Hi There
I think that I should post some tips , do's and don'ts that we have learned here with the Digital Fibre workflow.
It will be a bit rambling and I apologize for that but some of you have sent in work and I would like to avoid any lunchbag letdown as well I would like to keep the info on a simple to print methodology rather than digital mumbo jumbo.
Ilford/Harmon Digital Fibre Tips Nov 2006.
-clean all files before sending or we will do it for you if we catch the problems and charge for it.
- do not email any files over 5mb to our personal emails, this screws up our mail.
-Garbage In Garbage out- this does not change because we now have digital options.
- we cannot fix bad capture or scans
-Do not clip the highlight area of the file, there is burnoff at the Lambda and contrast control. we do test every file and will make printer adjustments before going to final.
-we use a non hardening fix , there for you can tone at your darkroom, we can provide for a fee a 12" x 29" print that has 12 4x5 identical prints ganged up for you to cut out and do your own testing. *the paper is cold tone in Dectol* until Simon Galley provides us with the Warmtone version.
-Do not over sharpen, the lambda is very good at this and let us know via email what your requirements are.
-Don't feel you have to rezup in photoshop . the lambda is very good at this.
-I have 30 years experience listening and following descriptions on how a print should look . therefore a ref print and a diagram is wonderful reference for me. We try to achieve the clients look and do not *stamp* our look on work. Sometimes this takes a few jobs to understand each other.
-A dodge burn sketch is good for for me . We are good at this and we aproach the dodge and burn just like under an enlarger.
-I use levels for density and contrast, my partner and the mac geeks use curves. we are comfortable with both.
-Do not use the Brightness / Contrast tool for density and contrast.
-Be careful with the Sponge tool. Unless you want to go crazy with it and mimic a lith print.
-give your files a name and size rather than a bunch of numbers ie. rockface16x20.tiff . I will then be able to mentally refer to the image if discussions are required.
-Please remember this is a hand wet process, for Limited Editions or reprints I cannot gaurentee exact results unless done at once.
the process is in total darkness and my coordination is good but not at an Olympic gymnist level so there could be slight variations.
We have found that there are different levels of experience with our clients , some with years of traditional experience and no digital, others with only digital and no traditional and in between. Here are a few thoughts about this.
Level one-
no experience digital. - give us the files in raw or as close to original and with communication *no essays please* we will do all the work to completion
Level two-
some experience digital- do the dust bust and basic dodge and burn and together we will work to make the final print.
Level three-
very experienced digital- give us your file , tell us to run on Lambda , no contrast no sharpening and we will give you your print.
A few more tests for the initial times working with us.
Ilford/Harmon has a rc version that mimics *but not the same exact tone* as the fibre.
-We will gang print on the lambda rc, 29inch by 12inch sections with a fee for just outputting. *this would be good to see how the work looks and to make adjustments before going to final on fibre*
We will run at 400ppi , No Contrast, No Sharpening.
this will allow you to work in PS to prepare files.
-gang proofing 2x3 inch colour files on this paper can open up possibilities for fibre printing from colour neg original or digital capture. remember the paper is RGB sensitive.Now I shoot a lot of colour and convert some projects to BW with this new capability.
-Mag tests * this can be done at any service lab* Most people ask us how a file will look at larger sizes. Quite frankly I can only guess. I suggest doing mag test across highlight, midtone and shadow sections of a good file to see exactly how large you can push your workflow rather than quessing.
This is a big advertisment for our Lab , but I feel that some of the above is very pertinant when dealing with an outside source.
As well re: security. Kevin and I are not only the owners, but we both work on all jobs together. Our financial and personal reputation is at stake and we take your files very seriously as we have respected the negatives we have printed for years.The staff that works with us have been around for years and are artists in their own right, We stand behind our work and do everything in our power to give our clients comfort with handling their prescious work.
Any questions on this paper I will try to answer on this thread and Kevin may jump in as well Harmons tech rep, Terry Bevins will be available to advise on questions Kevin and I cannot answer.
I think that I should post some tips , do's and don'ts that we have learned here with the Digital Fibre workflow.
It will be a bit rambling and I apologize for that but some of you have sent in work and I would like to avoid any lunchbag letdown as well I would like to keep the info on a simple to print methodology rather than digital mumbo jumbo.
Ilford/Harmon Digital Fibre Tips Nov 2006.
-clean all files before sending or we will do it for you if we catch the problems and charge for it.
- do not email any files over 5mb to our personal emails, this screws up our mail.
-Garbage In Garbage out- this does not change because we now have digital options.
- we cannot fix bad capture or scans
-Do not clip the highlight area of the file, there is burnoff at the Lambda and contrast control. we do test every file and will make printer adjustments before going to final.
-we use a non hardening fix , there for you can tone at your darkroom, we can provide for a fee a 12" x 29" print that has 12 4x5 identical prints ganged up for you to cut out and do your own testing. *the paper is cold tone in Dectol* until Simon Galley provides us with the Warmtone version.
-Do not over sharpen, the lambda is very good at this and let us know via email what your requirements are.
-Don't feel you have to rezup in photoshop . the lambda is very good at this.
-I have 30 years experience listening and following descriptions on how a print should look . therefore a ref print and a diagram is wonderful reference for me. We try to achieve the clients look and do not *stamp* our look on work. Sometimes this takes a few jobs to understand each other.
-A dodge burn sketch is good for for me . We are good at this and we aproach the dodge and burn just like under an enlarger.
-I use levels for density and contrast, my partner and the mac geeks use curves. we are comfortable with both.
-Do not use the Brightness / Contrast tool for density and contrast.
-Be careful with the Sponge tool. Unless you want to go crazy with it and mimic a lith print.
-give your files a name and size rather than a bunch of numbers ie. rockface16x20.tiff . I will then be able to mentally refer to the image if discussions are required.
-Please remember this is a hand wet process, for Limited Editions or reprints I cannot gaurentee exact results unless done at once.
the process is in total darkness and my coordination is good but not at an Olympic gymnist level so there could be slight variations.
We have found that there are different levels of experience with our clients , some with years of traditional experience and no digital, others with only digital and no traditional and in between. Here are a few thoughts about this.
Level one-
no experience digital. - give us the files in raw or as close to original and with communication *no essays please* we will do all the work to completion
Level two-
some experience digital- do the dust bust and basic dodge and burn and together we will work to make the final print.
Level three-
very experienced digital- give us your file , tell us to run on Lambda , no contrast no sharpening and we will give you your print.
A few more tests for the initial times working with us.
Ilford/Harmon has a rc version that mimics *but not the same exact tone* as the fibre.
-We will gang print on the lambda rc, 29inch by 12inch sections with a fee for just outputting. *this would be good to see how the work looks and to make adjustments before going to final on fibre*
We will run at 400ppi , No Contrast, No Sharpening.
this will allow you to work in PS to prepare files.
-gang proofing 2x3 inch colour files on this paper can open up possibilities for fibre printing from colour neg original or digital capture. remember the paper is RGB sensitive.Now I shoot a lot of colour and convert some projects to BW with this new capability.
-Mag tests * this can be done at any service lab* Most people ask us how a file will look at larger sizes. Quite frankly I can only guess. I suggest doing mag test across highlight, midtone and shadow sections of a good file to see exactly how large you can push your workflow rather than quessing.
This is a big advertisment for our Lab , but I feel that some of the above is very pertinant when dealing with an outside source.
As well re: security. Kevin and I are not only the owners, but we both work on all jobs together. Our financial and personal reputation is at stake and we take your files very seriously as we have respected the negatives we have printed for years.The staff that works with us have been around for years and are artists in their own right, We stand behind our work and do everything in our power to give our clients comfort with handling their prescious work.
Any questions on this paper I will try to answer on this thread and Kevin may jump in as well Harmons tech rep, Terry Bevins will be available to advise on questions Kevin and I cannot answer.