As someone irrationally enamored with the photographic image, I find the contact print anything but boring, in fact the most beautiful prints I have seen tend to be contact prints.
We do, because of the digital medium, have much more control over what goes on in those pesky shoulders and toes than traditional materials. It was pretty much impossible to use the full density range of the materials without losing detail there, now we can. These kinds of judgments are technical though, even with those limitations master printers were still able to create objects of profound beauty, rising above those kinds of evaluations.
The part continually left out of these discussions, is that most of us are now using glorified half tone printing processes, and given up continuous tone printing. There is still a difference. Most don't notice it because the source imagery doesn't reveal it. We're printing with dots, changing size and spacing, ingenious as it is.
We've given up a great deal of resolution and tonality on the actual surface of our prints without a second thought. These qualities literally define the uniqueness of the medium of photography and even though people may not see the difference in a definable way, they very well probably contribute to those indefinable qualities the best print display- glow, 3D, etc..
The only prints I've seen that actually approach the best B&W contact prints, silver otherwise, are the K6 or K7 mono inksets and special drivers to deal with them, particularly used at 2880. At this point the underlying mechanical structure of the device nearly disappears. Still, they have a bit of a unique look of their own, it's not a replacement.
Again, few images will reveal this, to few people. To get a bit over dramatic about it, I literally see the survival, or not, of the medium depending on those who care and love it keeping the pressure on, because we are now a niche.
Contact vs digital (inkjet) could be considered a less than productive conversation, as in my opinion they do not share similar concerns or goals. The hybrid people seem to be trying to make the best of both worlds. But you don't see Epson, Canon, or HP using them as beta testers.
I have fully embraced inkjet printing, and my old 10x12 camera hasn't been used to make an analogue contact print, silver or platinum, in a long long time. But I hope the highest traditional standards, that took centuries to perfect, are carried forward. My suspicion is that we will have to keep the pressure on.
Please excuse my rant, been on my mind...
Tyler
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks