To go LF or not

[analoguey]

It comes from two assumptions/thoughts - photography mastery itself is something that involves considerable bit of time and expense - years, decades even. Adding printing to it seems to complicate the learning curve further?
Also, I think maybe it's best to achieve mastery over photography while maybe using services of a master printer? Something akin to a great F1 driver not necessarily being the best at 'setting the car up'?

As a person who has been one of these printers for many years, I can answer. Photography is a very complex subject. One appears to need a reason, something which drives you to look in one direction or another. One tunes their perception over years. Some people will talk about "seeing", others will talk about connection, concept, etc. There is a lot going on in a successful portfolio.

Printing is similar, or shall we say just another extension of the same thing. It takes years to tune one's eyes to be sensitive enough to print. It's like playing the guitar - it's easy for beginners. In those years there is a lot of taking of a photo, developing, printing, etc. You get to see the result of the light you were working in and how the things in life will be represented by the different printing mediums.

For me it was important to understand the different genres of photography and to know in which I wanted to live. That gives a broad context to both the shooting and the printing style. People can help you to define what you are looking for by asking the right questions. Working one-on-one with a printer can show you additional possibilities you may not have considered. It's far better than dropping it off to someone. Of course, in today's world we can send the print with fedex and discuss it in a videoconference. It's almost as good. Once a printer knows what you are after, then they should be able to get very close. In the end, it's often the image that decides.

Hope this helps,

Lenny[/QUOTE]

I dont think I have understood it fully, but maybe like with how a printed image has many times the impact of an on-screen viewing, this is something I'd have to experience for myself. I will try this next time

[Kodachrome25]

Just because we're digital now doesn't meant the ability to learn printing is obsolete.

Who is "We're"?

After using digital for 20 years in my profession I can say with full confidence that the most satisfying career move I have ever made is to go fully black and white film with prints crafted in a darkroom, no digital. I could care less why people use what they use or what they think is better. But do realize that there are long time users of digital like my self who simply no longer want to live their lives as artists using that method of showing their work.

The most important thing for me as a photographer is how much impact the resulting image has. And if I love the process of the darkroom better than the Lightroom ( Much++), then you had better believe the resulting work will be better.

[miesnert]

For people asking about examples of large format scans; this is about as high quality as you can go: http://www.flickr.com/photos/castorscan/
(He works for Missimo Vitali and Gursky amongst others).

Edit: I do not now anyone at Castorscan, nor do I have anything to do with their business, I just thought it was an interesting Flickr profile.

[smithdoor]

I agree I not a profession but have been in photographic for over 40 years and did digital for about 15 years.
I just look at the photos I took 5 years using digital and one I found in a box made the old film way 21 years ago. I said to my self I am in the hobby for the good not the cheep and bad. Also I have one photo of my grandfather that was made in the 1880's in a crib it is still hear. The digital may just 7 year are fading fast.
I thing of digital like the machine gun 35mm shoots of 15 years ago let take a lot and pay you get few good ones and if loss the photo just make more.
Do not think that Ansel Adams photo wood be hear to day in digital his work is timeless
I have work with computers since the mid 70's and also use Photoshop since the mid 90's digital just is not good photography just another low cost for the scrap box of photos

Dave

Who is "We're"?

After using digital for 20 years in my profession I can say with full confidence that the most satisfying career move I have ever made is to go fully black and white film with prints crafted in a darkroom, no digital. I could care less why people use what they use or what they think is better. But do realize that there are long time users of digital like my self who simply no longer want to live their lives as artists using that method of showing their work.

The most important thing for me as a photographer is how much impact the resulting image has. And if I love the process of the darkroom better than the Lightroom ( Much++), then you had better believe the resulting work will be better.

[Tyler Boley]

Who is "We're"?

After using digital for 20 years in my profession I can say with full confidence that the most satisfying career move I have ever made is to go fully black and white film with prints crafted in a darkroom, no digital. I could care less why people use what they use or what they think is better. But do realize that there are long time users of digital like my self who simply no longer want to live their lives as artists using that method of showing their work.

The most important thing for me as a photographer is how much impact the resulting image has. And if I love the process of the darkroom better than the Lightroom ( Much++), then you had better believe the resulting work will be better.

not my point at all, the OP was looking for insight into whether or not to go LF, not the old digital vs analog argument. So he cares very much "why people use what they use or what they think is better", in fact he was specifically looking for those kinds of opinions. OK so I should not have used "we", the point remains, no matter what process is used in what part of the workflow, a major commitment to learning craft is still required, I was referring to printing specifically, and how knowledge of that may impact the original decision about going LF. I don't see how there can be any contention about commitment to craft.