RE: [Leica] Photoshop and Leica

["Rodgers, David" <david.rodgers@xo.com>]

Over the past few months I've seen some amazing work done in Photoshop by
various photographers. Most recently, some fine art 5x7 prints of images
taken of Paris that were toned various shades of yellows and redbrowns. They
were absolutely stunning. Impossible to do in a wet darkroom. 

I'm not a purist. I love to see b/w fine prints, but I also like many types
of art. Digital opens many new doors for photographers. Sometimes I think
there's a tendancy to think it closes older doors, but does it? All the
traditional materials are still available. I've been slow to embrace it, but
the more I learn about it the more I like it. Scanners, computers, inkjet
printers, the whole workflow is just an extension of the camera with far
more capabilities than an enlarger. There's also a much bigger learning
curve. However, I still have an operating wet b/w darkroom, and I just spent
two days printing C prints at a local rental darkroom. 

We're in a new era of photography, and I think it's exciting. I've heard it
said on the LUG to "just take pictures." But that's only half the battle.
There's little value in a latent image. The real objective in photography
should be presenting an end product somehow, somewhere. Whatever workflow it
takes to get there is beside the point. BTW, for me Leica Cameras will
always be an integral part of that workflow. Because photographing with a
Leica is most enjoyable.   

Dave

- -----Original Message-----
From: Mxsmanic [mailto:mxsmanic@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 8:58 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Photoshop and Leica


I almost never use PS for anything except tidying up a shot (color balance,
levels, and the usual stuff).

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Rodgers, David" <david.rodgers@xo.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 01:49
Subject: [Leica] Photoshop and Leica


> I love using the Leica M camera for more reasons than the ultra sharp
> lenses. It's just a great photographic instrument. And the best images
> aren't always the sharpest.
>
> Reading all the comments about Photoshop I pulled up an image that I spent
> all of 10 minutes tweaking in PS (did not crop, however). It much improved
> the original image, which was pretty boring. Not that this is too
thrilling,
> but it definately is an improvement, and it's kind of growing on me.
Sadly,
> I think I'm beginning to apply PS fx mentally as I look through the
> viewfinder sometimes. Oh, the heresy!
>
> The original, btw, was shot with a Leica M and 50/1.4 Summilux. Film was
> Kodak E100VS scanned on an LS-30. The original was razer sharp, but it
> looked too sterile. Again, sharpness isn't everything.
>
> http://www.lightcurves.com/images/modsculp.jpg
>
> Dave
>