Digital BW, The Print

Lots of great comments on acheiving depth in images. I'd like to add something that I've 
often noticed but that is related to resolution on the paper. Here's an excerpt from an 
email I sent Tyler after receiveing his now-famous piezo/ABW comparison prints. I think 
Bill and I , both in blind tests had very similar reactions but we may differ somewhat on the 
factors contributing to the 3-dimensional quality.
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The Piezo resolves more and finer detail. The K3s are not reproducing the same degree of 
gradation. And it's not just a matter of opening shadows. For example, the suds of the 
receding surf are noticeably more detailed. From a normal viewing distance the Piezo has a 
greater feeling of depth. The K3 looks 1 dimensional--everything feels like it is resting on 
a single plane. The Piezo gives the illusion of the paper itself being a multi-dimensional 
surface. I've noticed a similar effect with the Piezos when printing on Hahnemühle vs. 
Innova matte papers. The Innova coating holds a tighter dot, which yields a sharper image, 
which makes objects appear more spatially distinct based on where they were in the len's 
plane of focus. So I'm chalking up this depth issue to resolution.
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The main point being that I've experienced a greater sense of depth on identical images 
when printed on a paper where the coating holds a tighter dot. I've seen this on single hue 
quads, blends and splits. Take a careful look at an Innova sheet like Soft or Rough Texture 
in comparison with a Hahnemuhle stock like Will Turner. Now I love Will Turner but the 
Innovas hold a tighter, crisper dot. With images where prominent objects rest along 
different planes of focus (thinking specifically of LF closeups) the paper with a tighter dot 
yields sharper edges. This can accentuate the effect of physical space between sharp and 
defocused objects, making it feel as if the paper itself is a 3 dimensional surface. 

So something else to add to the mix, perhaps.  

amadou diallo
www.diallophotography.com