Inkjet Printing - Darkroom Style!
What you can and can't do ...
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The Problem
Many digital printworkers are getting tired of workflows which involve too much work in Photoshop / Lightroom etc – Images which require a lot of post-editing – evidence of lazy picture taking (not clearing backgrounds, not waiting for the shot to present itself correctly, not composing the shot, the foreground, the middle ground etc) – taking pictures assuming that you can easily correct a badly taken image later.. This issue is getting so bad, many photographers seriously consider reverting back to film cameras and darkroom processing!
The Solution
Professional Photographers, Camera Club members, Photographic enthusiasts might like to consider the following proposal; that we all adopt a NEW self-discipline: TAKE YOUR SHOTS AS IF YOU ARE USING A FILM CAMERA, AND DON’T ASSUME EVERYTHING CAN BE PUT RIGHT IN PHOTOSHOP / LIGHTROOM etc. – ALLOW YOURSELF ONLY PHOTOSHOP / LIGHTROOM ADJUSTMENTS THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE IN THE DARKROOM!
Video Script
Let me explain INKJET PRINTING – DARKROOM STYLE!…..
You are NOT allowed to use:
1. Unsharp Mask
2. Cloning
3. Contrast & Brightness control
4. Layers
5. Specific Colour Adjustment
You ARE allowed to use:
1. Crop Tool
2. Levels
3. Desaturate
4. Overall toning
5. Custom Printer Profiling
….explanation showing DSLR shot of Yacht taking part in the Round the Island Race (UK) 2015.
Basically, only adjustments which we were able to perform in the darkroom are now allowed here. OBJECTIVE:
To re-discover the skill of considered, patient picture-taking using modern DSLR cameras, and a self-imposed print-making discipline which allows a greater purity of image, taking us closer to the original skills in picture taking and print making which many of us miss so much. Feedback:-
