Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Darkroom to digital
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 02:49:19 -0700

Andrew Nemeth wrote:
> 
> >Darkroom to digital
> 
> Lost my wet-darkroom in 1993 when I moved house.  Rather than
> spend the $K's building a new one, took the plunge and instead
> have been digital since then.
> 
> Kodak PJ100 film in Leica R into Polaroid SprintScan35 into
> PowerPC Adobe Photoshop.
> 
> Doug Herr <Telyt@compuserve.com> added:
> 
> >The degree of fine-tuning possible with Photoshop is phenomenal: color
> >balance, density, contrast
> ><snip>
> >No problems with the enlarger getting bumped, or a train rolling by
> >20 yards away
> 
> You can also breathe natural air.
> (A Day In The Dank Room = Cough, Gag, Choke...)
> 
> ---
> ><snip>
> So, any reasonable home-C41 kits on the market?...
> 
> Andrew Nemeth


I was down in the Dank room today making fiber prints yesterday. 
Galleries call them Gelatin Silver Prints. I sometimes call them Jello prints.
What would silver Jello taste like?

I do the extra step with the selenium because I occasionally have shows in
Galleries and my prints have been purchased by collectors. An untoned print has
little value in that market, it's a big thing archivally. I like the fact that
my prints stay the same over the decades that pass quickly (I've been printing
since '65) but I like the slightly purple tone and the lack of green tone and
the depth it adds to my prints. And the way it seems to made the tones of the
print rise to the surface instead of hiding under the gelatin.

I like the smell of the paper when I open a new box.
I like the way the paper softens in the developer after a minute.
I think it's fun to squeegee! I love my Aristo VC head. I'm proud of my dryer
screens. My sink hasn't leaked! My darkroom was the first thing I designed on my computer!
I love walking into someones house and unexpectedly seeing one of my prints
nicely framed on their wall going up the staircase by the front door or on the
Steinway. My ego just loves the idea of producing a body of work.

I'll be getting a film scanner in November and an Epson. Will probably be
spending less time in the darkroom.
I've been playing with Photoshop since version 1 a dozen years ago I think. I
could probably teach it. It's too much fun. Pixels Pixels Pixels.
Mark Rabiner
I think I try the Adobe "go to bed" filter. But first I have to select myself!
Pleasant dreams!