B&W printing, which will help you  
get started. Clayton is also an active member of this list and the  
leading proponent of black-only B&W printing, which I think is  
arguably the easiest and least expensive way to put your toe in the  
B&W printing waters unless you already have a printer which won't  
print black-only.

Until recently, there was no advanced text. But now there's Amadou  
Diallo's "Mastering Digital Black and White: A Photographer's Guide  
to High Quality Black-and-White Imaging and Printing", which was  
recently published in the Digital Process and Print Series of which  
Harald Johnson is the Series Editor. Tyler Boley was Amadou's  
technical editor and, Amadou says, his "sounding board". All three of  
them are also active on this list. You don't need Amadou's book to  
get started, but it might be a useful and inspiring reference to what  
lies ahead of you.

Good luck, Rit.
--
Sam

Re: [Digital BW] Newbie needs help in printing

2007-07-27 by RITAYAN MITRA

Thanks everyone who has responded to my question. 
Some of the links suggested were really good.   I wish
I could attend a workshop, as suggested by someone,
but its is too pricey for me....instead I will try to
learn on my own.  Thanks again for helping me out.

RM
--- Sam McCandless <samcc@...> wrote:

> On Jul 26, 2007, at 6:54 PM, RITAYAN MITRA wrote:
> 
> > Hello everyone,
> >    First of all I am amazed how informative and
> > helpful this group and its member are.  One other
> > thing is all of the members look like high up on
> the
> > learning curve while I am low down....so I have
> > reservations asking such broad and trivial
> questions
> > but any help will be appreciated.
> 
> Don't hesitate, Rit, to ask any questions about B&W
> printing; the  
> subscribers to this list are very welcoming and
> helpful.
> 
> 
> > My background
> >
> > I am a graduate student (read: limited resources).
> I
> > am good at composing  shots.  I work with a pentax
> > k100d.
> 
> Do you have an ink jet printer now?
> 
> 
> > My aim
> > To do totally b/w photo with strong simple
> > compositions with the widest tonal range possible.
>  I
> > need to take very good quality prints and I know
> > nothing about how to go on doing it
> 
> You've come to the right place. If you use a Mac,
> you'll also find  
> the MacEpsonList.com, also at Yahoo, helpful unless
> you decide not to  
> start with an Epson printer despite the fact (I
> think) that it's  
> probably the best and least expensive way to start.
> 
> 
> > My question
> > 1) Do you think given my lack of expertise I
> should
> > just depend on a professional for this?
> 
> No, because it's feasible to learn to do it yourself
> at much less  
> expense and trying to do that to your satisfaction
> will cause you  
> look harder at prints than you otherwise would.
> 
> 
> >   If so can you
> > recommend a decent one
> > 2) If you think I should do my own digital
> printing
> > can you refer me to a concise how-to material for
> a
> > beginner like me?
> 
> You didn't say how much experience you have at
> printing in general.  
> In almost any case, I think it might be best to
> start with Bill  
> Kennedy's book, "The Photographer's Guide to the
> Digital Darkroom".  
> Bill is on this list and has worked for 25 years in
> the  
> photocommunications program at St. Edward's
> University in Austin. His  
> book is about color, as well as greyscale, printing,
> and I think the  
> more general context will be useful to you even
> though you are  
> already focusing on B&W. Given his book's scope,
> it's very concise.
> 
> So are Clayton Jones's articles at
> 
> <http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm>
> 
> where there is a good overview of, as well as some
> more specific  
> technical articles about, digital B&W printing,
> which will help you  
> get started. Clayton is also an active member of
> this list and the  
> leading proponent of black-only B&W printing, which
> I think is  
> arguably the easiest and least expensive way to put
> your toe in the  
> B&W printing waters unless you already have a
> printer which won't  
> print black-only.
> 
> Until recently, there was no advanced text. But now
> there's Amadou  
> Diallo's "Mastering Digital Black and White: A
> Photographer's Guide  
> to High Quality Black-and-White Imaging and
> Printing", which was  
> recently published in the Digital Process and Print
> Series of which  
> Harald Johnson is the Series Editor. Tyler Boley was
> Amadou's  
> technical editor and, Amadou says, his "sounding
> board". All three of  
> them are also active on this list. You don't need
> Amadou's book to  
> get started, but it might be a useful and inspiring
> reference to what  
> lies ahead of you.
> 
> Good luck, Rit.
> --
> Sam
> 



       
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