Photo Mount Envelopes

Part 5 / 7 - The digital negative.

Introduction.

When people involved in alternative processes started printing with digital negatives, I first totally ignored the new "trend", then being taken on the sensitometric tests, densitometers, color pyro and so on. While learning all that has been extremely useful in the computer age also work in digital gives us more consistency and better results in less time (plus other benefits). I now print from digital files only (except work old course) directly from a digital camera. Ditching cameras quite heavy (which I was an avid user for many years) also significantly improved the quality of my work and easier to capture the images I want when I want. When I print an image former (I have a large archive of 8x10 "in camera negative) I usually contact print from the original negative, unless it is an important image, which I feel I will be in printing again in the future. In this case, I prefer the scan (I use a Microtek scanner bed) and prepare a digital negative anyway.

I do not like to work traditionally or digitally, or both. I am interested in producing the best possible, long lasting images and for me, a mixture of digital and traditional is what works.

That said, let's see how to produce a digital negative that can compete with traditional. First, the raw file must be good. If you shoot digitally, which means a camera high end (ie a full frame sensor Canon EOS 5D would be the minimum), or if you are scanning negatives traditional, good quality scanner and software. I use Vuescan in 16 bits. If the file from your digital camera or scanned negative does not have the resolution required to produce a negative right, and you really want to do the printing, I advise you to blow it up with specialized software, such Fractals PrintPro true that onOne (Benvista PhotoZoom Pro is also good). Keep in mind that of course it is a compromise, but I managed to produce good prints from relatively small files. Many of my clients do not own ultra professional digital cameras or scanners and I have often supply in the medium if not low resolution files. Speaking of useful software for working with digital files, I want to mention Alien Skin Exposure a. This marked Photoshop plug-in "emulate" the look of many traditional film (HP5, Tri-X etc.), includes a complete control over the grain and also a nice mix channel to convert to B & W, as well as many other features. I am the first to admit that the transition from traditional film to digital, then using a filter to imitate ... film may seem silly, but as said at the end of the day results matter. I do not think we need to invest in more software to do a good job, although Viveza 2 (Nik Software), is great for touch-contrast localized (and the cursor structure is the purchase of this filter only).

The latest "software" is of course your own ability to use Photoshop to make your pictures look great. This goes well beyond the scope of this article, keep in mind that you need an image histogram with at least one good (with no spaces between the values ae‹ae‹of the sample) and many details in shadows (I feel to say this because almost always when I get digital files of my clients, the shadows are too thin). Here's a little something old Photoshop to give your images more "presence" in the midtones and shadows. Load an image. Duplicate Layer. . Gaussian blur the new layer until it is out of focus (not too much for example, about 10/15 pixels for a 8x10 "400dpi image) Double-click the layer to get the window blurred Style Select Layer Blend Mode: Multiply Opacity .. around 60% (you will play with this setting later). Go to the first two lines of gray gradient at the bottom of the window ..