[Leica] I can't print my petunias!!

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

I find the gap between any monitor i've ever used always big they are two
different entirely media.
Glowing pixies vs. pigment on precious paper.
So we really think we've entirely pre visualized what we're going to get
just by looking at our monitor? We can have trained monkeys do our printing
then. Untouched by human hands on Hahnem?hle paper. Wake up in the morning
and look at your stack of perfect prints. Nope!

I still like to think of the first thing out of my printer as being a test
print. Proof. Or at least a work print. I base critical decisions on how
that print looks not how the monitor looks.
I don't go long with this "it just matches the monitor" bit and think that
photographic printing now is just like cranking out Xerox's only in full
color and it takes longer to come out.

Petunias fluoresce like nobodies other earthy business. I've seen some real
spooky ones. Like on the state line  on the interstate between two northern
states I forgot which Nebraska and Wyoming maybe. Couldn't quite get it with
70s Ektachrome on a cheap Vivitar 28. Don't know why.
No two slide films would come even close to agreeing on how they should be
represented. Could a Cibachrome do them justice I'm not sure I don't think
so. I think maybe it could be done inkjet but its not going to match
anybodies monitor. Its going to take a few sheets of paper and lots of
tweaking. In the darkroom we used to call it "crafting" a print.
Now we think something's wrong when the first thing coming out is not beyond
reproach. I don't. I think the first thing comes out is your starting point
just like in the darkroom. Then jack up your purples. Magenta blue maybe.


Mark William Rabiner
Harlem, NY

rabinergroup.com