Re: [Leica] More on Color

[Doug Herr <Telyt@compuserve.com>]

Mike,

I'll agree with your comments on this subject (without copying the entire
message), and in particular that much or most color photography is missing
the elements of form and meaning, and concentrates on the eye-candy of
pretty colors.  The popularity of Velvia comes immediately to mind.

As you wrote:
>>>
I have been very encouraged by what I've seen so far of the digital
processes, and I think it will prove out that digital is, in fact, the
true "coming of age" of color photography as an art form. The reason is
control. It will simply be possible to use color expressively, instead
of learning one or another relatively rigid color process and then
"fitting" expressive work to it. Relatively few artists have even even
begun to explore the expressive potential of digital methods, focusing
instead either on digital's easy of use or its other effects such as
pastiche and image manipulation. But the best of the digital processes,
both colloquial and esoteric, already exceed in technical beauty, and
certainly in potential, most of the common commerical color processes
such as Ektacolor reversal film, Chromogenic prints, and Ilfochrome.
<<<

I've begun working with digital processes, in particular LightJet5000
prints made from scans of Kodchromes and I'm excited by the potential of
the process for the reasons you've mentioned.  I've stayed away from image
manipulation or fakery, using the digital controls to bring the most out of
the original images.

I can't claim to have mastered either PhotoShop or the artisic expression
that color photography has to offer but with the digital process the range
of expression than can be translated to a print has expanded far beyond
what was previously possible, such that many of my older chromes are now
printable with far more impact and subtlety, and in my current field work
I'm not limiting myself to images that will work with older printing
processes.

Doug Herr
Sacramento
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt