Why Photoline?

Here everybody can post his problems with PhotoLine
bruce1951
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Why Photoline?

Post by bruce1951 »

OK just a curiosity question.

I note the thread re Jpeg quality. That made me wonder why everyone is using Photoline and more broadly why they 'photo edit'? Or simply create images using PL.

Me? I sell/create images for various 'clients'. Mostly transport. Although going way way back I did flowers. Magazine covers. Articles. Museum prints. etc etc. All with an 'artistic' touch. See attached examples.

For me Photoline gives me all the features of the 'known' benchmark at a fraction of the price. Plus, great help from PL creators. In particular PL allows me to use many plugins and external programs. Simply put PL allows my creative juices to flow.

I start with as high-quality file as I can. Even though final output may be jpeg. I do a lot of my own prints for museums etc. Those I always output from a HUGE tiff file. But for other work I find Jepgs more than sufficient.

So I'm interested in what everyone else uses PL for.
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russellcottrell
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Re: Why Photoline?

Post by russellcottrell »

I am one of millions of unashamed Ansel Adams wannabees. Progressed from 35mm (was in charge of the college darkroom) to 4×5 then medium format; started using the latter for color, was scanning negatives then went completely digital. Ansel tried his hand at color but what held him back was the limited control one had over the process in the pre-digital days; since he manipulated his prints to almost extreme degrees he needed that kind of control. My goal has been to exert that kind of control over color images while retaining their basic integrity, and for that one needs to combine the science of color management with as many darkroom-like tools as one can get his or her hands on; digital imaging provides a lot more of the latter than traditional darkroom techniques ever could. Was using that other program until they went subscription, then started looking around. I compared the major image editors and what sold me on PhotoLine was 16-bit adjustment layers (not universal then) and the Lab and saturation curves (still don’t think the other program has these); plus my plugins work without any problem.

The goal is a noiseless, razor-sharp 16×20 print on smooth baryta paper that serves as a window into an idealized alternate reality. (And this of course guides the process; if the goal was a 6×8 greeting card in an impressionistic style printed on textured art paper, things would be completely different.) I pay special attention to skies, and the techniques I use make even the subtlest jpg blocking pop out like cobblestones. So fine art has to start with uncompressed 16-bit, at least 6000px in linear dimension. High-quality jpg could work for a final product that will not be manipulated any further.

Denali433_small.jpg

http://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/gallery.htm (won a little prize for the second one in the next-to last row, 16×20 toned darkroom print)
http://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/Ph ... allery.htm (miscellaneous shots edited with PhotoLine)
http://www.russellcottrell.com/RCFilter ... gramEQ.asp (the one of the St. Louis arch shows what can happen when you start with a jpg)

https://chicoartcenter.com/livable-planet/ (little-planet image was used for the postcard advertising the exhibit)
https://blog.frameusa.com/custom-art-fr ... st-blogger (won a little prize for this article)
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bruce1951
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Re: Why Photoline?

Post by bruce1951 »

Almost all of my work output is in the highest quality tiffs. (Saved from PL files). But I do get clients who 'insist' on jpegs. A number of magazines now prefer print ready files as jpegs. Albeit 300ppi.
The above image of the train was supplied as a 300ppi jpeg for a cover shot. Whilst the below image was printed from a high quality tiff as an A3+ mounted museum print.

So I don't believe there is a 'must do' rule.
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