Single best book to improve darkroom printing

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click

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Hello,

I'm an experienced printer but I'm always looking to advance my skills. I taught myself how to do it and wonder about other techniques to create different looks. What's the best book on printing you've discovered?

Thanks,

Click
 
I would like to know that too, but I have the feeling lots of darkroom time/practice are what is needed...
 
David Vestal's book "The Art of Enlarging" taught me most of what I know about the subject (suplemented with classes afterwards).
 
I can highly recommend Bruce Barnbaum's "The Art of Photography" which covers more than just darkroom techniques, but discusses many other aspects which are essential to making effective images. I've been developing/printing for over 10 years and I have about a dozen books on darkroom techniques, many of which repeat the same and processes and ideas. Bruce's book covers subjects that other books don't mention, such as the emotional elements of a good image and how this factors into his final prints. This book has opened my eyes (so to speak) regarding many areas of my own photography, so try to check it out if you can.
 
I'm going to get Larry Barlett's Book and start there. I'm already a good printer I'm just becoming interested in other methods. After that I'll look into "Way Beyond Monochrome" to explore that. Because different images call for different printing styles I think this will really expand my ability for expression.

Thanks for the recommendations,

Click
 
I'd like to add Way beyond Monochrome to my library.

Two I can recommend are Photographic Printing by Gene Nocon (inventor of the f-stop print exposure system) and Creative Elements by Eddie Ephraums.
 
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I am not sure, because I have not read it myself, but isn't Ansel Adams' 'The Print' the reference?
 
I read Adam's books and learned a trick or two but I know how to do that kind of printing already, I want to see how others do it in order to create different looks to suit the image.

I currently have my own soot and chalk printing style and want to actually make it even more extreme.
 
Another good one is "The Master Printer's Workbook - A Professional Guide to B+W Darkroom Techniques" by Steve MacLeod. Lots of good examples and technical information on a variety of processes. The author is a professional printer for a number of renowned photographers and uses many of their images showing a wide range of styles and subjects. This is not a basic "How-to" book, but if you already know the fundamentals, this book has some really creative ideas.
 
There are so many good books that its hard to define THE book. Many classics mentioned here. I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Henry Horenstein's book: "Black and White Photography, A Basic Manual" that does contain lot of good stuff on wet printing as well.

1027298039-140-140-5-0
 
kmallick said:
There are so many good books that its hard to define THE book. Many classics mentioned here. I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Henry Horenstein's book: "Black and White Photography, A Basic Manual" that does contain lot of good stuff on wet printing as well.

1027298039-140-140-5-0
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+1 for Horenstein - try for the third edition (2005 - I think that's the latest).

I also have another of his: Beyond Basic Photography - a technical manual which has more about processing of prints (also film) especially toning, staining etc and archival processing but nothing on how to expose the print - as the name says - a technical manual.

In The Print Adams is quite dismissive of resin-coated papers, but much of the rest is useful, as long as you recognise that the detailed developing process he describes is for fibre-base paper.
 
Darkroom & Darkroom 2 by Lustrum press

Darkroom & Darkroom 2 by Lustrum press

click said:
...I want to see how others do it in order to create different looks to suit the image. ...
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Then this is probably a book you'd want. It's not a "How-To" guide, it's a series of articles written by a very diverse group of photographers - talking about how each one use the darkroom to create their own unique vision.
 
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If you are looking for a book on what advanced printing of landscape photographs can be all about, try Eddie Ephraums book Creative Elements. Extremely will illustrated with examples and covers all of the main printing techniques and more. I have read Adams, Vestal and Coote, all great books, but this book by Ephraums is really fantastic.
 
jim_jm said:
Another good one is "The Master Printer's Workbook - A Professional Guide to B+W Darkroom Techniques" by Steve MacLeod. Lots of good examples and technical information on a variety of processes. The author is a professional printer for a number of renowned photographers and uses many of their images showing a wide range of styles and subjects. This is not a basic "How-to" book, but if you already know the fundamentals, this book has some really creative ideas.
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Upon seeing this thread I immediately thought of this book. If you are a good printer already it will give you plenty of inspiration, and enough information to launch further exploration in any number of directions. It's not a technical manual but it's well worth a look.
 
Finding one book that does an excellent job of covering all different aspects of the darkroom is a tall order. What kind of "look" are you going for? Are you looking for specific info on alternative processes, toning, masking, lith, retouching, etc.?

David Vestal's art of enlarging is a good basic book (one of the better ones), but it sticks more or less to "straight" B&W darkroom work.

The Bartlett book is also good, but don't expect it to be an all encompassing tome...80% of it has to deal with variations on advanced dodging and burning techniques. If you are looking for a book to help you dodge and burn this is the one to get.

Tim Rudman's books are very good. "The photographers master printing course" is a good one that covers most bases of general darkroom work. His toning book is THE toning reference. He also has some lith books that are good if you wan't to delve into that arena.

One of my favorites is an old one - "Lootens on photographic enlarging and print quality" is a fun book from the 50's that is still a very valuable reference. It covers some topics that you would be hard pressed to find in any "modern" darkroom book.

I've heard very good things about "way beyond monochrome" but I have not had a chance to page through it - it might be worth a look.
 
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