RPS Imaging Science Group

The Digital Print. The Complete Guide to Processes, Identification and Preservation. By Martin C Jürgens. Thames & Hudson ISBN 9780500514986 25.30 x 20.30 cm 328 pages. For more details see http://www.thamesandhudson.com/9780500514986.html
This book, published in the UK by Thames & Hudson is first and foremost a quality product. Hard backed and printed on smooth, heavyweight paper stock it reproduces both the text and the many pictures and diagrams well. In an era of poor quality book production this stands out as an asset to the bookshelf.
But what of the content? The book is laid out in 4 parts plus detailed appendices and does not disappoint. Clearly meant as a reference book, rather than to be read end to end there is content here of interest to both the photographic student and the established conservator. It can however be read as a journey to the understanding of the digital print and its failure mechanisms.
Part 1 “Understanding Digital Prints” covers the history and current applications of digital printing plus the component materials of the print. For me the history was a great read as I remember lots of the illustrations from university days. The components part of this section introduces 2 visual strengths of this book – Martin’s clear diagrams and the liberal use of cross sections visualised using a microscope.
Part 2 aims to summarise the major digital printing processes used for photographs. The illustrated chapters cover technologies such as inkjet, electrophotography and conventional silver halide based systems. These are well written but my only criticism would be that it is too comprehensive. As a reference work for the future it would be easy to confuse some of the minors with the mainstream technologies.
Part 3 details the visual inspection techniques that allow a viewer to distinguish the various printing technologies. As such it is particularly applicable to conservators and collectors. This section is well laid out with 2 page summaries of the characteristics of the main technologies at the end.
Part 4 then looks at all the issues that pertain to the preservation of the print. The typical failure routes (heat, light, pollutants and humidity) and the standard tests for these are documented accompanied by a good series of illustrations. Finally an excellent series of recommendations are given based on Martin’s wide knowledge and experience of these materials.
The book contains a comprehensive reference list that is of great value for those with access to suitable library resource plus a large identification flowchart in a pocket inside the back cover. The volume is a valuable resource for the photographic printer, conservator and collector and I thoroughly recommend it.