Les-

I got your two cards today. The portrait of the Rev. A.L. Jones is marvelous. What paper is that? Usually I find matte papers to be dull, but this one has a tactility and 3 dimensional feel that gives one gooseflesh.

Jim

Les-

I got your two cards today. The portrait of the Rev. A.L. Jones is marvelous. What paper is that? Usually I find matte papers to be dull, but this one has a tactility and 3 dimensional feel that gives one gooseflesh.

Jim

Thank you for the comments
The Rev is a digital print (sorry to mention the D word but there is too much burning and dodging to make 20+ silver prints). The paper is Lyson Standard Fine Art and it is printed on an Epson 1160 printer using a black and white continuos inking system.

Maybe I need to fire up my Epson 1270. That's an incredible photograph. Was the negative scanned directly?

Maybe I need to fire up my Epson 1270. That's an incredible photograph. Was the negative scanned directly?

I scanned the 6 x 6 negative and worked the image in PS as I would in the darkroom and made the prints, 4 on an A4 sheet. Much quicker than making then one at a time in the darkroom.

I'm definitely going to investigate a better scanner, then. The only way I could make a print that good is to contact print it on Azo. No wet chemistry enlargement that I've ever seen could yield that kind of glow in the skin tones.

One critique of the composition, if you don't mind (portraiture has been my focus of late): I would either move in and eliminate the hands from the composition or move out and allow the viewer to fully see them both. I think I lean toward the former, because they're very strong compositional elements which tend to draw the viewer's attention away from the face. The way his right hand is cut off at the bottom is distracting.

Still in all, a most powerful portrait. Have the rest of you guys gotten it yet? Whaddya y'all think?

I received it and was impressed by the luminosity and crispness of the image. It was interesting to see beside the slot canyon photograph, which also had a similar quality.

On the other hand, seeing a fine B&W inkjet print alongside a fine silver print made by the same hand confirmed that digital B&W inkjet printing is not for me. There is something about the surface quality of even an excellent inkjet print that I just don't care for. It can only be viewed from one angle or the blacks don't look continuous, and it seems powdery somehow. Perhaps framed under glass this is less of a problem.

AI rather like the "powdery" quality, but only on a matte paper like Les used. Gives it texture.

Since the pic appeared in Alisa's B&W mag, I got that out to compare the two (actually 3 cause the inkjet version is in the mag too) I haven't dragged the mag and card out, but i think the composition in them is slightly different (using my sub-std memory). I know I would like to see a 'real' real print (or is that real 'real' print) for comparision... Les?

c6h603

The silver prints I've made from this negative have just the same glow in the skin tones so that effect is not confined to digital. It's all down to the judgement of tonality and putting it on the paper whether it's silver or digital. I did crop the hands the first few times I printed this negative but decided to include them for the postcard and prefer this version for I think the hands support the stregth and living shown in Arthur's face. I accept that it sort of breaks the so called rules but I never did care for rules. The tonality of the hands is slightly darker making them less dominant. I certainly have no problems with your comments.

David,

I agree with the comment that some digital prints expecially on matt art paper have a powdery look to them but like c6h603, I like that look. When I choose to make digital prints I am not trying to repeat what can be done in the darkroom, if I did I would never make a digital print, for that is still impossible. I believe that digital offers the photographer another means of expression and in some cases different and sometimes improved control over the printing process. It is still in it's infancy and I think we who use it have to live with the failings.

Nige

Sorry mate, I'm afraid you'll never see the original silver print, at ;east not in a postcard for there is too much work, including retouching, to do. When you view a print in a magazine there is always a big loss of information as you can see if you compare the postcard with the reproduction in the magazine for the print that I sent to Ailsa was just about the same as the postcard. Before I get a rocket from Ailsa, I'm not complaining for it is impossible to reproduce any images perfectly.

Les, I did notice the differences in the postcard compared to the mag reproduction, although the mag's pics are pretty good considering.

You've certainly rekindled my interest in digital technology, Les, which I had pretty much discarded. After seeing your print I'm going to get some of my 6 x 6 negatives scanned and enlarged to 8 x 8 for contact printing. I can print them with my Epson, too.

Jim

I think that the D*****print is pretty good from Les. Pretty damned good. There is a woman in Houston that is the best D***** printer I have ever seen. Eleanor Brown is her name. She was a VERY good silver printer before she slipped and answered the Devil's call. I think that is the answer. She and Les both know the same thing. And that is what a good image looks like. Being relentless about print quality is another thing they share. I think she has gone the route of D***** camera also. I am regret that we will never see the silver portrait of the Right Reverend Jones.

lee\c

Just got Donald's beautiful Galatia, Kansas photo in the mail. What a wonderful print. Just goes to show you CAN NOT judge a photo on the net. The detail and luminosity is totally lost.

Once I'm back in town long enough to unpack and do some laundry I will get back to producing some cards.

But in the mean time I am really enjoying all the cards I have received. Thanks again for your patience.

Eric

..

I'm baack! I've been gone two weeks, travelling across western Canada, and now I've got about 20 4by5 negs and 8 rolls of 120 film (all HP5+) to develop. I should have some good images to contact print onto postcards in the near future.

Frank

And you didn't call me?? I'm hurt. Look forward to seeing the pics!

I received Lee's postcard today. What a beautifully printed image. One thing that I have noticed about Lee's work (both in this example and his other work that I have seen) is that he has wonderful tonal gradation in Zones VI and above. Yet he still has the compositional foresight to include examples of low and high values in his images. Very nicely done...Good stuff, my friend.

don,
I completely agree with you regarding lee's images. He has wonderful control over a very delicate range of tones which really add some snap to his images.

Lee,
I've PMed you regarding your question.

Hey guys, getting too warm inthe garage to print these days. I'm going to have to bow out of the exchange for the summer. Thanks for all the great cards!

..

I got in the truck the other day and the in-dash thermometer read 136 degrees F! Granted this is a black truck parked in the sun in Texas, but it was still hilarious!

I stopped printing yesterday when I discovered the irregular blobs on my prints were from sweat dripping onto the paper...

The temperature reached 36°C outdoors, must have been well over 40°C in my darkroom.

I don't have air condition, only a heater. Far more useful 99% of the time here in Norway...

I've updated the list, -sorry for the delays was on vacation. I am looking forward to joining when my darkroom gets running...

I received two cards this morning from Lee, very nice church interior shots. Don's image from his Exodus project arrived a couple of days ago, lovely print Don I would enjoy seeing the completed body of work.

I ventured into the darkroom yesterday to print my next batch as well as doing some prints for a client and didn't suffer too much from heat, the cooler I recently purchased does work.

Whats up with all you people? ;-) My darkroom is in the basement - the only place in the house where it is reasonable cool, around 21° C. I am finnishing up a wedding I did a couple of weeks ago. Lots of work printing all that stuf, but with the heat outside I am glad to stay down in my dungeon.

I have strarted printing my second edition of postcards... this time on fiber. My coldlight enlarger does not print vario-contrast papers at all, and the only graded papers I have is fiber. The prints look darned nice thoug! :D

Some of you postcard folks have sent out several very nice prints and I can't understand how you can produce that many cards. I was hoping to send out maybe two more editions this year, one now in august and one more before the end of the year. I guess we all have to take our circumstances into consideration when deciding how many cards we can produce. The first edition I sent out was sent to all participants on the list that day I sent them. I think I sent 28 cards. Some people have joined later - they will receieve cards in the next round. I assume this is the way most participants are working?

I am very pleased with all the cards I have received - I have them all in a nice little portfolio box.