anda_m Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>Hi!<br> I just came across Lenswork magazine and am in awe: how do they achieve that amazing quality? Those tones, those delicate transitions, no harsh contrast? What is it? Duotone? Quadtone? I recently tried some bw conversion and when I look at Lenswork, I just want to quit, why continue when others do it much better :-)?<br> Anyway, any ideas are welcome, thanks</p> <div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_littleboy__tokyo__ja Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>Yep. Lenswork is real pretty. They had an article recently pointing out that back in the earlier days, say the 60s and 70s, a photographer in a darkroom could make a way better print than mass produced books, but that commercial printing has largely caught up (in technical terms). Which means there's much less point in darkroom printing, and the photographer as artist producing works of art has less of an advantage than s/he used to. (Of course, order a random photography book sight unseen from Amazon, and it's still pretty likely to be washed out uninspired printing.) Whatever. By the way, you succeeded very nicely there. What are you complaining about?</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anda_m Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>David, thanks! So you're saying there's no way to achieve digitally that quality :-)? I believe my image looks fake. The sky is entirely photoshopped and that's too obvious (although I couldn't do better).</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_littleboy__tokyo__ja Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>Well, no. Quite the contrary. Quite a few of their portfolios are shot digitally. I'm not familiar with the details of the printing technology they are using ("Duotone" they say), nor the workflow necessary to get a photograph ready for that commercial printing. Nor have I succeeded in producing B&W prints I'm knocked out by on my inkjet printers. My best are just OK. (And I'm easily amused.) Sigh. So I'm not much help, but the B&W art photography on inkjet types claim to be succeeding, and my understanding is that some of the Lenswork stuff starts out as inkjet prints by the photographer and then goes out to their commercial printer. I keep intending to order one of their limited edition inkjet portfolios just to see how good they are and use them as a reference standard, but haven't gotten around to it. (OK, I just ordered their 3 sample prints for US$15 set.)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anda_m Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>I am trying to be more specific: how did he process this? Many thanks.<br> http://1x.com/photos/architecture/20240/</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshroot Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>Brooks and Maureen are good people and they work really hard on Lenswork. They don't cut corners and the magazine reflects that.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>Josh knows them and can speak to their practices, but I am merely a spectator. <em>Lenswork</em> is the closest thing I see on the newsstand at B&N to the old Stieglitz <em>Camera Work*</em>.<br> But there are no "tricks" that produce that sort of quality. It's the result of wonderful photographs by photographers who are masters of their craft combined with really high quality reproduction and printing. Same formula that worked for Stieglitz.</p> <p>_______<br> *There are beautiful, realistic reproductions of pages from Camera Work in the Life Library of Photography volume called <em>The Print</em>. The first edition, printed in real gravure, is available on line sometimes for pennies and postage.<br> There is an-almost-as-good reprint of <em>all</em> photographs that were in <em>Camera Work</em> (1903-1917) in one of the many Taschen image books ( http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all/05407/facts.stieglitz_camera_work.htm )</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjferron Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 <p>I've been a fan (and buyer) for years and am finally a subscriber. By far my favorite publication and yes the magazine's print quality is amazing.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmlewis Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 <p>I've been a subsciber since Lenswork #63 (now up to 94) when I saw those beautiful images by William Fuller in his Lenswork portfolio Urban Wilderness (I think the buildings were in Chicago).<br> The beautiful tones and high quality production made me a slave to this publication ever since and I await its arrival every other month. I also subscribe to the extended edition on iPad and while the images are a joy, nothing compares to the sight and touch of those images on a high quality printed publication<br> How Brooks does such high quality is an acknowledgement of skill. I'm still working on arriving at such quality in my own images.. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anda_m Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 <p>Rob, I totally agree with you. Michael, I know the quality is exquisite. My question is exactly this: how do the photographers featured in this magazine process their images? It's exactly as everyone here says: a skill, thus it can be learnt. Thus we have a chance of achieving something similar, quicker with a bit of help, longer without...I wanted that help :-)..</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 <p>Oh wait, maybe there is a trick to get the same look in your own pictures. [evil leer]</p> <p>Try (<a href=" ) for a Lenswork plug-in for Photoshop that will produce just the result you're looking for, maybe. :)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anda_m Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 <p>Oh, I live in Europe (the NL) so</p> This video is not available in your country. Sorry about that. Maybe you could give me some keywords so I can search for local versions. No need to be sarcastic :-). Photography is my consuming hobby since less than a year, next to other full time constraints, so I don't expect to become a pro overnight, I am just trying to improve as quickly as I can given those constraints. I am fully aware there are no tricks to become as good as they are (as David duChemin I think put it: there's no unsuck filter), but certainly a lot of reading, workshops and practice help getting you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 <p>anda, I was just "Rick rolling" you (look that up for an explanation)<br> - look up Rick Astley if you really want to see it. Didn't realize that might be blocked anywhere. Perhaps the Low Countries have too good taste for Astley?<br> Just funning you, not sarcasm, really. :)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 <p>[[how do the photographers featured in this magazine process their images?]]</p> <p>As far as I know, for presentation in the magazine, the staff at Lenswork will work with the photographer to process their images. In some cases the originals were in color but were converted to B&W for publication. Often the color images will be included in the Lenswork Extended edition. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichavel Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 <p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=359171">David Littleboy (Tokyo, Japan)</a> "Yep. Lenswork is real pretty. They had an article recently pointing out that back in the earlier days, say the 60s and 70s, a photographer in a darkroom could make a way better print than mass produced books, but that commercial printing has largely caught up (in technical terms)."</p> <p>Yes, I recall that article and it put the matter stronger. If I recall correctly, a photographer was told by a potential buyer that he would prefer to buy the book <em>instead </em>of the prints, since a high quality book, these days, is superior.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustys pics Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 <p>I love LensWork. I buy them whenever I can afford it. I've been a subsrciber in the past. There are few things more beautiful to look at than a well made Duotone ink reproduction. However I dispute that it's "as good or superior" to a good fiber based darkroom print. It's apples and oranges. However the Fiber print will still have an advantage in "D Max". It's impossible to achieve that kind of Deep, rich black with detail separation using inks. "Dot Gain" will get ya no matter what.... ;) Again this is to take nothing away from the incredible printing in Lens Work.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasblute Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 <p>Looking at Lenswork is humbling indeed. Their aesthetic and high standards are compelling. Having an idea of where you want to go with an image helps, and they provide a lot of examples, so it's nice to be schooled :) Keep at it, you'll get there if you want it bad enough [and you're not far off already from what I can see].</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anda_m Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 <p>Thanks,Tim for your reply and encouragement. I'm learning slowly and hopefully constantly.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernie_mikulic Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 <p>This is an old post but just an update for those looking. Lenswork only accepts digital files via dropbox anymore and really only accepted digital files for some time before. Nobody is turning in prints to them. That would imply all the artists work is done in camera and post, and not by the printing technology so much.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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