Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/11/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>She was about to learn C printing. What a waste! C prints were bad when >they were good. Indeed. The greatest single thing about digital processes is that colour is freed from the intimate interlinking of hue, contrast and saturation. I remember making colour and contrast masks for C type and especially Ilfochrome prints - it was an awful job that provided only best of a bad scenario results. In comparison, well made high end inkjet prints seem miraculous. M On Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 9:27 AM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote: >> At 05:14 PM 11/5/2009, you wrote: >>> Within 5 miles ?from me ?here in NY are at least 20 colleges with >>> thriving >>> darkrooms with trays laid out like they have for decades for the >>> multitudes >>> of kids to play in like ducks with tongs in the dark. >>> I personally if I ran the schools would skip it. >>> >>> Mark William Rabiner >> >> I taught photography at the local community college until they >> decided to get rid of their wonderful darkroom, several years >> ago. ?The administration planned to convert everything to computers >> but, after they dismantled and sold all of the darkroom equipment, >> the powers that be discovered they couldn't afford computers for >> everybody. ?They asked me to teach without darkroom or computers but >> I decided I'd rather retire. ?Now it's all state-of-the-art computer >> technology only. ?Community colleges here are bursting at the seams >> with classes all day and night. >> >> Tina > > > When I got to Manhattan ?3.3 years ago I saw everywhere kids with the > school > Hasselblad and tripod one asked me if I they could photograph me and I'd > talk to them. Every kid told me about their teachers reverence for film and > the hours they would be needing to spend in the darkroom doing black and > white. Also many were being taught C print printing. Just last week I met a > gal form Italy who was signed up with ?ICP. International > Center-Photography. She was about to learn C printing. What a waste! > C prints were bad when they were good. > > ?I was surprised to hear all this. They didn't teach platinum printing when > I was in school or other dated processes of the past which had little > relevance to the modern practice of photography. Why teach darkroom now? > They'll snap out of it in very few years I imagine. > The academics, people who never really practiced photography are into this > mindless "digital is not real photography like silver is" BS. > They need to get a photographer in there or take a field trip to a working > photography gallery. > > > Mark William Rabiner > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >