Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/02/26

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Subject: RE: [Leica] A Grudging Concession to Digital, Made With Regret
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:06:19 -0500

I certainly don't think so, Simon. But as I said, this really is a
matter of taste. There is also the fact that if one goes 'all digital,'
in terms of scanning and printing, it's easy enough now, as Doug Herr
pointed out, to scan, do all your Photoshop 'darkroom' work, and then
send your image to a professional outfit to have a silver print produced
by one of the computer driven, laser enlargers that uses your scan to
expose silver paper.

But again, this is a taste question. I look at my inkjet prints and they
are far, far beyond anything I ever turned out in a wet darkroom. No, I
was nowhere near being a 'master printer.' But I have had my daughter -
who is enough of a master printer to have just done Susan Meiselas's new
show, as well as the sets of prints being sold in connection with the
show - print a few of my images. And looking at her prints and mine side
by side I have to say mine are just as good, only different.

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of animal
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 3:10 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] A Grudging Concession to Digital, Made With Regret





> The black and white, inks v. silver question, Marc, is one that will 
> never be satisfactorily answered. There is no question that Photoshop 
> provides far more control over the image than can be achieved in the 
> wet darkroom. There is also no question that one can produce truly 
> beautiful black and white prints using inks, rather than silver. 
> HOWEVER - there is also no question that an inkjet print produced by 
> someone who has mastered the process, and a silver print produced by a

> master printer, are two different (dare I say it?), separate but equal

> animals. Both are beautiful; both but they are not the same. I am 
> extremely pleased with the results I get with the combination of 
> Photoshop, an Epson 1160 printer, and quadtone inks. But I know that 
> some silver aficionados will never accept those prints as "real." So 
> it really comes down, like virtually everything else in every art or 
> craft, to a matter of taste.
>
> B. D.
>
Sorry for yet another newbie question.
I have never actually seen two prints side by side.
Doing tomany things at once as usual i,m also starting in large format.
Would you say the difference between the two is such that it is still
worthwile to learn the traditional process? thanks simon jessurun

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