Before there was Photoshop

[D. Bryant]

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/11/03/...ool-from-1987/

[pherold]

That's fascinating that they could get that good of quality back then. In color too!

When I first saw your heading I thought it would have to do with something like this:
http://www.colorwiki.com/wiki/File:Analog_photoshop.jpg

[paulr]

Really cool. The user interface with all that text looks totally vintage sci-fi. It's easy to mistake the cyrillic for Klingon.

[Frank Petronio]

There were all kinds of photo editors pre-Photoshop and well through the mid-90s.... Freaking Scitex retouching cost mint, $1000 for a drop shadow, $2000 for cleaning up pimples.

Ah I made mint for a few years during the transition too, $400/hour easy.

Then every bozo Art Director got a copy of Photoshop and the market collapsed to basic freelance fees.

[grahamcase]

How about before there was 'before there was Photoshop':

George Hurrell photo of Joan Crawford, before retouching the negative:


After retouching the negative:

[D. Bryant]

How about before there was 'before there was Photoshop':

George Hurrell photo of Joan Crawford, before retouching the negative:

No shit? Who would have thought.

[Frank Petronio]

I wonder how much was soft-focusing versus actually marking the neg?

In the 80s Elizabeth Taylor's retoucher moved back home to Rochester to dry out. He was plenty busy but he retouched a few commercial shots of mine, he used pencils, air brushes, knives... probably one of the most skilled commercial artists ever. (And Elizabeth Taylor needed him by then!)

I think all those skills have been lost, I don't know anyone who is good at it. Maybe marking up an 8x10 with a pencil and Spotone but nothing on a high-end level.

[Marko]

I think all those skills have been lost, I don't know anyone who is good at it. Maybe marking up an 8x10 with a pencil and Spotone but nothing on a high-end level.

Well, nobody does professional drafting any more either. But I wouldn't call those kinds of skills lost, I think replaced is much more accurate word. These types of crafts still exist, only they are now done using different technology.

[paulr]

Well, nobody does professional drafting any more either. But I wouldn't call those kinds of skills lost, I think replaced is much more accurate word. These types of crafts still exist, only they are now done using different technology.

Well put. Who would want anyone to mess with their negative with knives and ink?

[bob carnie]

Hi Marko

I was a professional photo comp artist in the 80's using rubylith, knives and register negs and pos methods.
I never thought I would go back in time, but right now we are using registration, ruby and multiple register for alt printing and those skills I gained back then are now once again being put to use thanks to digital negatives.
Never would have thought this to happen.

Bob

Well, nobody does professional drafting any more either. But I wouldn't call those kinds of skills lost, I think replaced is much more accurate word. These types of crafts still exist, only they are now done using different technology.