Mastering the Print

Editor At Large Rob Sheppard recently discussed on his blog how some photographers get caught up in technology when it comes to the fine art print. He says that a lot of us try to make our prints exactly match our color-calibrated monitors which is a pitfall for a lot of us, and believes that we should have the attitude “that a print is a special thing and must live on its own.”

As nature photographers we should be taking this medium further until a print satisfies us on an emotional and artistic level – not just a faithful reproduction we see onscreen. The fine art print, in the darkroom, and now especially in the digital one, is a trial and error technique that should be a combination of test prints, post-processing and experimentation until it brings out the most satisfying visual aesthetic.

It is good to know the technology that is out there, but it’s best not to be absorbed so that you lose sight of the artistic side of photography, and as Christopher Robinson, Editor of Outdoor Photographer says, the “Print is still king.”

To learn how Ansel Adams printing techniques translate to the digital age read Ming Tshing’s Print Like Ansel Adams, or how master printer John Paul Caponigro makes the ultimate black and white print by clicking here.

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