When I worked for Yosuf Karsh 40 years ago, he and his darkroom guy,
Gabalis, worked on each portrait to create the best result, kept the test
when they had it, made notes on the back, and measured each subsequent
print against the standard. More prints were made than required, and the
best ones were chosen to be delivered.
Retouching (easier on 4x5 and 8x10 B+W negatives) with red dye was used,
not only to correct skin flaws on the ladies (you should have seen the
Bardot negative), but for permanent dodging. Ties and suits were touched up
to give them more of a 3D appearance. There was always a streak of red up
each tie. Changes were subtle rather than drastic. The red allowed the eye
to see what was underneath. I forget if a blue light was used to preview,
but probably. Helga Graber usually did the retouching and photo finishing,
and I assisted her and Karsh.
Times and preferences change, so often older negatives had the dye washed
off, and the retouching redone a decade or more after the original
retouching.
Tom--
--------- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Olympus-Documentation
--------- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ottawa-photo-clubs
tOM Trottier, ICQ:57647974 http://abacurial.com
758 Albert St, Ottawa ON Canada K1R 7V8
+1 613 860-6633 fax:231-6115 N45.412 W75.714
"The moment one gives close attention to anything,
even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious,
awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself --
Henry Miller, 1891-1980
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