Bill, I agree with you, in part because of your comment about life beyond the computer, but more for being able to understand what makes a good photograph. I've said this before: too many people using cameras these days have never seen, much less made, a good, high-quality photograph. How the hell can we expect them to know how to produce one for the computer if they don't know what one is.
Not only will darkroom work be helpful (with a good teacher) but visiting a few exhibitions showing excellent prints would be in order as well. As an example, I'd like to mention that someone on this list (who, for the moment, shall remain nameless) saw a B&W I made by converting a color scan in PS using just the greyscal converter. She thought it was quite good ... until she saw the same photo given a more complete treatment, adjusting greys to better reflect their original colors, adjusting contrast, and so forth. Her comment was that she thought the simple greyscale conversion was quite good until she saw the second one. It's clear that she'd never seen a decent B&W silver print before, yet she was trying to do B&W work for her clients. Shel Belinkoff > [Original Message] > From: William Robb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 5/26/2004 6:13:30 AM > Subject: Re: Darkroom or Digital for beginners > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kevin Waterson" > Subject: Darkroom or Digital for beginners > > > > > If you have any reasons why > > children should be learning in a darkroom, I would love > > to hear them and pass them on. > > > > > It teaches them that there is life beyond the computer screen, which > many kids don't seem to realize. > > I think darkroom work is a lot closer to the art and craft of > photography than computer manipulation. > This is just my opinion, feel free to disagree, not that I care what > anyone thinks. > > B&W darkroom work does not involve handling any especially dangerous > chemistry. > > William Robb >
