This is a 20,000 pixel wide panorama of one of my favorite basins above Golden Trout camp. This shot -- actually 5 stitched shots -- was taken during the 2006 Golden Trout Photo workshop, using a medium format Bronica RF 645 camera, 45 mm lens, and Technical Pan B&W film.
To see more photos of the area and learn about the photo workshop, click here.
For more information about the Golden Tout Camp Workshops, in general, including the natural history sessions, click here. And if you have any questions, or need further information about these workshops, contact me.
My latest black and white printing inksets and workflows use 100% carbon pigments, avoiding the weaknesses inherent in having any color pigments or dyes in a B&W print. These inksets produce what are probably the most lightfast and stable inkjet images, in the league with silver prints.
There are 3 100% carbon pigment inksets.
My approach for the Epson R1800 and R800 was written up in the February 2008 issue of Shutterbug magazine. This B&W printing approach also allows the printers to continue to print full color on matte paper without changing any inks. Like most of my B&W inksets, this inkset is sold by MIS Associates. For more information, click here.
For Epson large format printers, as well as many Epson desktop printers other than the 1800, there are 2 carbon inksets that utilize six densities of carbon pigments. These produce very smooth 100% carbon, relatively neutral B&W matte prints.
"Eboni-6" is a beta inkset that will probably be mixed by MIS soon. For more information on the Eboni-6 inkset, click here.
"Carbon-6" is an experimental inkset that is designed for user mixing. This very economical approach is available now. For more information on the Carbon-6 inkset, click here.
For information on Gallery Los Olivos, click here..
If you are interested in copies of any images on the web site, please contact me. My internet prices are the same as those through Gallery Los Olivos; so you can also order through them and use a credit card as opposed to the PayPal that I use.
How long will these carbon-pigment B&W prints last? Well, everything ultimately fades in sunlight, but in comparative fade testing, the carbon pigments do better than pigments rated at 200 years of display life. For the best stabillity, 100% carbon pigment is the meduim of choice. While inksets with some color pigments in them (and that includes the vast majority of B&W inksets) may last a long time, the color pigments will fade more quickly than the carbon, and they will fade at differing rates, resulting in color shifts in the print.
Carbon pigments on cotton (rag) paper should be even more stable than the traditional wet darkroom prints due to the buffered paper that has never had to deal with acidic processing chemicals like the wet darkroom prints. Carbon pigment writing inks have been found that are over 30 centuries old. The first image-forming use of carbon pigments may be in the Paleolithic Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc cave in France. They look rather good after 30,000 years.
So, while it is true that not all carbon pigments are equal, the carbon-carbon bond is nature's strongest, and the best carbon pigments are probably our best B&W image forming substance. My fade testing indicates good carbon pigments are extremenly stable.
For an index of specific ink and printer information, including details of the inksets, settings, and curves, click here.
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All Photographs -- Copyright 1980-2008 Paul Roark -- All Rights Reserved