...for darkroom printing black and white today?
...for darkroom printing black and white today?
In my opinion, yes. However, it is necessary that a reader/student:
- Have good language comprehension skills
- Be persistent and willing to make prints, think, re-read and try again
- Not expect an Internet chat-type experience where "answers" are spoon fed.
In other words, if you're OK with work, I know of no better book about printing to start with.
Yes.
Another good book to have in general is "way beyond monochrome".
I would recommend Henry Horenstein's books: Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual, and Beyond Basic Photography: A Technical Manual. Much more accessible.
Jon
my black and white photos of the Mendocino Coast: jonshiu.zenfolio.com
I remember liking it. Probably most helpful if you think of it as a primer and not a bible. Especially concerning AA's esthetic opinions and assumptions (all of which are rooted in a time long ago, and subject to much debate).
The technical examples may be a bit frustrating to a contemporary student, since so many of the materials he mentions don't exist anymore.
In addition, I recommend an older or current version of Carson Graves' Elements of Black and White Printing. More nuts and bolts. A good companion to the AA book.
When I first got into B&W photography, I read the Negative and did all of the exercises, then I read the Print and did all the exercises. It's a great foundation, and as Paulr said, a lot of the items he mentions don't exist. You can still make it work.
Mark Woods
Large Format B&W
Cinematography Mentor at the American Film Institute
Past President of the Pasadena Society of Artists
Director of Photography
Pasadena, CA
www.markwoods.com
Thank you everyone! Reading these threads and the books has me getting even more excited.
Bookmarks