Is it hybrid if....

[bdial]

A philosophical question...

I have a negative that requires a lot of intricate burning and dodging to get all of it's features onto the paper (silver gelatin). It's had me thinking that making a digital mask would make some of the dodging much easier.

So, if I'm printing a regular ol' wet process negative onto regular wet process silver paper, but using a digitally produced dodging aid, is it still hybrid?

[ann]

Do i care? NOpe

I have reached a point in my photo life that the only thing that matters is the final image. How it got there is not important.

Also, how could one even know unless you decided to discuss the technique?

[2F/2F]

I'd call it hybrid, myself, or at the very least "computer-aided printing." The print itself is optical, but you are needing to go back and forth between analog and digital somewhere in the process in order to get to the final print. If you need to use digital assistance in printing in order to get to the end product, then it is in essence a "hybrid" process, even though there is not technically anything digital "in" the print itself.

But that doesn't mean it is a bad thing IMO.

[Joe Lipka]

Why don't you do all your intricate burning and dodging digitally? You have more control over the manipulation and the results will be repeatable.

Just a thought for you.