The technological advancements in photography continued drive the majority of photographers to embrace the latest most modern advancement. Speaking for myself, it seems the primary advantage of the advancements has to do with convenience and simplicity for the user. As in automated. There are excellent advantages to this commercially speaking. As an Event Photographer for ten years I can attest to the wonderfulness of digital photography, commercially, as opposed to film, with the added darkroom time even before showing anything to a client. Today, all that can be accomplished in short order then uploaded to wherever you want said images to be seen or reviewed. But we aren't here for commercial photographic insights or advice. We're dealing with Art on this blog.
There is no reason nor need for me to tell view camera shooters to keep their camera(s) in hand and stick to film. That would only insight them to rebellion. Just know I'm with you on this, even in today's world of techno-digital photography. There are advantages to the view camera, none of which I need remind said camera users. What has changed, obviously, has been the addition of digital negatives, and that means a photographer wielding a 4x5 no longer has to print only in 4x5 when contact printing. The advantage of hand coated printing is simply that there is no longer a need for an enlarger, the major component of any functioning darkroom where printing silver gelatin is the aim.
All one needs now is a dark space to develop sheet film. The next step is scanning the negative for enlarging to whatever print size desired.
I of course did not think of this first.... There is some excellent material available on this subject, most notably Dan Burkholder, who appears the voice of/for understanding and creating digital negatives. I have begun practicing this avenue after I came to realize that digital photography was excellent for commercial work but left me unsatisfied when applying it as Art. I have spoken of those reasons in more detail in the past but suffice it to say, for me, it just isn't my medium.
One of the problems with scanning a hand coated print, or filming it digitally, is simply that the rich depth and the textural quality of a hand coated print simply cannot be replicated and enjoyed. If you have seen first hand master prints, then digital reproductions of them, knows exactly what I am saying. No attempt at being snooty or condescending on this issue. Just a simple fact. Scanning a negative for digital reproduction is similar, although without the same outcome. When a negative is chemically developed it is a 'continuous tone' image. When you print a digital negative it is not. The digital image is made up of tiny droplets sprayed from very small nozzles, some as small as one picoleter. In essence, a Giclée on clear acetate. The droplets are small enough and the 300 dots per inch the printer utilizes creates a very good illusion of a continuous tone negative.
At some point I will bring up Dan Burkholder's system for printing digital negatives for hand coated processes, but for now I want to keep the focus on the 'system' available the photographer today, which is simply marrying the new technology to accommodate a traditional practice. You can still use your view camera of whatever format, and realize a printing negative of 8x10, 11x14 or larger. Of course, this means you either need to have a computer, and scanner, as well as the software to do the digital work. Or, find someone who has such digital means and work out a relationship whereupon you can have your negatives scanned and turned into a proper digital negative. For now, that is the route I am having to take until I have all elements in place and under my control.
I would also mention at this time that for this to work, there is also the beginning act of developing the original negative out of said view camera. As mentioned earlier, any darkroom space whereupon the photographer can develop the negatives. Tray development isn't the only route, as there are developing tanks for sheet film, more easily found in the 4x5 format. Thereby aiding in the development in the dark thing. Just an FYI.
I leave this sample of an image I shot almost exactly thirty years ago this month. I was living in Eugene, Oregon at the time, visiting family in Arizona. I had my 5x7 with me and took it to Jerome hoping for some memorable images to take back with me. Jerome is an old haunt of mine, having lived there too many years ago to want to mention. Before it became the national icon it is today. Paul & Jerry's is an icon of its own, right there on main street, right across from the historical Spirit Room bar. I still have close friends living there at the time, one of which is in the image. I sat at a table more towards the back of the bar at a table, with my camera set up on a tripod, at sitting height. Without anyone knowing what I was doing I was able to meter the scene, set up the shot under the dark cloth and click off a shot without turning a single head. I was pretty proud of that. The resultant image was printed as a salted silver; (salt paper print). The image is un-toned at this time, being it is an original print from long ago. I will be printing this image again using an 8x10 digital negative, and will be toned originally in Gold Toner, with the plan for toning in platinum/palladium, when I can afford such luxury.
*Note on print; The shot is 'into the light' or back lit with very high contrast between the light through the window to the end of the bar to the left. I used a semi-compensating formula for development, with a N-1 compaction during development to even out the densities. I also favored shooting/developing towards the shoulder of the contrast index curve which helped immensely in evening out the high contrast differences. FYI, this practice is explained in "Alchemist's Guide".
Salted Silver Print ~ "Paul & Jerry's Saloon"
1986 ~ 5x7 Unique
Jerome, Arizona
No comments:
Post a Comment