Today’s stroll was a B+W world. I continue to learn/teach learn camera and teach camera to do what I want. I like to work front end composition that is compose in the view finder not in post process. Rees a fellow art photographer had once suggested to use a Red filter when trying to get B+W from digital. This is a film thing for adding more contrast. We have both found that digital B+W is a little flat the medium expects you to fix this in post process. Well I still want to do image on the front end in camera not in the digital darkroom. This is how I worked with film. When I would load a roll of film I would select a developer before exposing deciding at the beginning what contrast I wanted from this roll. Adjustments were made by use of filters low contrast situations, shoot with yellow, orange, red to pick up contrast. In the darkroom just a change of paper grade. Now it helped that I had a couple bodies so I could go out to shoot and have a camera loaded with a low ISO film [100] which is more contrasty, and a faster film [400] which wasn’t as contrasty each shot with a dedicated developer for optimum results. How to do this in digital is what I want to learn and teach my camera what I want. The mode I use is Manual the image made is mine not the Mode set by the camera so my images will be exposed the way the focus group average determined. So a brief rant on individual creativity. No programs here. peace pjc
Photographic Art 1998 my first trip to Olympia.
Actually the paper grade swapping is not really that different to changing the contrast of digital files in Photoshop, if you think about it.
Also, I don\’t see why you cant use yellow, orange or red filters on digital (for B&W) but you can also do that in Photoshop, which gives more control. Now you have decided to go digital, embrace it. It is not the same but it has merits.
Thank you Ian,
I am embracing digital. Still hard to not think like film. this old dog is learning new tricks. enjoy pjc
I agree with Ian, having worked with film over the years, I just find digital so much easier to work with and quicker.You can also use a quick fix prog like Nik (silver effex).
And not forgetting you can print up on silver halide for the finished product.
Lain,
I do also agree with Ian. After working with film totally manual for 40+ and not knowing much about the computer there is a lot to learn. Posing this question in many places online four or more programs have been suggested to me I am weighing which to start with and budget. Currently using Photo Shop Elements 10 and really have not mastered that program using it for sizing, watermarking and a bit of contrast control when working from a neg. I will learn it all as fast as I can. Stay tuned and add your thought and critique along the way. thanks pjc
I have been a black and white film photographer for 30+ years. I am looking at making the switch and hating the idea of going digital. What camera do you shoot with digitally. Nice to hear there are others out their not solely relying on post production Photoshop fakeness. So many people that find the shot post production. Have you printed the above image on any paper? How dose it look? Are you getting the dark darks that you like?
Jeremy,
As with film I use a Nikon. The switch to digital is quite a step one I fought against for years. But health forced me to stop working in darkroom. What I have found is that digital is an entirely different animal. In my mind it will never replace the Silver Gelatin Print, So now I shoot digital trying to create art like the silver print with as little post process as possible. I have yet to have prints made that will be the final judge. I have received a lot of feedback on forums and will learn from this advice. I plan on testing some new techniques over the next few days. All the advice I received came with \”I use this program…\” I have Photoshop Elements 10 no where near the state of the art. All I ever wanted to do was resize, control contrast for the screen and add © watermark. Not wanting to to get involved in upgrades the tech world sells every six months. Stay tuned to see what I learn. enjoy pjc