Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/17

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Subject: Re: [Leica] [OT] Digital Darkroom and why? (was [OT] Color darkroom worth it?)
From: Magnessbill@aol.com
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 12:17:25 -0400

Cost and convenience are certainly considerations, but consistancy is also a factor, unless you run a replenished line you will not get consistant color from print to print, close yes, but if you have some neutral gray you need to match- good luck. Granted inks vary from batch to batch, just like film, I buy multible packs at a time.
But Photoshop is the big factor; contrast adjustment, color saturation adjustment, spotting, removing distracting objects, sharpening, softening to name a few. And you can do these selectivly on different parts of the image. I realize some of these can be done in the darkroom, but with Ciba's you have to make contrast reducing masks, you can modify colors by burning or dodging through colored filters etc. I've had to print difficult trannies and it becames a performance after several test prints; dodge here 2 secs, burn here 4 secs, dodge with this filter here, that filter there and then find out the contrast mask slipped and I have an edge in places and have to start over. Oh, and if I sell one you'll need more so you better do it now, 'cause it'll be hell to repeat this in a few weeks and on and on.
But with my Mac I can watch all this on my monitor and save changes or throw them out if I don't like the effect. I can make dozens of variations and view them without making dozens of test prints. 
So while a great Ciba is a 10, a well executed inkjet print is a 9+.
To see some of these prints visit the Suzanna Terrill Gallery, Cincinnati in May. The show is Photos Continental; Belgium, Holland and France. (all Leica images by the way) 
Of course, if you just really like darkroom work, I can't argue with that.
My 2 cents worth,
Bill
ASMP

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