Digital vs. Darkroom?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Whoever says printing digitally is easier than the darkroom is full of crap. Easier to create multiple copies of the same image, yes. But easier to come up with a finely crafted print? Not really. I've been toying with some images lately and the first print is not always what I expect and/or want. True, working on the computer is easier to see the changes immediately (i.e. during burning and dodging), but it's still taken me some hard work, precious time, and precious money in paper getting that final print. One goes through the same process of making a print, examining it, finding what needs to be lighter, what needs to be darker, then going back and starting over and fixing what needs to be fixed. After up to, I don't know, 5 tries, sometimes, I finally get a print I'm satisfied with. Who knows, maybe with a quality monitor calibrated correctly, I might get better, more consistent results, but maybe working this way makes me feel a little like I'm back in the darkroom (which I miss terribly).
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6 comments:
As with any tool, the more you use it, the better you get.
In the last two weeks I have printed over 500 13"x19" sized prints, used Photoshop over 10+ hours a day - 6 days a week, preped an additional 400 images for a website (color corrected, dust/spot/clean, resize) . . .
Think I have learned a few things that I didn't know before? You bet.
You think I have a chushy desk job. You think it is easy spending (just today) 14 hours on a computer? I'd give anything for a little sunlight, fresh air, exercise...
Work is work, regardless of what you do. I love what I do, but it is still a job.
I should have quit with saying . . .
"As with any tool, the more you use it, the better you get."
AMEN BROTHER! (both of you)
I have not had the time to learn how to use this too as much as I would like to, and also miss the dark room.
Simmer down there Jon. We know you have and still put in your time.
: ) Oh, sorry about that, I was just a little cranky after a long day at work. Not that I have any reason to be with my cushy desk job.
Oh wait, it was . . .
Andy said... "Maybe if I had a comfortable office job, i could update this more often, but try framing 9 hrs a day then criticize me for not updating a blog."
yup, i said that and still hold true to it. true work is work, but sitting at a computer (and, yes, i have spent 14+ hrs at the computer many times) isn't anything like building a house. Put 40 lbs of nails and tools around your waist for 8-9 hours a day in the scorching heat and then tell me computers suck.
Do you know the difference between somebody who has a college degree and somebody who doesn't? . . . Well, I guess in your case there isn't.
Andy, I work with a guy who has a degree in history. It is a job that could easily be yours as long as you make the right moves. Framing houses won't get you any closer to capitalizing on your formal training. What you do today determines where you will be tomorrow.
My two bits. It is your choice to work the job you do. Don't justify your lack of doing photography stuff because of your day job.
Oh, and Yes, I have done my fair share of manual labor. I am very much aware of the comparison I am making.
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