the monochrome guild

[Shac]

Well I got my first darkroom when I was 12 and that was 57 years ago - I had a wet darkroom in just about every place I lived until about 10 years ago, but I'll be damned if I don't consider my inkjet prints just as good and just as important (to me) as those from the wet years.
Is it just me but doesn't this type of thinking (only wet prints are "handmade" as though this gives them some extra special value) seem a tad bordering on elitist (well at least to this old guy) There again I'm probably out of synch as usual 😉

 

[Darthfeeble]

"Digital, even with its convenience and instant gratification, just leaves you feeling empty and unfulfilled."

No, it leaves YOU feeling empty and unfulfilled.

 

[Shac]

"Digital, even with its convenience and instant gratification, just leaves you feeling empty and unfulfilled."

No, it leaves YOU feeling empty and unfulfilled.

I know it's lateish her on the wet coast and I should hit the sack, but I gotta agree Darthfeeble

 

[Rayt]

When I make a good ink jet print I place it side by side with a darkroom print and the difference is obvious and I am left dissatisfied. I have always thought this is because my inkjet skills suck. But I see my friends' color digital outputs and they are fine but b/w never look right to me.

 

[clayne]

That's because metallic silver and silver selenide blows away the blacks of any 1-dimensional stinkjet print it's compared against.

Inkjet output, while simply adequate, is a far cry from silver gelatin prints.

I could care less how many times it could be reproduced without any effort - that's missing the point of a darkroom print entirely. No two darkroom prints are the same and they required actual hands-on effort to make. The people who p00-p00 this just either haven't printed in the darkroom or just don't want to deal with it anymore - but they're not matching it with inkjet.

And I haven't even gotten into archivability concerns. Go ahead - stick your inkjet print in water while you browse Facebook.