Praise of the Darkroom: Why I Love Silver Gelati

[shaunx]

Photographers these days talk a lot about the respective advantages and disadvantages of shooting with film versus shooting with a digital camera. Such arguments tend to boil down most frequently to things like exposure latitude, resolution, and both short-term and long-term equipment costs.

We don't often have significant and informed discussions of printing. In fact, we don't often have them at all. Like it or not, this is mostly the fault of your average consumer to pro-sumer level digital photographer. While printing plays an integral and almost necessary role in negative film processes, its role tends to be far less important in the digital community. This is due first and foremost to the fact that printing is never a necessary part of viewing a digital photograph. But also, the vast majority of digital photographers either print at home using an inkjket or dye-sublimation printer, send their photos to a web-based printing service, or take them to a local consumer-grade lab to be printed. For your average consumer or pro-sumer, this is perfectly acceptable. (I should note here that this is also sometimes the case with film shooters who scan negatives).

But what if you are a pro? More specifically, what if you care about print quality? This greatly changes your printing requirements. Many of the following arguments I will make I believe apply to making professional grade color prints as well. It should be obvious which ones they are.

I should take a moment here to qualify my competency to write this essay. I have both a solid level of experience with traditional chemical photographic processes and extensive experience with some of the best software, printers, and paper in the professional inkjet industry.

[pixelzombie]

i'm not familiar with Silver Gelati, what kind of work is involved in making such a print?

[bills]

The term is "silver gelatin" and actually refers to everything from fine fiber based papers to your basic run of the mill B&W printing paper. Heck even the ho hum resin coated printing papers qualify as "silver gelatin".

Words are interesting aren't they?
Which sounds more artistic? Ink Jet or Giclee?

Bill

[pixelzombie]

heck, i used RC paper back in the day...i didn't have the proper equipment to use fiber paper...

[teresavigil]

ink jet- if you want to have children, alot of photographers died from that stuff, very dangerous and its so easy to jsut slip your hands int he chemicals and not use gloves. My printer pritns on actual fibers paper and its total gereat!!

[shaunx]

Sorry the correct word is Silver Gelatin...Wish u a very Happy new year....

[teresavigil]

i still miss it though-watching the image apear in the bath was the best!