Intro to Photography
The steps to a finished print
Make a test strip
1. Middle f-stops like f 11 or f16 are a good starting point. Click from the
widest aperture down to the desired opening.
2. Cut a sheet of printing paper into 5 strips along the landscape dimension.
3. Lay the strip of paper in the easel, emulsion side up.
4. Use an opaque piece of cardboard to cover most of the strip of paper - about 85 % of it.
5. Set the enlarging timer for 14 seconds.
6. Switch on the timer to expose the uncovered area of the strip for 2 seconds.
7. Move the cardboard andcontinue counting every two seconds for a total of 7 separate 2 second exposures....
The test strip can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Any direction which
gives you the most information in terms of how shadows, midtones and highlights
will print at various exposures. Don't make test strips too small! This will
not save, but waste photo paper and your equally valuable time. If the test
print does not give you the information needed to correctly estimate print
exposure, make another with more refined times.
Place your test paper on the focal point highlight. In the light, estimate
the best exposure. If the whole strip is too light, open the enlarger lens
1 stop, if too dark, close 1 stop.
Repeat steps 1-7.
After getting a good highlight exposure, look into the shadows.... are they
too dark? Too gray and light? ... or just right...?
...If dark and blocked, lower the contrast by putting a lower contrast variable
contrast filter in the enlarger... start with a 1 1/2 grade
...If the blacks are gray and weak, raise the contrast by putting a 3 1/2
filter in the enlarger filter drawer.
Develop the test strip*
Developer: 1 minute, 2 min for fiber paper
Stop Bath: 30 seconds
Fixer: 1 minute for RC paper, 4 min for fiber paper.
Final Wash: 2-3 minutes (RC paper)
* developing times for Sprint chemistry
2. Estimate the exposure (time)
Print exposure determines overall brightness of a print. Too much exposure results in both shadows and highlights being dark, too little exposure leaves shadows and highlights too light.
3. Determine the contrast (contrast grade)
Contrast refers to the difference between shadows and highlights. A good print should have both light and dark areas and a lot of greys in between.
If you print on variable contrast paper, you can vary the contrast of your print using different filters or, if the enlarger has already build-in-filters, using the dials of the enlarger.
4. Expose a full sheet of paper as soon as you think you have the
correct exposure and contrast.
5. Burning and dodging
Burning: A technique to selectively add exposure to to darken an area of
the print.
Dodging: To hold back exposure to lighten an area of a print.
6. The final evaluation
Evaluate the results in terms of the whole print. Try to view your results as if you are seeing the print for the first time.
Wet prints dry down in the light zones and lose contrast. What looks good
wet in the darkroom, may be too dark or flat as a dry print.
QUICK SILVER PRINT DEVELOPER
For black and white prints with brilliant neutral tones. Dilute 1:9 with
water.
BLOCK STOP BATH
Buffered and vanilla scented, with color indicator to signal exhaustion of
working solution. Dilute 1:9 with water.
RECORD SPEED FIXER
Odorless, non-hardening, non-bleaching fixer. For prints, dilute 1:9 with
water.
ARCHIVE FIXER REMOVER
Removes contaminants, and shortens archival wash times for black and white
films and prints. Dilute 1:9 with water.
RECORD ALUM HARDENING CONVERTER
Converts RECORD Speed Fixer and BLOCK Stop Bath into hardening solutions
for black and white films and prints. For films, add 30ml of concentrate per
liter of 2:8 RECORD Speed Fixer working solution. For prints, add 15ml of
concentrate per liter of 1:9 RECORD Speed Fixer working solution.
END RUN WETTING AGENT & STABILIZER
Includes anti-static agents for use with black and white films and prints. Dilute this super-concentrate 1:99 with water.