Suppose you have ever stared at a compelling black-and-white photo and marveled at how it was taken. A master printer for Magnum Photos, Inirio has worked in darkrooms for decades, printing some of the most iconic photos in contemporary photography. One of the newest short video profiles provides a glimpse into his universe. It emphasizes how much work and craftsmanship go into darkroom photo printing.
For the uninformed, Magnum Photos is an agency founded by photographers who have been capturing the world since 1947. Their archive contains iconic, history-making images. Printing such photographs is not about technicality; it is about respecting the story, the subject, and the photographer’s original intention. That is where Inirio enters the scene.
What It Takes to Be a Master Printer?
Pablo Inirio began working at Magnum in the early 1990s. His introduction to the darkroom was one of curiosity and wonder. He recalls the first time he watched an image form in developer solution as almost magical. Although the process is chemical, seeing the picture develop before your eyes produces a sort of silent awe. After that, he was hooked.
What is most intriguing about Inirio’s process is how deliberate and precise it is. Printing is not about producing something that looks pretty. Instead, it is about being able to replicate that print years down the line if necessary. To achieve this, he marks up test prints with precise notes: where to add contrast, where to dodge or burn. These markings are also a visual cue and a functional aid for any subsequent reproductions. His preparatory prints typically resemble annotated charts, indicating every alteration he made manually.
One of the most perceptive sections of the video is observing how much consideration goes into every choice. A lighter edge here, a shadow drawn back there. Each print is a problem, and Inirio solves it patiently and carefully. For anyone interested in analog photography methods, this is a worthwhile glimpse into an aspect of the art that normally remains behind the scenes.
How Master Printers Keep Analog Photography Alive?
As I watched this, I was reminded how simple it is to take digital photography for granted. You click a picture, add a filter, and you’re finished. However, observing the attention to detail that Pablo Inirio brings to each print took me back to the genesis of the photographic process. The sorcery of the darkroom is not in the chemicals or the equipment.
It is in the hands and eyes of a person who knows the photo from the inside out. Knowing about his process made me appreciate more those who create classic images, not only seen but remembered.
If you are curious about analog photo printing or simply want to know how some of the world’s most amazing pictures come to life, this video provides a gentle but compelling glimpse into an extraordinary art.
[In the Darkroom with Pablo Inirio via DPReview; Image credits: Pexels]
