Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/08/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark, valid approach. Absolutely agree that the print in your hand is everything. Of course a large difference between transmissive monitor and reflective print. The soft-proof, colour managed approach is to allow you objectively judge tonality and colour before you commit to that first work print with expensive ink on more expensive cotton rag paper. Once you have a print dried down and viewed in appropriate light, you can make any corrections you may desire, previewing those corrections as well. And the process is repeatable once you arrive at a final print that pleases you. The fine art guys will absolutely go through multiple generations of proof prints as they work up a final version. You can also choose to soft-proof with simulated exhibition lighting, for example. The perfect print for nominal daylight will not look at all the same under gallery conditions, as you know. Or simulate different paper whiteness levels, or ink-sets etc etc. Cheers Hoppy -----Original Message----- Subject: Re: [Leica] I can't print my petunias!! 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 _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information