From: Gary Miller (gmphotos@earthlink.net)
Date: 05/24/01-11:41:21 PM Z
While I totally agree that getting it 'right' on film is the best way to go,
and I am a big proponent of pre-visualization, there are situations where
using Photoshop would be better than film, and when using film would be
better than Photoshop. Now PS is not a crutch or a panacea, but it does
allow you to do some things that you could not do with film. How about
having a Zone system of 256 zones instead of just 10 to 12? How about
extracting shadow detail that you cannot see, but it is there? How about
making the sky any damn shade of gray that you feel like with a precision
unmatched by film and filters. Remember I am not waving the digital banner
of victory here. I love film and I will go on the record for manual cameras,
film, handmade prints. But you should realize that digital is a tool that
can be used if someone chooses to do so. I am not saying that anyone has to
use it, but at least you can appreciate the benefits, as well as the
shortcomings, that it has to offer. Remember at one time, when Platinum was
king of printing materials for black and white, silver prints were much more
expensive and frowned upon. Both are still here along with so many other
technological breakthroughs. One of my friends recently reminded me that
you can't make technology disappear. We can't go back or ignore what we
have. Handwriting letters is wonderful, but computers are a faster way to
communicate and they have brought many people together, like our group here,
who would have never known one another. They are all tools, and just like
you can take a screw out with your hands, you can also use a screwdriver,
and heaven forbid, a power screw driver. Different tool, different results,
and yea sometimes it is better to use your fingers to take a screw out.
GM
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