New York NYC March Meet-Up

[Calzone]

I delayed posting this thread to kinda backload March to get us back on schedule.

Generally we don't have our meet-ups early in the month.

PRINT ALERT: Been making mucho 8 1/2 X11 work prints using a Epson 3880 and Piezograpghy K-7 warm neutral to Selenium split tone inkset. Also today will recieve my first 20x30 fiber prints from Digital Silver Imaging after having recieved 16x20 proofs.

Interesting to compare the DSI proof and my Piezography proof of the same file. Of course the DSI wet print is cool toned, and my Piezography digital print made with 7 shades of black is very warm.

The comparision is apples and oranges, but realize that I like both apples and oranges. Very different looks, same subject shot with a 28 Cron on my Monochrom, (Landscape Face/Sal), very different exploitation of the medium.

I think I will digitally print a 17x22 to compare to the 20x30 wet print. Also know that I got printed one 20x30 borderless for my portfolio, and a second 20x30 on 24x36 for framing.

BTW I was really surprised by the differences between these prints. No clear favorite or winner. The digital print I would say is of higher resolution and has more detail, but the wet print has a certain smoothness. Like I said, "I like both."

Cal

 

[thambar]

Any interest in an April 1 meeting, after the Easter Parade? If the weather's half decent (i.e., reasonably warm with clear skies) I plan to be present.

 

[Calzone]

Any interest in an April 1 meeting, after the Easter Parade? If the weather's half decent (i.e., reasonably warm with clear skies) I plan to be present.

Jim,

We can do that. Warm weather sounds good to me. Would also be good to see you again.

I still have to confirm if Puck Fair is still available. Now that I have a date I can inquire.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

I can't do April 1st. It's a Wednesday (work day) and my GF's birthday. Or did you mean April 5th?

 

[thambar]

Whatever Easter happens to be. As I recall (as a certified heathen) it's a Sunday.

 

[jsrockit]

Jim, I cheated and looked at a Calendar. It's the 5th and I'm game for that.

 

[back alley]

I can't do April 1st. It's a Wednesday (work day) and my GF's birthday. Or did you mean April 5th?

my first wife's b'day was/is april 1st...
not a good sign, for me anyway...

 

[Calzone]

my first wife's b'day was/is april 1st...
not a good sign, for me anyway...

Joe,

I was only married once, never again.

Living in sin is definately more fun. LOL.

Anyways there is a saying that rich people say, "No one ever got rich by paying taxes." Getting married and combining incomes is a sure way to pay higher taxes.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

PRINT ALERT: Wow. 20x30 and 20x30 on 24x36 is mighty big. Couldn't really evaluate the prints last night. On this scale the prints came rolled up in a shipping tube and being curled it was kinda impossible to get some viewing distance because I had to try and keep the print from turning into a rather large spring roll.

Kinda overwelming though is my first impression. The fine detail I saw in smaller prints seems to get diluted in a much larger space. At this point a print almost has a sculptual quality of taking up three dimentional space and is no longer just two dimentional.

I also have a storage problem because 24x36 exceeds the size of my portfolio, and I do not have any protective print covers that are large enough. Right now I have the prints laying somewhat flat to let the curl relax untill I get some protective envelope for the prints.

I'll be sending the next file shortly to get proofed and then printed. What is so interesting is my embracing the exploration of the digital medium via a Leica Monochrom in two different manners: one being a digital wet print with cool tones; and with Piezography utilizing warm to cool split tone via 7 shades of black.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Last night I was able to view my DSI prints from an apropriate viewing distance after the curl relaxed for a day.

Wow. Kinda big. LOL. In a way John might call some of my big prints "monsters." LOL. The size and scale of these 20x30's somehow impacts the way the photo interacts with you. It is not you holding the photograph, but the other way around, the photograph is holding you.

Anyways now that I'm printing, I see disturbed thinking in my prints. Some of the people I use as subjects have a Diane Arbus quality to them that somehow adds to the human dill-Lem-A.

The landscapes have a HDR like effect with Piezography due to mucho shadow detail, broad midrange tonality, and very sharp resolution, even though I'm not doing any extraordinary post processing. The files and the exposures taken with my Monochrom are kinda optimized because of my use of filters. Post Processing is kinda minimized and is straight forward.

Also something kinda painterly with my contrast and tonality. The warmth in some prints that lack high contrast is a bit overdone on some prints, and the really cool thing about Piezography is that I can blend inks as long as I don't mix shades. I can add neutral to the warm neutral to tone down the level of warmth if required to develope my own personalized inkset.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

Sounds nice Cal. Will you be able to bring any to a meet-up? I've printed 24x36" from Adorama (as you know), but it isn't the look I'm going for (I prefer inkjet). It still was nice to see something that large. It must be very nice to see it that large and in a way that enhances the work.

 

[Calzone]

Sounds nice Cal. Will you be able to bring any to a meet-up? I've printed 24x36" from Adorama (as you know), but it isn't the look I'm going for (I prefer inkjet). It still was nice to see something that large. It must be very nice to see it that large and in a way that enhances the work.

John,

Once I secure some protective sleeve or envelope I can use that huge leather portfolio that I bought on sale at AI Friedmen to transport the 20x30 print. I figured since I'm now printing toward developing a portfolio that what the heck, why not print as big as I can, even if it is silly.

Also know that I do not hold any bias that would limit my creativity or crazyness. I want to see what Digital Silver Imaging can do for me, and a wet print holds its own.

On the other hand, while the wet print has a certain smoothness about it, a Piezograpghy ink jet print with 7 shades of black is kinda brutal as far as resolution and fine detail. I think the ink jet can reproduce more detail, and in a more refined manner than a wet print. This kinda blows me away. Definately like HDR in quality in this reguard.

I also have a 16x20 proof that has an 8x10 of the entire image printed with a zoomed in crop of the full sized 20x30. I also have a bad proof that was due to a misunderstanding where DSI straight printed my un post processed RAW files. Then there is my warm-neutral Piezography 8 1/2x11 that shares the same TIFF I created that was used to make the DSI print. I sent a Piezography print as a reference for them to match. I think the only thing DSI might of added was some output sharpening, which I do not use.

Anyways this gets rather involved because each print is really custom. Because I took advantage of promotional offers aggressivey I'm only paying 60% of normal cost, only about $165.00 each is the average cost per print and that includes the added cost of printing a 20x30 on 24x36 for framing minus the cost discount of multiple print discount of 10% on the higher priced print.

You know the image: Old Sal, AKA Landscape Face.

I'm really glad that I took the opportunity not to limit myself and go mucho crazy. By exploring the medium fully and in an extream manner is not something that everyone can do. No clear favorate, I like both, but I'm going to try and print a 17x22 of this same file to see how it scales up and compares.

Anyways a lot to see and compare even if it is just one image.

I'll be sending DSI another image next week with another Piezography reference print. With the proofing process I may or may not have a second print by April 5th. I have this shot I took with my 28 Cron that is a close up of a horse on the Dumbo Kar-O-Sell that has this wonderful glowing highlights along with a smooth OOF and bokeh.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

UPDATE: It seems that through corespondance that I learned that me sending my Piezography reference print is very helpful to DSI's production. I am flattered that somehow I'm getting extra care and attention. I'll have to look at the proof and compare it to the final print as well as my original reference print.

Really great getting the extra attention, and to know that I have a great lab on my team. Again I feel like Salgado.

In one reguard I'm able to develope and extract the most from my file at home utilizing Piezigraphy as a tool.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

On the other hand, while the wet print has a certain smoothness about it, a Piezograpghy ink jet print with 7 shades of black is kinda brutal as far as resolution and fine detail. I think the ink jet can reproduce more detail, and in a more refined manner than a wet print. This kinda blows me away. Definately like HDR in quality in this regard.

Cal, this is why I'm interested in inkjet vs. c prints for my color work... I just love what inkjet looks like. It fits digital color well. For B&W, it's not as easy. It's funny.... to me, B&W darkroom work was easier than color darkroom work... but in digital, it's B&W that is harder. I'm glad you found your solution.

 

[Calzone]

Cal, this is why I'm interested in inkjet vs. c prints for my color work... I just love what inkjet looks like. It fits digital color well. For B&W, it's not as easy. It's funny.... to me, B&W darkroom work was easier than color darkroom work... but in digital, it's B&W that is harder. I'm glad you found your solution.

John,

Jon Cone did all the heavy lifting for me. If I would of delved into Piezography just two years ago everything would have been less evolved. Basically I have a turnkey system that is fully worked out and is well designed. All the bugs have been worked out and even a digital bonehead like me can get surprising results. Great results are not that difficult.

I have a box of work prints right now of 8 1/2x11's. The hardest part is nailing just the right/correct amount of contrast. Although technically I'm doing a warm nuetral to Selenium split tone the split is actually three ways: black, warm neutral, and then Selenium. The split between the WN and Selenium seems to make the highlights really pop on a great print, and the correct amount of black seems to tame the warmth that can be overbearing at times.

The real difficulty is creeping in with just the right amount of blacks without over doing the contrast. Also know that even though I have an Eizo that is dimmed down to only 85 lux and on a 27 inch screen that there is always more detail than shown on the screen. I can only imagine the level of detail on a big print.

I guess some of my old darkroom skills comes to help me because I know how to guage a good print and am able to evaluate any deficiency readily. I would also say that darkroom printing is rather straight forward if one knows how to make good exposures and good negatives that are consistent. Once that level of control is established printing is kinda straight forward.

Shooting a Monochrom has to be in one way a more unforgiving camera as far as blown highlights go, because there is no recovery, and a Monochrom places advance demands on proper exposure. My Monochrom has definately made me into a better photographer. Looking forward to some of your feedback.

Two nights ago I printed Jarred the barber from the North Bronx who had his foot chocking the door of his shop open with his foot. With his arms crossed like a tough guy, and his foot ready to escape, as if we were going to jump him. The shot involved some tricky light and even trickier reflections. The focus is diffused like the light, even though it was shot at 1/750th of a second. This is a funny shot. LOL.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

Two nights ago I printed Jarred the barber from the North Bronx who had his foot chocking the door of his shop open with his foot.

I actually sent him my version of this photo. I mailed it to him, but didn't hear back.

 

[Range-rover]

I would like to go to Easter Parade this year, I could get out of my typical family
function thing, anyway

**Gear Alert**

I went to the Housing Works and they had a photofest yesterday and pick up
a little jewel a Pentax M 28mm F2.8, what a great little lens.

Bob

 

[Calzone]

I would like to go to Easter Parade this year, I could get out of my typical family
function thing, anyway

**Gear Alert**

I went to the Housing Works and they had a photofest yesterday and pick up
a little jewel a Pentax M 28mm F2.8, what a great little lens.

Bob

Bob,

Who would think that Housing Works would be a great place to find gear.

I a wait the warm weather and welcome it.

Cal

 

[Range-rover]

You have to hit them at the right time , last year I picked up a older Denon CD
player a DCD1520 it weighs a ton but a great player (I know it's not camera
related but). I'm going to get a Pentax to Fuji adapter which will make it a
40mm, and with the Super Multi Coating it should work well on the Fuji.

 

[Calzone]

You have to hit them at the right time , last year I picked up a older Denon CD
player a DCD1520 it weighs a ton but a great player (I know it's not camera
related but). I'm going to get a Pentax to Fuji adapter which will make it a
40mm, and with the Super Multi Coating it should work well on the Fuji.

Bob,

Totally off topic, last year found a 1960 Fender Brown Super Amp for only $1100.00. My version has the extra tube in the vibrato and the early circiut that makes it sound like a 50's tweed amp. Re-issue Jensen P10R's and replaced tranny's from Mercury Magnetics.

The amp simply was dropped off at my friend's guitar shop customer when I was out on Long Island visiting friends. It is all a matter of good timing and having the wisdom to buy.

BTW this is at an unheard of price for this amp. Also know I am a tube amp nerd and have a 300B monoblocks.

Cal