From: Keith Gerling (kgerling@ameritech.net)
Date: 05/24/01-10:10:27 AM Z
I use color negative film, exclusively now, for all of my work. There is a
phenomenal range in color negative film, that allows one to "package the
moment" for future manipulation and interpretation. Regardless of whether
the end process is Platinum, cyanotype, full color gum, or even a process
not yet developed, there is sufficient information to be had within the
color negative in order to address multiple alternative process needs,
assuming a good scan has been made and the photographer is adept at digital
manipulation. Using Adobe Photoshop, for instance, one can use the Channel
Mixer to add B&W filter affects (as Dan mentioned). Using Curves one can
tailor-make negatives with contrast ranges appropriate for different
processes. And the "add noise" filter is great for adding that "perfect"
amount of grain.
Processing in-camera negatives, assuming all factors cooperate and the
negative is processed according to plan, still gives the photographer only
one negative. Perhaps fine for the palladium print, but too flat if one
decides to try Salt of Albumen printing. Of course, full color is out of
the question. So rather than specializing in the "one and only perfect
alternative process", the use of color negative film allows the photographer
to remain flexible to whatever process the subject matter might call for.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffrey D. Mathias [mailto:jeffrey.d.mathias@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 10:15 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: Re: Color neg film: the epitomy
The epitome of it all.
Jack Fulton wrote:
> ...
> I've been telling my students for a long time that THE film to use is
color
> neg material.
> One can achieve a lovely color print.
> Convert the neg to a positive and hold slide shows after a nice dinner.
> AND make darned good b/w prints.
> In other words, it is the perfect film.
> No grain ...
I guess your students are planning to specialize in the one and only
perfect printing process, what is that?
What do they use for the perfect camera?
I have not found any color material to have the range and flexibility of
processing of many of the single emulsion silver films. So how does one
make a B&W negative from "color neg material" that is superior to
in-camera B&W film?
Further, with the Pt/Pd process I have found a benefit to having grain.
-- Jeffrey D. Mathias http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/
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