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Materals and Printing
Colour Film
I use Fuji transparency film (slide film) for nearly all my colour pictures (when not shooting digitally). 90% of the time I use Fuji Velvia 50, but since Fuji have messed around with this product over the last year or so, I have needed to experiment with Fuji Provia 100, Velvia 100 and now I’m back to plain old Velvia 50 (back where I started). The reason why I use transparency film is because I have historically chosen not to print my own colour work and using transparency film allows me to make any image adjustments “in camera” and ask the printer to print all the images “straight” from the film ie. with no further adjustments or manipulation. If I shot with colour negative then the printer always needs to make judgements associated with colour and contrast which is outside my control.
Most colour prints are made by Owen Boyd, I have previously used BPD Photech and Transpacolour but had quality problems with both. Owen does a great job and prints exclusively on Ilford materials (Ilfochrome Classic).
Whilst I was searching for a new printer a couple of years ago, I experimented with using high-end scans and then getting light-jet prints done. The prints done by Metro (Clerkenwell in London) are excellent but expensive. The prints don’t have the same vibrancy as Ilfochrome Classic but for very large prints over 12x16” the computer seems to help out a little and the prints have a greater sharpness.
Monochrome Film
I get the films developed locally and print in my own darkroom. I use mainly Ilford Multigrade RC Glossy paper. I purchase all my film and paper from Morco, whilst it’s cheaper to buy off-shore, they have offered excellent service and have continued to support traditional materials.
Digital
I load the files into my PC using Nikon Transfer software, edit down to my favourite shots using Nikon View and get my favourites printed using Nikon NX2 software. I prefer using NX2 to Adobe Photoshop (which is far more popular) because it works directly with the original file produced by the camera without any need to change file formats. All of the editing and cropping is completely reversible.
Each print is normally cropped then adjusted for tonal range and about 50% have a small amount of sharpening applied. If a monochrome print is required then the software conversion is done in NX2 and both colour and mono prints are printed to a Epson 2880 printer on Permajet Oyster paper (normally A3).
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