I have no idea how you would keep track of all those manipulations. What a tedious job of printing that would be.
What do printers do with color chrome film?
Good on you btw for your years of experience, but what makes it giggle worthy? I certainly don't go through such extensive print acrobatics myself, but I do keep a record of my dodge and burn efforts, what's wrong with that?
Simply ridiculous manipulations and meaningless to a good printer.
Out of curiosity, what would a good printer view as sensible and meaningful manipulations for this print?
I would have to see the original film and possibly a contact sheet before I would start and then I would talk with the photographer on the type of printing style they would like and if possible see examples of what they like.
I giggle when I see these prints with so called dodge and burn notes, as a professional printer for now 50 years I can say without hesitation any printer with any self worth would throw back
this type of map and just make the print.
The darkroom instructions are a marketing ploy by Magnum to make money. I am not sure they are the original instructions or were recreated in order to have a product to sell.
Well, Eve Arnold died in 2012, so the conversation might be a tad difficult to organize. That said, what makes you think she did not have a conversation with Pablo Inirio beforehand, and wasn't extremely happy with how the print turned out after his manipulations?
I'm pretty sure he did, actually. It was his modus operandi, as per this excerpt from an interview with him: “A lot of it is just craftsmanship. You can’t really get so much into the art, because it’s not your picture… I have to just print it how they want it — and that’s fine! It actually makes life easier, because if you have total freedom, there’s too much range."
I can understand wanting to do things differently than Inirio. It's a question of taste. I can't understand calling the manipulations "ridiculous" and "meaningless" if the result is in total agreement with the wishes of the photographer.
If some believe that these crazy printing notes are real so be it , I just don't therefore the giggle.
And a brilliant marketing ploy it is! Magnum needs money to pay its photographers. If that makes it possible for someone like Koudelka to keep doing what he's doing without having to get a day job, then I'm all for it.
That said, I don't see the point in being doubtful, or even cynical, about the process and intent. Pablo Inirio is the printer. Some of these prints, by his own admission, he had to print many times over and over again. Having a map to do so makes sense. Moreover, if you look at every before and after photos, the markings are in agreement with what you see. I don't see what interest he would have in just making stuff up and risk ruining his reputation.
Ignore its existence.What do printers do with color chrome film?
I'm not sure Magnum employs any photographers. They are an agency, selling the photographer's work and publishing books and reprints. Mr. Koudelka only gets paid if something sells. As a matter of fact, a reason he has cited for switching to digital was eliminating the need to raise money to pay for film.
Magnum was started by Robert Cappa and others to maintain control over their work. When you work for a wire such as AP, AP owns the rights to the images. Those who freelance may or may maintain ownership of her/his negatives depending on the contract. It is an agency more like a talent agency, as noted by Pieter12, photographers are not employed as such.
If some believe that these crazy printing notes are real so be it
That's what many photographers have done, and continue to do. Which illustrates it's just fine to be a good photographer and a poor printer, as long as the photographer is willing and capable of working with a competent printer. Of course it's different if a photographer wants to produce good prints, and does not have the means (financial, intellectual, social, organizational etc.) to collaborate effectively. In that case they have no choice but to learn to print well.
Stop the excuses.
Ignore its existence.
Saves a lot of money, too.
If there's no way around it - scan and digital output.
I think many are using these examples as an excuse for not learning to print properly. Life is an endless learning process, and nobody ever becomes dumber because of it. Stop the excuses. If someone used a competent printer to get the most out of their negatives, then they have no right to claim exclusive ownership of that image. Too often, the photographer is lifted on a pedestal while the printer is lost in obscurity—unjust, in my opinion.
Oh, more dogma. I see. We were short of that.
Having said that - a lot happened in the printing process, with all the cropping, masking, color adjustments etc.
And of course printing color is somewhat different than b&w.
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