Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/04/08

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Subject: [Leica] Eggleston
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:52:14 -0400

 Dye transfer and Fresson prints from Paris and I'm sure some other rare
entity fulfilled a void in color photography for the serious art market in
the late past century when C prints were suspect. The were rateded quite low
in terms of archive ability and one could practilly sit back and watch them
fade. Each layer at a different rate. Some shot transparences and printed
Cibachrome with its insane gloss and phantasmagorical reds. But it was that
process which made it so there was something else than black and white on
the walls of a serious photo gallery.

>From the looks of it pigment inkjets have the quality and permanence to fill
all those gaps. Its really like its the future or something! There's a
little noisy box which sits right next to  your computer  in which you could
crank out a print and so for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Command P.

- - from my iRabs.
Mark Rabiner
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/springdays/


> From: Bill Pearce <billcpearce at cox.net>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012 17:36:54 -0500
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Eggleston
> 
> I agree. Dye transfer is a fine process, but it fulfilled a need when
> originated that is now not pertinent. One might be forgiven if questioning
> the need for a print that lasts longer than the usual chromogenic wet
> process paper (Epson vs. Kodak/Fuji). Considering appearance, I don't think
> there is a speck of difference to even a discerning viewer between a really
> good print and one I make on my Epson 3880. You can carry the quest for
> perfection to the highest degree, and become another Lloyd Chambers, but
> that doesn't serve art, and only blurs the line between craft and art more.
> 
> But we all spend too much time fretting over our craft, or we wouldn't be
> here.
> 
> Bill Pearce
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lew Schwartz
> Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2012 5:21 PM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Eggleston
> 
> The current crop of inkjet pigment inks are nothing to sneeze at
> either. You may be right about the dye transfer, however, Early on,
> Eggleston's were produced this way to accommodate the art market's
> concerns about archival issues ... not only for the prints, but for
> the archival black and white separation negs that are the background
> of the process. Damaged or destroyed prints can (in theory) always be
> replaced.
> 
> At a recent Eggleston show in NYC, dye transfers and inkjet pigment
> prints were shown side by side. None of  my crowd, whom consider
> themselves discerning, could tell the difference. Perhaps inkjet
> pigment prints were described as "newer" than dye transfer to the
> reporter and he, not knowing any better, misreported it as a new color
> process.
> 
> On Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 2:29 PM, Phil Swango <pswango at att.net> wrote:
>> Lew Schwartz wrote:
>>> Any idea what "utilized a new color printing process allowing for
>>> high-quality reproductions" refers to?
>> 
>> Not exactly but I've seen it referred to as pigment prints using digital
>> technology.  The prints are really large -- I read they were 40x60 inches.
>>  The original editions were done with the now obsolete dye transfer
>> process, which was used mostly for commercial printing in the past.  I'm
>> not sure how the new prints could have a richer gamut than the old ones,
>> considering the superb reputation of dye transfer.  More here:
>> 
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-transfer_process
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Phil Swango
>> 307 Aliso Dr SE
>> Albuquerque, NM 87108
>> 505-262-4085
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> -Lew S.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




In reply to: Message from billcpearce at cox.net (Bill Pearce) ([Leica] Eggleston)