The Image Matters. The exposure, by releasing the shutter starts a wonderful process to the final print. I enjoy the process as much as the final result. The time and attention you take in getting to the final result shows in your work. This is the craft of photography.

I learned the wonderful tactile craft of black and white developing and printing. I still process black and white film, and hand print my own photographs, controlling the process from the image to the final product. I use 35mm and 2 1/4 films. I have started to experiment with a 4" by 5" view camera. I use a Cambo rail camera with a Schneider 210mm lens. My 35mm and digital cameras are Nikons, all the way back to the classic F, and loads of great glass. My medium format cameras are Bronicas, mostly SQAI's, and many lenses, including the older Nikkors on the S2A's. I have a Cascade Print Washer, and wash my prints completely after two fixing baths and a diluted selenium toner bath for archival properties. It is getting harder to find film, paper and chemicals, but the more we use, the more likely it will still be produced and available.

Despite early resistance, I have embraced digital cameras and processes. The learning curve is daunting, with digital asset management, image processing, printing and that oft used term "workflow." Since I was used to spending hours in the darkroom working on prints, hours of post capture processing on the computer were not as troublesome as they could be to others.  The digital camera DX format gives me extra focal length, lower light availability, and the instant confirmation of the capture of the moment. Where low light or fast action requires extended range or "push processing", with digital you are able to change the ISO, light balance and quality to get the raw image, and process it to improve the quality of the image. The possibilities of digital capture are endless. I scan many of my older film or slide images and edit them in Photoshop, and have seen new information and results with these older images. Almost all of my newer images on this site are digital images. Now black and white conversion improvements and breakthroughs with printers and inks permit digital prints that rival the wet darkroom prints.

I generally print "full frame," whether it is film or digital, and often print square images from the medium format capture. For film images, I use a four blade Saunders easel, which makes it easier to print custom sizes. I use an Omega D2V enlarger, with a condensor light house, and Schneider and El-Nikkor lenses. My digital workflow includes Photoshop CS3, but I have taken to using Lightroom since the early days of beta testing, and have found it helpful it cataloging and working on images. As it is improved, it is more robust and meets even more of my needs.

I work on PC based computers, with multiple hard drives, both internal and external, and back up copies to DVD's and CD's. Peter Krogh's Book, Digital Asset Management for Photographers, has been a great help, but I have a lot of work to do in that regard. Metadata and keywording is a step up from shoeboxes and print boxes. By the way, I have been a collector of photography books for many years, and have amassed a decent library. I visit galleries and exhibitions when I can, and am a member of the Eastman House in Rochester, NY. 

Printing my own prints on pigment based professional inkjet printers gives me the control and excitement that I used to find in the darkroom. My current printer, an Epson R1800, lets me print to 13" by 19", which is as large as I generally want to do. Larger prints can be sent out. A print does not have to be big to be interesting, and often a smaller print draws someone into the image to see all that it has to offer.

When I do not print my own prints, or have color film to develop, I use On Location Studios in Poughkeepsie, NY. Check Tom and Al's work and fees at www.onlocationstudios.com.(They offer same half day processing of E-6 slide film, and can do wonders with custom prints of negatives, digital capture, and slide reproduction of flat art and photographs.)I scan slides and have them printed on conventional photographic paper. I also have my digital images printed the same way.

I dry mount all my silver based prints, color or black and white, on mount board or foam core, and hand cut over mats to the image size. I am still testing digital prints to see if they can be dry mounted, and have used archival photo corners to mount the same. Finally, I frame the prints and wire them for hanging. I enjoy the control and experience of being involved in the image from creation to finish. It also frees me from the strictures of standard prints or pre-cut mats. It also gives me the opportunity to use many different mat boards and frame sizes.

Thank you for letting me describe my work. If you want more information, please e-mail me at Bill@Boglephoto.com. I welcome questions about black and white processing and printing, and can help with information or books on the processes.

Bill Bogle, Jr.