Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Guys & Gals, After several hours of trying to "electronically" dodge and burn a neg to make one decent print, I have to confess out of sheer frustration, "read my inadequacies," in coping with the learning curve of computer/printer compared to wet/my printing, that it's just driving me up the wall or around the curves, contrasts, brightness or wiggling lines! Yes to date I've made some quite surprisingly good prints from the scanner/computer/printer combination, some that I felt made the prints look like they were shot with Leica glass. But then there was this afternoon!!!!! The amount of time I fiddled, deleted, re-scanned, didn't save, started all over, fiddle again, said naughty words, several times!!!!! Then finally gave up out of incompetence & frustration I could have knocked off a couple dozen wet prints. I realize one doesn't replace 50 years wet DR experience in a few weeks on the dry side. Certainly attempting to cope with these electronic monsters that talk back to you, put strangely worded phrases framed in little boxes on the screen that point out............... you're an idiot! And leave you whimpering like a new bride who just burned her first cake! However, buoyed by my successful earlier printing experiences I suppose I was over stepping my ability with this new whiz bang technology and a lousy negative. I finally came to the conclusion, it was my fault right from the original film exposure (confession again) I made a lousy exposure and hoped the new hardware would save my ass! ;-) Guess what? You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear no matter how good the technology! So the bottom line and my good fortune to be able to re-shoot, I will take my trusty R8 and re-do the situation in less of a hurry "avec tripod" ;-) and come home with damn good negs! And then we'll see what these new thingies can do. :-) But I shall tame this monster! ;-) Frustrated and head aching, but determined to learn! ;-).... Damn, good time for a comforting single malt! :-) ted