Darkroom Printing Secrets

[brusby]

I can print any kind of light, high contrast, low contrast, it doesn't matter.

Oh, ok.

Here's a high contrast scene, even the lamps are well drawn. Same way of printing as above.

Erik.

Then why are the highlights outside and some of the lamps blown out? The one top right has detail but it was aided by vignetting, sort of a natural burn. The other lights, without the aid of vignetting lack detail.

The interior scene is relatively low contrast, lit by many lights in a space where reflections tend to fill shadows.

But, where the contrast is higher -- the outside area and some of the lights --things are clearly blown out. It doesn't seem too bad because those areas are relatively small. If they had been larger, it would have been much more objectionable. What would you have done then?

Eric, I don't claim my way is for everyone. Just another tool to be used. But I don't understand why you continue to claim your way is the "best".

 

[Erik van Straten]

I do not claim that my way of printing is is better. It works only for B+W. It is invented in the 1950's by Pierre Gassmann, the founder of Picto. He was responsible for the prints of all the famous Magnum photographers, Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, Koudelka etc. The only thing you need is multigrade paper. And filters.

Here is a shot partly indoors and partly outdoors. Very difficult light. No burning or dodging.

Erik.

 

[brusby]

I do not claim that my way of printing is is better.

I don't want to keep beating this horse. But you said it's "best" when no dodging or burning is necessary.

That's just contrary to my experience and what I know about literally thousands of beautiful prints made by very talented photographers. I'm not saying your method can't be good or even great. But to suggest that it's the "best" way is not necessarily accurate.

Im done except to say that large window lit scenes aren't necessarily high contrast. When the window is very large, as in your shot, it becomes very similar to an outdoor scene. And if the outdoor light is not harsh, the contrast is often relatively low. Look at the shadow of the motorcycle in the foreground. Very soft and diffuse. It's like one huge soft box.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Yes, what you say is all true, but I find this way of printing miraculous. It is not for colour. You are a colour photographer.

Burning and doging distorts the natural relation of the tones of the picture.

Split grade printing is practically unknown. For years I've been wondering how the hell they did it. Now I know.

Erik.

 

[brusby]

I think some of your prints are beautiful. Some I find a bit too low in contrast for my tastes That's not a criticism, just any analysis from my perspective. I still like seeing what you do and I'm not suggesting you change. I love and appreciate different peoples perspectives. It would be really boring if everyone printed like me.

p.s.,

You are a colour photographer.

I spent every day for two years printing nothing but bw for a wonderful local architectural-commercial studio. Many of the prints ended up in national magazines, brochures and other publications. So, I have more than a little experience.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you very much, Brusby!

I hope to see more of your pictures of those beautiful girls!

Erik.

 

[Bill Clark]

Lots of variables with darkroom work.

I found a nice sized waste basket is a must have.

I’m pretty familiar with my printing in that I print what I like to see.

Try to have fairly consistent exposed negatives. It makes it easier and you can get more prints made each time you’re in the darkroom.

A radio is turned on when I’m making prints. Classical music.

Yes, dust can be a PITA! I keep my darkroom clean! And my furnace filter changed every three months.

I have an Omega B-22 XL I bought new in the 1960’s. I saved my money and bought a Chromega color head sometime in the early 1970’s. I was a glutton for punishment as I printed from both color negatives and color slides. No more! Only black and white now.

Your do less idea is a good idea.

I started this photography gig back in the 1950’s. Other folks here, similar time frame or the same.

Please let us know how we can help you.

It is a thrill to create art with this medium.

 

[Andy Kibber]

I'm new to darkroom printing, having started just last year.

My primary piece of advice is not specific to darkroom printing: you have to do it regularly or you'll never get the hang of it. At least once a week. Reading about it, thinking about it, etc. are no substitute.

I also found the split-grade printing method to be a revelation.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Try to have fairly consistent exposed negatives. It makes it easier and you can get more prints made each time you’re in the darkroom.

I prefer to make only one print on an evening. I give the print full attention. Usually I am too tired to make another one. Then it is usually only a waste of paper. Photo paper has become very expensive.

Drying and flatten the print takes some time too. I have a Büscher print dryer. It takes about half an hour to dry a print. I have a Seal Compress 110 to flatten the print, takes 90 seconds.

My enlarger is a Focomat IIc (with a filter drawer and a large Leitz printing easel).

Erik.

 

[Rob-F]

I have found that the least change in exposure that produces a change I can detect is around fifteen percent. So if a 20 second exposure is too light, then 23 seconds would give me the smallest meaningful change. In practice I usually think in terms of about 20 percent or a bit more. Since it's proportional, the intervals will not be constant. Using a digital timer, at roughly 20 percent a set of proportional times could be 20-24-30-36-44, etc. rather than 20-24-28-32-36, etc. This would be hard to do, and not practical, for a test strip; but it is the way I think when making several prints at incremental exposures. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Erik van Straten]

Rob, I use the times (seconds): 10, 11.5, 13.2, 15.2, 17.4, 20.1, 23,1, 26.6, 30.5, 35.1, 40.4, 46.5, 53.4, 61.4, 71.6, 81.2, 93.3, 107.3, 123, 141, 163, 184, 215, 247, 284, 327, 386, 482, 554, 637, 756, 843, 969, 1.114, 1.282, 1.474, so around 15%, yes.

It is very handy to use fixed times. A good timer (with a memory) is very important, I have a Hauck MSA II.

Erik.

 

[ACullen]

I've recently tried again to get my head around split grade printing. The hardest thing I'm finding is judging how much tone i need in the highlights from Grade 0 before moving onto grade 5 for the shadows.

The other night I tried again and got better results using my RH Designs Analyser Pro in 2 minutes than an hour trying to get split grade results looking anywhere near as good. I'm determined to continue trying as I can see the science behind why it should deliver better results. That plus anything that reduces dodging and burning has got to be good.

 

[Corran]

Something to remember about split-grade printing is that the combined print is still just a grade. Your print might have an effective "Grade" of "3.63" but I doubt the difference between that and 3.5 is noticeable.

After experimenting with it I've gone back to straight printing, and then sometimes I use 00 or 5 filters for burning. Which, one should absolutely do when necessary, and learn when/why one needs it. The "straight, no d&b" print may feel like purity, but insisting on that at all times is simply limiting yourself and your creation of possibly a better, more expressive print.

 

[Erik van Straten]

After experimenting with it I've gone back to straight printing, and then sometimes I use 00 or 5 filters for burning. Which, one should absolutely do when necessary, and learn when/why one needs it. The "straight, no d&b" print may feel like purity, but insisting on that at all times is simply limiting yourself and your creation of possibly a better, more expressive print.

I agree completely with this. All I want to say is that with split grade printing there is no need for burning and/or dodging to get all parts of the picture drawn - but it is most cases possible to make a "correct" print without burning and dodging when going the split grade way. But I agree that for a personal style anything is possible, of course. There are no laws.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I've recently tried again to get my head around split grade printing. The hardest thing I'm finding is judging how much tone i need in the highlights from Grade 0 before moving onto grade 5 for the shadows.

The other night I tried again and got better results using my RH Designs Analyser Pro in 2 minutes than an hour trying to get split grade results looking anywhere near as good. I'm determined to continue trying as I can see the science behind why it should deliver better results. That plus anything that reduces dodging and burning has got to be good.

My advice is not to use the "0" filter, but the "00" filter, just to get the highlights nicely drawn. When the highlights are OK, you can make the exposure with filter 5. The 5 filter is used to get the dark parts right.

For a split grade print two exposures are required, one with filter 00 and the other with filter 5, of course on multigrade paper (variable contrast).

Erik.

 

[Deardorff38]

The real secret to darkroom printing is to keep printing. Like any other endeavour, we develop a better understanding and our skills improve with hours/years put into the practice. As Bill Clark mentioned (& Ansel Adams before him) a large waste basket is very handy. There are no magic bullets.

 

[brothernature]

Lots of variables with darkroom work.

Your do less idea is a good idea.

I started this photography gig back in the 1950’s. Other folks here, similar time frame or the same.

Please let us know how we can help you.

It is a thrill to create art with this medium.

Thanks, Bill. I agree, photography has many stages of magic, seeing the print come up in the developing tray is just one of them.

I wish I would have set constraints for myself early on and stuck to them, but I guess it's all part of the learning process.

Now I shoot one type of film, always at the same speed, always developed in the same developer for the same amount of time. This has made learning to print this time around a lot easier than when I started photography and had less consistent negatives.

Erik, I appreciate your tips. I'll have to test out your split grade method next time. I was always told you adjust contrast with split grade by upping the low-contrast filter you use, which never made sense to me and I think was producing muddy prints. Do you know of any other timers that are easy to find that have two memory slots? The Hauk MSA seems tough to find.

 

[Guest]

Well I just wish there was another developing solution out there that worked at higher temperatures. I live in Georgia USA and it’s only during the winter that I can print. It’s simply too hot down here between March and November. A number around 75 would be adequate but 68 is simply too cool, when it’s around 95 outside.

 

[Andy Kibber]

Something to remember about split-grade printing is that the combined print is still just a grade. Your print might have an effective "Grade" of "3.63" but I doubt the difference between that and 3.5 is noticeable.

I'm not sure that's correct. I do not find any one filter to have the same effect as the split-grade method.

But perhaps I'm wrong on that. I'm new to darkroom printing and there are many variables, which makes direct comparisons between methods difficult.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thanks, Bill. I agree, photography has many stages of magic, seeing the print come up in the developing tray is just one of them.

I wish I would have set constraints for myself early on and stuck to them, but I guess it's all part of the learning process.

Now I shoot one type of film, always at the same speed, always developed in the same developer for the same amount of time. This has made learning to print this time around a lot easier than when I started photography and had less consistent negatives.

Erik, I appreciate your tips. I'll have to test out your split grade method next time. I was always told you adjust contrast with split grade by upping the low-contrast filter you use, which never made sense to me and I think was producing muddy prints. Do you know of any other timers that are easy to find that have two memory slots? The Hauk MSA seems tough to find.

There are other timers with a memory; my Hauck MSA II has place for 10 different exposure times, but there are others. Maybe it is possible to use two simple timers, one for filter 00 and the other for filter 5.


Erik.