Black and White Prints

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This question is likely off topic, but I'll pose nevertheless - hoping someone here may have insight, or may lead me to a more relevant discussion group. I am currently shooting lots of Tri-X in 35mm format. I like the tonality of this stock. However, when it comes to 16x20 enlargements, grain can be dispruptive to the viewing experience. I wonder, does Photoshop allow for what might be called "empty resolution?" That is, can some of the grain be digitally smoothed without losing the tonal qualities inherent in the stock? If so, does combining such a digital technique with an inkjet paper that fosters a small amount of "ink spread" make any sense whatsoever in the quest for increased smoothness? In general, I am not overly concernded with consequent loss of some fine detail. Maintaning tonality while increasing "smoothness" is the goal. Thanks for any comments. Bill Janis

-- Bill Janis (bjanis@earthlink.net), April 15, 2002

Answers

If you can live with inkjet output, I would rather use TMX in your camera processed in something like XTOL 1+3 and scan the neg, do the tonality manipulation in Photoshop or gimp or whatever. Personally, I've not found any digital output that I love at least as much as cheap flimsy RC paper.

If you are very reluctant to give up Tri-X for some reason, try my ascorbate version of D-76 at 1+1. I've made somewhat cropped 11x14 out of 35mm HP5+ but it's noticeably better than D-76 when it comes to larger blowups (in terms of sharpness and grain). XTOL is good, but metol version has better tonal quality as well as smaller grain, in my opinion. It's not too popular here maybe because you have to mix 4 ingredients and water to make it.

-- Ryuji Suzuki (rsuzuki@rs.cncdsl.com), April 15, 2002.


http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=B%26W%20Photo%20-% 20Printing%20%26%20Finishing

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), April 15, 2002.

Bill, I think Photoshop can do what you are looking for. Of course a lot of it will have to do with what printer and paper you are using. One of the techniques I am currently using and like a lot, is making a digital negative and then contact printing that onto regular b&w paper.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), April 16, 2002.


I have had very good results with Fuji neopan 400 and the acros(100) nice tonality and the grain is not too bad either.

-Tom Purdum

-- Tom Purdum (tom@groundzeroroasting.com), April 16, 2002.


try pulling TMX 100 to 25 asa With D76 / 1:1/ @ 18degrees You won't see any grain at 16X20

Middle

-- middle (middlegray@yahoo.com), April 22, 2002.



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