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Digital Darkroom: Updated December 2006 Print making in the year 2006 is drastically different from what it was just a decade ago. The wet darkroom has been replaced by the digital darkroom. Now, this isn't to say that one is better than the other, it is simply a matter of improved quality and convenience over time has occurred with digital that has made it more attractive than the wet darkroom to many photographers. The prints of Ansel Adams are as powerful today as they were twenty years ago. I only experimented briefly with the wet darkroom, so I can at least say I got my hands in the chemicals. What sometimes can be a very complex process is really simple in concept. A well-crafted fine art print is a true presentation of the artist's intended output. For this to happen, the artist must fully understand the components of the digital workflow in order to have control over the final piece of art. If you have made prints from your computer you may already realize how difficult this can sometimes be to achieve. A friend of mine asked if in the future we would have an "Ansel Adams" plugin for Photoshop that would take any image and transform it to "look" like an Ansel Adams print. I won't say never, but each image is so unique in its lighting and dynamic range, that I don't believe we will see the process become this simplified. But I could be wrong! This article is an overview of my digital darkroom and some of my approaches to print making. The level of control over the print is probably greater now than it ever has been. Each photographer has their own individual vision as to how to present the image. For me, I faithfully present the image as close to the original transparency or RAW digital file capture settings as possible. A component to the digital darkroom that is critical from image capture to fine art print is color management. Color management is simply the way each device (camera, scanner, monitor, printer) displays the image. It is very important to understand and utilize color management in order to achieve the level of control necessary in fine art print making. Briefly, the digital fine artist must understand how to use color profiles at each step of the print making process. This usually means having a color profile made for the monitor, scanner, camera, printer and each paper used. 
Most of us see the image with the computer monitor. I use a Lacie Electron Blue IV 19" (December 2006 Apple 23" Cinema Display) that is calibrated with a Colorvision Spyder and software. Each color profile is critical, but improperly calibrated monitors can really impede your goals of making a fine art print. Viewing images on computer monitors is less than ideal because of the wide variation in monitor settings. The only way to really see an image the way the artist intended is to either see it on their calibrated monitor or see the final print. Digitizing transparencies/negatives requires a white light table and calibrated scanner. I have the GEPE 12"x8" light table for viewing multiple 4"x5" images at the same time for comparison. I use the Imacon Flextight III for scanning transparencies and negatives. I have found the color profiles included with the Imacon scanner software to be extraordinary. The color accuracy is higher than what I have experienced with other scanners. Just FYI, when scanning a 4"x5" transparency at 16 bits the file size is nearly 400mb! The 4"x5" scans can be printed as large as 30"x24" and larger. After scanning, I then view the transparency on the light table as I make final adjustments to the image in Photoshop. The digital sensor that I use today (Dec. 2006) for acquiring images is the Cano5 D which is 12mp. It is important to use RAW image capture as this allows greater flexibility in actually "developing" the image after acquisition. For more on digital RAW please see Michael Reichmann's article. RAW capture is done in Adobe RGB (December 2006: ProPhoto RGB or Holmes Profiles) color profile which is an industry standard and provides a wide color gamut for the digital fine art printmaker. Once the image is digitized, the enhancement process begins with Photoshop CS. When processing the image in Photoshop, the program will work in a color profile setting of your choice. The options here are quite numerous, but most of the time I am working with images in the ProPhoto RGB or Holmes color spaces. Enhancement for me involves some contrast enhancement, adjustments for color saturation, spotting the print for dust and scratch removal, and sharpening of the image. After the image is enhanced, it is now time to proof the print within Photoshop. This is one of the most important processes in the making of the print. Photoshop can simulate how the image will look when printed using the specific color profiles for the particular paper being used. Each paper has a unique color profile. Because color presentation is different from the computer monitor to the paper, color profiles aid in visualizing just how the print will look for the specific paper chosen. I will use this preview to select the paper that will print the image as close to the monitor presentation as possible. Sometimes adjustments are made to the image in order to achieve the best print possible while in the print proofing stage. The wide selection of papers is probably one of the most powerful tools in digital fine art printing. Papers from glossy to semi-gloss to matte to canvas are available to the fine art printer. This wide selection of paper types enhances the creativity of the artist and the final presentation of the print.  The most recent addition to my digital darkroom is the Epson Stylus Pro 7800
printer. This printer is capable of printing up to 24" wide and 44"
long with the Epson K3 ultrachrome inks. Epson has become the standard in
fine art inkjet printing with archival ratings from 50-100 years depending
on the paper used. I enjoy printing on Crane Museo Silver Rag,
Moab Entrada Natural Matte paper, and Picorico High Gloss film. I also
utilize ImagePrint 5.0 for printing and final proofing of my images.
ImagePrint provides exquisite profiles for nearly every paper sold today. Test prints are still required even with profiling. Most of the time, if I have done my color management properly, the print will be very close to the desired result. Prints are reviewed under an Ott light which is white balanced to insure that no color biases are seen when reviewing the print. I also utilize daylight when available. Once I am satisfied with the print, I then size and print the batch as needed. This is simply an overview of the print making process for those not familiar with today's print technology. Of course, many are becoming more familiar with the inkjet printing technology with the proliferation of the personal printing labs like the Epson PictureMate. There is no doubt that digital fine art print making has matured to become a reliable medium that meets high standards for long term archival characteristics. The tools available to the digital fine artist in the year 2006 are really quite remarkable. The learning for me never stops when it comes to new approaches to making the finest prints possible. It is really quite an exciting time to be in the photographic arts. If you have any questions, please drop me a note and I would be happy to discuss the topic with you. I hope you enjoyed this peek behind the printing process. Best wishes to you! |
