The Art of Black & White in a Digital World

Why DSI Black & White?

Digital Silver Imaging: True Black & White Prints, Not Inkjet “Black & White.”

How does DSI’s black & white print-making compare to other printing methods? We employ a true photographic chemical process in the development of each print - not a color or inkjet process.

Here are a few of the advantages:

  • No Tone Disruption. Inkjet printers build black & white tones by laying drops of ink on a paper’s surface, leading to unrefined results. DSI uses a light source, exposing a silver gelatin layer within the paper to produce a true continuous tone from shadows to highlight.
  • No Color Variance. Color RA4 printers rely on color dyes to replicate black & white tones, so blacks and grays often have a hint of other colors (i.e. magenta or cyan). DSI’s print process is founded on light, silver, and chemistry. Blacks are 100% black, grays are fully gray, color shifts are non-existent.
  • No Ink Reflection. Ink pigments reflect light, resulting in unwanted glare or metamerism across your print. With DSI, your image emerges from the paper itself, not from a compilation of ink on paper, so there are no unexpected bursts of light.
  • No Unwanted Texture. In order to address the challenges of photo printing, inkjet paper manufacturers have begun producing a special photo inkjet papers with a matte finish. However, these papers come with an issue all their own - unwelcome texture.
  • No Questions about Longevity. Fiber-based black & white prints are proven to last over a hundred years. The inkjet process has existed for a fraction of that time. Why take a chance that your once-in-a-lifetime image may end up short-lived?

If you’re looking for black & white, get true black & white - with Digital Silver Imaging.

“Digital Silver Imaging is the black & white lab professional photographers have been waiting for since the digital revolution began. With DSI’s commitment to photography and excellence in the truest sense, photographers can now rely on the beautiful end result of the printing process with archival fiber or RC prints. Owned by Eric Luden & managed by Jay Gaffney, DSI also has the expertise of over forty years combined experience from these two photographers who know the industry from both sides, and images are printed as if they were printed for themselves. You can’t ask for more than that.”
- Heidi Harting, www.heidiharting.com
Unlike many other labs, Digital Silver Imaging specializes in digital black & white.

It’s all we do - which is why we do it well.