The traditional chemical darkroom provides photographers the means to
control the processing of black-and-white images. By using tools such as
dodging and burning and techniques that influence the color cast of a
print, photographers tap creative talents to convey the feeling of the moment
when an image was captured. During this process, knowledge of
darkroom chemistry is combined with the sensitivity of an artist to create a
fine-art print. This print, the finale to the composition and performance of
a visual symphony, represents a synthesis of the physical elements of the
scene with the photographer’s visualization of the final image.