Poll: Isn't Printing the Greatest Thing?

Poll: Isn't Printing the Greatest Thing?

  • Absolutely !!!!

    Votes: 461 76.6%

  • It's okay, but I hate the chemicals.

    Votes: 41 6.8%

  • No, it's just something you have to do.

    Votes: 26 4.3%

  • Forget about it -- I'm all-digital now.

    Votes: 74 12.3%
  • Total voters
    602
I happen to love printing. This past weekend I introduced my 8 year old daughter to it. She loved it; the magic of it in the reddened dark. Not crazy about the funny smells. Nor did she very much like the industrial-strength fan noise to get rid of those smells. Her print did not need manipulation so it came out pretty nice. This weekend we'll hang it in her room. Then we'll see if she wants to try the darkroom again. I hope so.
 
I'm missing the "Absolutely! But I never get around to it" choice.
It so happens that I don't have room for a permanent darkroom in my apartment, and I'm too lazy to set one up every time I want to use it.
So I go to a semi-public, rent-by-the-hour place, but I don't get around to it too often... which sucks, because printing really is the Greatest Thing.

PS: My daughter is 8 as well... let's see if she doesn't want to come along when I go next time...
 
I wasn't thinking about this option when I posted this question originally in 2007, but as karma wants it, I am in the same boat now -- only get to use (someone else's) darkroom a few times a year 🙁
 
I just emerged from a darkroom printing session and I expected to only down there for an hour or two. In reality, six hours had passed and I have some nice big prints to look at.
Voted "Absolutely!"
 
Been too busy (lame excuse i know!) and away from darkroom for quite a while. I am definitely getting back in there this summer though. I secured a Mamiya 7II (I sold an M7 foolishly at one point) to really push me over the edge. Prints from Mamiya always gave me the chills.
 
coelacanth said:
... I secured a Mamiya 7II (I sold an M7 foolishly at one point) to really push me over the edge. Prints from Mamiya always gave me the chills.
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I just printed negs from my Mamiya 645 and the quality of the print at 11x14 blew my prints from the 35mm Leica out of the water (same film: TX400).
I have always wanted to print 20x24 from the Mamiya 7II w/ the 80mm lens! I will save me pennies.

EDIT: I actually kind of like the look of 35mm film compared to medium format these days...
 
Yes, absolutely!!

It so much fun and it is very relaxing. For me it is "hollyday and escape from the hard daily computer work".
It is so boring and stressing to sit in front of the computer every day at work. I don't want my whole life and even my leisure time to be dominated by the computer.

And the quality I get is absolutely amazing and superior to the hybrid workflow: I've tested all the current drum scanners.
They are very good, but have two major drawbacks:

1. With higher resolution films like TMX, Delta 100, Acros and especially with the highest resolving films like Adox CMS 20 and Agfa Copex Rapid you can't capture the full resolution and all the detail of these excellent films.

But with APO enlarging lenses and optical printing it is indeed possible to capture the full resolution and detail!
It is breathtaking to see the 220 lp/mm resolution of CMS 20 on the paper, whereas with the Imacon X5 you only get 120 lp/mm.
Optical printing with the best enlarging lenses is still the best quality option (well, concerning printing. Transparency projection with the best projection lenses deliver even a bit better detail rendition).

2. All scanner do enhance grain by scanner noise. This problem does not exist with optical enlarging.

I will continue to make prints in my darkroom.
It's a real joy.
 
I took my Rollei MX with me on a six-week trip to England, Spain and France. I shot eleven rolls of Tri-X. Long evenings ahead in the darkroom! I love it! I only wish I'd taken my Leica instead.
 
Max Power said:
I do it 'cause I love the tactile quality of the whole process. From bulk loading the cassettes, to composing, to exposing, to souping and finally the whole process of printing.
I sit in front of a computer all day, go to meetings, discuss problems and solutions and catch up with a CrackBerry. Darkroom printing is my break from it all. I get to set up my chemistry, plug in my MP3 player and use my brain and hands to create something. It's tactile. As an added bonus, it's very inexpensive to do.

Just my thoughts,
Kent
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I couldn't say it better! I enjoy how tactile it is. There is definitely an art to developing and printing and the end result is differnt from what you get with digital. I still shoot digital and will never go back to all film but have recently fallen in love with film again and am setting up a darkroom.
 
Printing is wonderful ... I love prints.

No darkroom for me, though. I use a digital inkjet printer with archival pigment inks and archival 'fine art' papers. Better results than I ever made in a darkroom printing process, either B&W or color.
 
It is what originally attracted me back in 1970, and I still get that startled little thrill when that print begins to darken before my eyes. It remains the most magical moment in photography for me.
 
useless generation said:
I've done a little bit of printing. Love the process but my "darkroom" isn't setup at the moment! I've only ever printed
On Ilford MC paper can anyone give me some tips on fibre paper? What are the advantages?
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I'm no expert by my experience is a combo of visual appeal and archival quality compared to resin coated papers. Plus I have toned my fibre prints and they are beautiful compared to resin-coated papers. I've mentioned the archival benefit already and now do my proofsheets on fibre too. They will last a very long time. Try some for yourself and judge the difference.
Good luck, and regards
Matt
 
I was taught to print on fibre paper so will continue to use that. Printing has taught me to begin with the end in mind when taking a photo.

I also totally agree that the look of a fibre print is way much better than a negative scan on a computer screen. It made me realize that the Internet myths of lens A better than lens B is often over exagerrated.
 
I just printed last night-- a Tri-X negative shot @3200 developed in D76 of a dimly-lit scene.

The size is 11x14 and the grain is absolutely amazing. Love printing!
 
There was a time when I thought scanning the negative and then printing with a Epson was "good enough" then I came across a great Focomat IIc with multigrade head. It is a monstruous machine. I got myself again some glossy baryta paper, and set up the lab in my living room. red lights, black tape foil in the windows. no problem with dust as I was already using rollei RWA wetting agent/final rinse with antistatic additive. I have my computer on there and have my music coming from there, display of course switched off. I have coffee, music, and a cigar.. life could not be sweeter. I print a set, just hang them to dry on a laundry drying rack. The prints will be curly, no problem. I can later ferro them or give them a selenium treatment to have those deep blacks in a ferroed glazed prints. for me photograph is not explored fully, if I don´t produce prints in frames,to be hung on the wall.
 
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