Black & White Photography - September 2015 UK

58

B+W

loupe and a pair of L-shapes,

marking up which images to

print and how to crop them,

if needs be. This is a useful

staging post in the journey

towards the finished image,

gradually working out how to

print it along the way. It is why

I like using the Canon Pixma

Pro-1 pattern print function,

to print an image nine or more

times with different brightness

and contrast variations on a

single sheet. Each version can be

studied, to find a single image

that looks right, and to use

the printed settings to make a

full size print, or to combine

elements of different prints, to

come up with a combination of

settings that works best.

Visualisation tools like this

help to remove the almost blind

fear that many photographers

seem to have around printing.

The pattern print facility

provides informed choices, just

like previewing images with

different ‘creative’ software

presets in a program like Silver

Efex Pro 2. Both are wonderful

aids to seeing and, like the extra

large chalk stream photos I’m

starting to print, they can help

bring our unique way of seeing

the world into clearer focus.

The rest is down to us having a

go and, in particular, finding a

subject and an audience we love.

To see more of Eddie’s work

visit envisagebooks.co.uk

CANON PIXMA PRO-1 PATTERN PRINT

Here we can read the brightness

and contrast settings for one of

nine print variations on this

pattern print. Using the Canon

driver software, the variation

between each print can be altered

for a more subtle or pronounced

effect. The thing about printing

is to work up to the final print in

stages, making tests and then

full size proofs. This isn’t a waste

of paper: it’s an education.

Fuji X-E1 with 35mm f/1.4 lens,

1/70sec, ISO 200

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