New Digital Negative Method for Silver Gelatin Prints

[mprosenberg]

I have posted on my web site a monograph detailing my method for making digital negatives for silver gelatin prints. This is an adaptation of Ron Reeders method of making QTR profiles. In the monograph I describe how to make single curve ink profiles that yield a linear curve corresponding to monitor %K values. I also describe how to make black adjustment curves, correction curves, and combination adjustment and correction curves. These profiles result in darkroom prints indistinguishable from traditional projection negative prints, and exhibit fine grain and smooth tonality transitions. The monograph is in the form of a PDF that can be downloaded and saved.

I am unable to post the profiles, curves, and grayscale target, for download on my website (due to the host restrictions on files), but will e-mail them to any interested. The grayscale target incorporates additional gray steps for those interested in using Ralph Lambrecht's or Huntington Witherill's spreadsheets to make correction curves, as well as Zone System scale for visual calibration.

The ink profiles that I describe may also be of interest to people using alternative processes.

My web site: www.mprosenberg.com

Regards,

Mike

 

[amphoto]

Great Mike - many thanks - look forward to reading it.

Angus

P.S. Maybe just putting the files in a free dropbox folder and posting the link will save you a bit of work replying to emails.

 

[mprosenberg]

Angus,

I considered putting them in a drop box, but it is a hassle for people to subscribe. It would be great if there were a repository - and I may consider putting them on the QTR=Yahoo board. I'll have to ask Roy about that. Right now it is not very many people, and I have it in a zip file.

Mike

 

[pschwart]

Why not just attach to a post here? I believe pdf and zip attachments are supported.

 

[amphoto]

Mike - you don't need to subscribe to dropbox to download - you put the files into a dropbox folder and then click the chain icon on the right ('Share Link') and then click the 'Get Link' button - this will copy the link to the clipboard and you can paste/post it here.

 

[mprosenberg]

I got the following two questions by PM, and I thought that others may be interested in the questions and answers. So I am posting the discussion in the thread:

think others may be interested in these questions and the answers. You can copy and post them into the thread.

1. Black boost is something of a wild card, and I use it to get a boost in tonality at the higher tones. Essentially it is defined by the first ink that is labled =K. K is defined by the curve described for it. If you only placed a curve in the Gray Curve dialog box then K is affected by black boost. When I set LLK to be gray ink the slope is shallow, rising to the level describbed by the black boost value.

2. I don't have a 7 ink system, but if you set LK =, then it should be affected by black boost. The great thing is you can look at the plots of inks whether on the PC or the MAC.

Regards,

Mike

Thanks for making the monograph available! I've read the text for couple of times and I'll be definitely trying your method. I would have a couple of questions, if you have time to answer. I could do it in the thread too, if you think someone else might bother you with the same questions

1. I couldn't figure out why the black boost affects only LLK and not K? Is there a setting that makes this possible that I didn't notice?
2. With a 7 ink system without LLK - would you use LK as a gray ink instead boost it (if possible - see Q number 1)?

Regards,

Mike