Ansel Adams - Quote: While doing some reading I found this quote "Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships". Ansel Adams I...

fotogk Loc: Tuftonboro, NH

While doing some reading I found this quote "Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships".
Ansel Adams

I wonder if Ansel would have been around with digital and photoshop post processing if the quote would have been "Photoshop* post processing capabilities are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships".

*insert favorite post processing software

EdAnderson Loc: Hanover, PA

fotogk wrote:

While doing some reading I found this quote "Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships".
Ansel Adams

I wonder if Ansel would have been around with digital and photoshop post processing if the quote would have been "Photoshop* post processing capabilities are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships".

*insert favorite post processing software

I think Ansel Adams would have used his vision, his perseverance, and any and all available tools to create images that many aspire to emulate, no matter the era in which he worked. I believe his mastery of his craft is evident in all of his published work.

Flact George Loc: SE FL & SE CT

As I remember, Adams' darkroom featured an enlarger head with sixty-four rheostat-controlled bulbs. The zone system's rigorous predictability in yielding full-tonal-range negatives and the ability of that enlarger to adjust tonality across the field of the image arguably exceeds what we have today with digital sensors and Photoshop (or what have you) in producing B&W prints.

fotogk Loc: Tuftonboro, NH

I watch a short video ( http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/05/ever-wonder-what-ansel-adams-darkroom-looked-like/ ) about ansel and it further drives home the point he visual what the finished print should look like and not necessary what was actually there. He definitely created the image.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

fotogk wrote:

I watch a short video ( http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/05/ever-wonder-what-ansel-adams-darkroom-looked-like/ ) about ansel and it further drives home the point he visual what the finished print should look like and not necessary what was actually there. He definitely created the image.

so you just answered your own question

Authentic Image Loc: Wichita, KS

Read an article awhile back that said a group of photography students tried to duplicate Aansel Adams work and could not do it.

fotogk Loc: Tuftonboro, NH

docrob wrote:

fotogk wrote:

I watch a short video ( http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/05/ever-wonder-what-ansel-adams-darkroom-looked-like/ ) about ansel and it further drives home the point he visual what the finished print should look like and not necessary what was actually there. He definitely created the image.

so you just answered your own question

I guess after all these years I have learned something :)

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

fotogk wrote:

docrob wrote:

fotogk wrote:

I watch a short video ( http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/05/ever-wonder-what-ansel-adams-darkroom-looked-like/ ) about ansel and it further drives home the point he visual what the finished print should look like and not necessary what was actually there. He definitely created the image.

so you just answered your own question

I guess after all these years I have learned something :)

well there you have it!

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

He loved electrical toys and would probably be having a grand time.

Guy Johnstone Loc: Ocean Shores WA

I'm not sure he would be doing any serious working with digital. He and the 64 club were in to sharp in a big way and digital is not sharp. Also I'm not sure what he would print to

Flact George Loc: SE FL & SE CT

Guy Johnstone wrote:

I'm not sure he would be doing any serious working with digital. He and the 64 club were in to sharp in a big way and digital is not sharp. Also I'm not sure what he would print to

I can see Adams with a gigapixel camera. They get sharp and detailed imagery.

Of course, there are still sheet film cameras. I kept my 4x5 and Clyde Butcher down here in the Everglades is very successful in large(r) format.

Several of the big Polaroid cameras have been saved (There is one in Massachusetts.); and I understand that Polaroid emulsion and chemistry production is being ramped up somewhere in Europe.

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

the "Impossible Project" is making Polariod type films, they purchased a lot of the old equipment from Polariod.

I don't understand the comment about digital not being sharp, my images are sharp and I am sure his would be as well. As for printing Epson would be giving him the latest and greatest printer (s) for testing and use.

Guy Johnstone Loc: Ocean Shores WA

photocat wrote:

the "Impossible Project" is making Polariod type films, they purchased a lot of the old equipment from Polariod.

I don't understand the comment about digital not being sharp, my images are sharp and I am sure his would be as well. As for printing Epson would be giving him the latest and greatest printer (s) for testing and use.

Sharp is a relative term and generally speaking it's difficult to compete with a contact print made from a 8x10 or larger negative. Contrast and noise should not these mistaken for sharpness.

I've used the latest and greatest Epson printers starting with the first six color printer they released. I'm using R1900 now. At work we use tabloid Canons. I really can't fault print quality it is quite good with both makes. However, despite claims of archival capability I think Adams would've found inkjet prints by and large un stable. Pigment or die I see deterioration in current "archival" materials in less than two years, mostly nasty color shifts. The first really high-quality Epson photo paper turned red in six months. If I were a fine art photographer, which I am not, I would probably output to film and then do a conventional print. you can see that depending on the level of postproduction work you intend to do, that might not make a lot of sense.

architect Loc: Chattanooga

Flact George wrote:

Guy Johnstone wrote:

I'm not sure he would be doing any serious working with digital. He and the 64 club were in to sharp in a big way and digital is not sharp. Also I'm not sure what he would print to

I can see Adams with a gigapixel camera. They get sharp and detailed imagery.

Using a magnifying glass, film grain is more aesthetically pleasing than pixels magnified to the same degree, in my opinion. But in terms of a print seen at a normal distance, digital images are equally sharp. I agree that Ansel would be thrilled with digital and using the most sophisticated high end equipment, such a medium format digital.

architect Loc: Chattanooga

By the way, the Ansel Adams quote is located under my ID :-)