101 three sixty five

In a comment, John Beardsworth says:
It's interesting how some digital b&w photographers like to simulate different film. I've always used a mix of film with differing characters (mostly Agfa APX25, all Ilford stock, Tmax 3200) but almost always with lens filters and since going digital have never really felt I wanted to approximate their characteristics. So I only add grain (and then loads of it) when trying to get a pointillist effect or making the best of detail in a high ISO image. Oh, and for hiding blown highlights too. But on the other hand, I do have bunches of actions/recipes adding curves for various toning effects, Agfa Record Rapid FB with selenium, Palladium or Cyanotype. Variety is the spice of life.
I'm still out on adding grain. While it does give a 'filmy' look to digital black and white, it seems to be much stronger than true grain would be if it were downsized to web dimensions. But more than that, it's really just a likeness of grain that is painted over the image and not really part of the photograph.
I would prefer using the grain that is inherent in digital noise. For example this photo was processed by using a/b blurring, so that the noise becomes monochromatic, then channel mixed and sharpened in such a way that the noise resembles (but is unique from) film grain.
While grain is not appropriate to every photo, I will continue to search for the proper way to use it for my B&W work.
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From Dave Winer's site:
I'm getting sick. And I'm moving on June 30.
Dave - don't get sick. I spent all day yesterday inside an MRI getting my head examined so I can relate. Just cause guys our age have lead a life of unbridled hedonistic pleasuring, it doesn't mean that we need to pay for it with metabolic syndrome or whatever they're calling aging these days.
Good luck my friend.
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I just read on Cadenhead's Workbench that Dave's shutting down free (Manila?) weblogs.com sites. I totally see his point. Since I never set up an account there I'm not affected, but I have made and supported free software, as well as provided free tutoring over the internet. Doing free stuff on the net was really cool, but trying to keep up with ongoing service, I burnt out on it. If the money's not there, what, exactly is the motivation to continue?
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