Grey Matters 07 B&w Photo Exhibition

[Ansel]

I would like to thank all the supporters who have come so far! :thumbsup:

This is a great opportunity for you to see how a good traditional darkroom print looks like. A rare treat nowadays.

The exhibits will be there every day 11am-7pm till this Sunday.

Just a note for those who are coming during the day, if you find the door locked, access to the gallery is possible via Basheer Bookstore next door.

Please remember to sign our Guestbook.

 

[noelleong]

Thanks for coming guys. This event has strengthen my believe in film again. The beauty of pure black and white photography is hard to emulate in digital. :thumbsup:

 

[jcryan55]

my feedback from visitors and guests was that the exhibition open up their eyes about traditional B&W prints and the world of B&W photography. They especially like the part where we juxtapose the inkjet & traditiona prints side by side.....

But then again, our objective was to introduce more people to B&W photography regardless whether they're are in digital or film....
Great that this exhibition achieved that aim....

 

[I'm The One]

Thanks for coming guys. This event has strengthen my believe in film again. The beauty of pure black and white photography is hard to emulate in digital. :thumbsup:

I was there last Friday for the opening. There's one digital print on display, I overheard two guys who said they are traditional b&w printer, they commented it's very closely matched with the traditional print.

Maybe you can help with your C&C and with your points, I will go down again to look at the different.

 

[jcryan55]

Hey, yes...you are right, there is a inkjet print beside the real darkroom print in the exhibition. I did the darkroom print myself while I pass a high resolution digital file of the same negative to Wai Thim to post process. We wanted to produce the inkjet print as close as possible to the darkroom print to showcase what inkjet technology can achieve these days in the face of improving technology. Also, we wanted to show why the traditional darkroom print is still better in some aspects than the inkjet print.

The negative was scanned at 9600 dpi at 24bit depth using the Epson Photo scanner 4990. The print is then adjusted and tuned in Photoshop software and printed out on Epson Fine Art paper using the Epson Stylus Pro 4000 K3 Ultrachrome printer.

Some here's some of our conclusions and observation:

1. The Inkjet print has a more narrow tonal range than the Traditional print.
2. The inkjet print has limited success to replicate the "pure black" and "pure white" shades on the print.
3. The Inkjet print has more moderate contrast compared to the traditional print.
4. Of course, in terms of colour fastness, the traditional print is probably gonna last longer than the inkjet print.

We're not trying to say which medium is the best. However, we do agree that digital prints has come very near the traditional print effect. In reality, what the digital has been trying to do over the last decade was to emulate what the film can do.
In short, Circle of Light B&W community is aiming to promote B&W photography regardless of whether it is traditional or digital.

We'll all be at the gallery agin this weekend. Anyone who wants to come and chat up with us....just come....u are very welcome. We'll try our best to share the knowledge we have.

 

[wazzup5]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the sincere invitation last week but I was not able to go down at the opening, I will attempt to drop by this weekend when I get the chance.

Thanks!

 

[I'm The One]

jcryan55, will go down and take a look again

 

[I'm The One]

just got back from the exhibition......... with your points, I looked at the prints again. before i comment, let's not start a debate on traditional b&w vs digital b&w. let's be objective and base on the image itself.

from my observation.... even some of the traditional prints do have the problem in what you said in point 1...

a good black & white picture is not about what you said "pure black" and "pure white" shades on the print in point 2. Your so call "pure white" (zone 10)come from your paper..... if you use a very warm tone paper then your "pure white" is not "pure white" right, no??? Don't understand your "pure black".... very black as hi-dmax??..... there's a print that showed a car..... you means "pure black" (zone 0) as a patch of black on most of the right side??? ..... cannot even see the different between tire, fender, ground and the back of the car??.... there're other traditional prints display there also have this problem.... a patch of "pure black" no details...... so this is The beauty of pure black and white photography is hard to emulate in digital......... , Henri Cartier-Bresson have a few prints of foggy,misty winter shots which have very little black (zone 4/5?).......

your point 3.... even some of the traditional prints there have this problem...... with all your points... can i said some of the display look like digital prints......

... i'm not tones or "colour" blind..... i can see, tell between tones and contrast...... a goood picture and a bad one even if i never step into a darkroom before....that's also doesn't mean a guy pick up a film camera.... shoot some b&w film.... doesn't even know how,..cannot make his own good prints in the darkroom... can suddenly become a expert in the tradional b&w...

let's not argue over the method of making prints...... let's continue to take,show good images....

good luck to the exhibition....

 

[jcryan55]

Most of the exhibitors will be there at Basheer City Room today and tomorow. Do drop by and say hello. We'll be at hand to share with you our experience or u tell us where to improve.
Sunday is the last day of the exhibition. So, dun miss it!

 

[jcryan55]

Thanks to all visitors who have taken time off your busy schedule to support us during the exhibition period.

The exhibitors would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for all who have turned up at the exhbition. Yur presence is very important to us as it motivate us to do better shows in future to return the support you all have given us.

We hope that you have enjoy the exhibition and we still welcome any feedback that you may have for our future events under Circle of Light community.

Btw, we're in the midst of planning a Charity Auction for the prints jointly from the Grey Matters and Ifra Red City photo exhibition. It should happen nearer the end of the month. Do watch out for this unique, interesting and meaningful event that is coming your way.....


Cheers