Digital BW, The Print

I've been recommending Photoshop Elements as the logical starting place for
B&W printers.  In addition to being cheap (often $50 on Ebay), it is simpler
and easier to learn.

 

One of the few things Elements lacks is Image Adjustment Curves.  However,
Elements supports Adjustment Layers, and that supports Curves Adjustment
Layers.  This allows curves that have been put onto small files as Curves
Adjustment Layers to be easily be used in Elements.

 

At http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/Curves_Layers.htm  I have put a couple of
my favorite curves shapes on small files as layers.  Anyone can download
these files and simply drag the curves to the working file.

 

At http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/PS_Elements.htm I have a Readme file that
outlines several ways to overcome the few weaknesses in Elements and make it
a practical image editor.

 

Hope this is useful.

 

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Not in any way to contradict one of the masters of B&W printing, I 
wanted to offer another alternative to $600+ Photoshop, a program 
called PictureWindow Pro.

This is a $90.00 program that you download from http://www.dl-c.om. 
The program has full 16 bit color management and file support, 
supports Paul's B&W print curves, supports full color management 
including embedded profiles, has image cloning, and advanced 
functions to handle color aberation corrections, lens 
distortion/perspective control, advanced sharpening ability, and many 
other functions.  One of it's greatest assets is an excellent and 
very active user community on their message board that is very 
willing to help its users.  One of the most frequent contributors to 
the message board is the program's designer, Jonathan Sachs.  
Jonathan is one of the original designer/programmers of Lotus 123, 
the original spreadsheet program.  (I'm dating myself with this 
comment!)  You can download it for free and try it out for 30 days to 
see if you like it.

Jonathan's company has also developed monitor and scanner profiling 
programs that are the cheapest ones I've seen and just came out as 
the most accurate of any program tested, according to a recently 
published survey.  The survey is mentioned on their Profile Monitor 
message board.

The only downside to PWP is that is does not support PhotoShop plug-
ins, but a copy of Photoshop Elements will meet that need if you use 
them.

I am not financially linked to PWP other than being a paying 
customer.  Since I have received so much help from their user 
community and Jonathan himself, I thought I'd pass this along.  It is 
definately a good alternative to PS, especially considering it's 
price.  SInce I am not a full-time photo pro (wish I was!) and trying 
to put 4 children through college, I'll save some coin where ever I 
can!

I should also mention their website has an excellent library of white 
papers and tutorials that can be downloaded for free.  See the white 
paper on color management to get an idea of the quality of the 
information.

I suggest you also check out Norman Koran's website at

   http://normankoren.com/

Norman is a big PWP fan and you'll see some examples of what he has 
done with PWP.  He has also written an excellent tutorial series on 
how to use PWP with scanned or digitally originated photographs, 
including B&W work.

For what it's worth...


Bob


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
>
> I've been recommending Photoshop Elements as the logical starting 
place for
> B&W printers.  In addition to being cheap (often $50 on Ebay), it 
is simpler
> and easier to learn.
> 
>  
> 
> One of the few things Elements lacks is Image Adjustment Curves.  
However,
> Elements supports Adjustment Layers, and that supports Curves 
Adjustment
> Layers.  This allows curves that have been put onto small files as 
Curves
> Adjustment Layers to be easily be used in Elements.
> 
>  
> 
> At http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/Curves_Layers.htm  I have put a 
couple of
> my favorite curves shapes on small files as layers.  Anyone can 
download
> these files and simply drag the curves to the working file.
> 
>  
> 
> At http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/PS_Elements.htm I have a Readme 
file that
> outlines several ways to overcome the few weaknesses in Elements 
and make it

> a practical image editor.
> 
>  
> 
> Hope this is useful.
> 
>  
> 
> Paul
> 
> www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Bob,

> ... I wanted to offer another alternative to $600+ Photoshop, 
>a program called PictureWindow Pro.
> 
> This is a $90.00 program that you download from http://www.dl-c.om. 
> The program has full 16 bit color management and file support,
> supports Paul's B&W print curves, supports full color management ...

I agree it's a great program.  I have recommended it for some time.
However, can one insert an ICC into the workflow to control the printer?  I
don't use the program much, so I'm not that familiar with it.  Is there a
way to use Roy's ICCs?  If so, they I'd be delighted to continue to
recommend the program.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Paul,

Sorry for the delay getting back with your answer.

Yes, it is possible to insert a printer ICC into the workflow.  
After all the manipulations to an image are done, use the Change 
Color Profile tranformation to apply a printer profile to the image, 
in this case Roy's profiles. Then save the image as a tiff and print 
with QTR.

On a different note, thank you (and Clayton and Roy) for all you've 
done to advance B&W printing.  You've answered my questions on this 
forum more than once.  It's really helped me enjoy my hobby more!
>
> Bob,
> 
> > ... I wanted to offer another alternative to $600+ Photoshop, 
> >a program called PictureWindow Pro.
> > 
> > This is a $90.00 program that you download from http://www.dl-
c.om. 
> > The program has full 16 bit color management and file support,
> > supports Paul's B&W print curves, supports full color 
management ...
> 
> I agree it's a great program.  I have recommended it for some time.
> However, can one insert an ICC into the workflow to control the 
printer?  I
> don't use the program much, so I'm not that familiar with it.  Is 
there a

> way to use Roy's ICCs?  If so, they I'd be delighted to continue to
> recommend the program.  
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>