Photograph or print

I do find the photography press a pain when it comes to describing the difference between digital and traditionally produced black and white pictures! They can no longer call a photograph a photograph, it has to be a silver print or gelatin print, why? I think they need to get over themselves as the English language describes both types quite well without having to preface the word print. A photograph is a picture produced using light and chemicals. A print is a picture produced using ink. What could be simpler.

Evaluating your print test strip.

low contrast

High contrast

correct contrast

Now that you have your test strip what are you looking for? You are looking to see which of the timed sections gives you blacks that are really black without making the whites look grey, with a good separation of the greys in-between. If the picture looks grey overall with no defined blacks then the paper grade is too soft, meaning lack of contrast. On the other hand if the blacks dominate the picture then the grade of paper is to hard - too much contrast! If you need to change the grade of paper you will need to make another test strip. It should be noted that test strip evaluation is best carried out when they are dry as wet ones tend to hold back some of the more subtle grey tones which may encourage you to pull or push the expose time needed. While checking this you should also be ensuring that the focus is accurate.

When your test strip is pin sharp with good clear highlights, defined shadows and the right amount of contrast, you are ready to make a print.

Enlarging a section of the negative.

Picture from a 120 FP4+ ISO125 6x6 negative
 developed in ID11 and printed on Ilford MG paper
 Processed with Ilford MG Developer.
Landscape format

There are no rules when it comes to enlarging your negatives. Cropping, re-formatting and partial enlargement are all part of the creative process. Changing horizontals to verticals and diagonal is also part of this rich tapestry of creativity. The only time I feel this looks odd is with waterscapes and their horizons.

Portrait format

As one of those people that works with 6x6 negatives, cropping and reframing is all part of making the picture fit the paper. I'm not complaining but the fact is all paper sizes are oblong. I think this has helped me in getting the best from my pictures. I do not waste time in trying to make the whole negative fit the page; this is heresy to some who believe that having carefully framed the view that you should print as you saw it! This is not always possible, especially when you have a certain size of print in mind. Sometimes this careful framing once projected on the enlargers baseboard may look better with horizontal or vertical framing. Do not be afraid to play.

Square Format

Which do you prefer?

Enlarging the negative. How big?

Depends on how crisp the negative is! If it is razor sharp there is no reason why you cannot enlarge it to its maximum. A thirty-five millimeter negative should be able to produce a 24 x 30 centimeter print with ease and in exceptional cases 50 x 60 cm. To check if the negative is of a good enough quality, enlarge part of the frame to 18 x 24 centimeters, if it looks a bit grainy the chances are that when the whole negative is enlarged to 50 x 60 cm and viewed from a meter away it will look good.

When enlarging to larger sizes you need to take into account the distance that people will see the picture from. Large photos are rarely viewed up close.

Printing. Basic amount of kit.

The minimum amount of kit you need to produce a photographic print.

1. Enlarger with red filter and filter head (colour) or multi grade head. Without filter head separate multi grade filters. Enlarging lens.
2. Enlarging frame 18 cm x 24 cm (7"x 9") two-blade.
3. Orange/red safe light and ordinary light.
4. Four dishes minimum size 18 cm x 24 (7"x 9").
5. Three pairs of tongs, one each for developer,stop-bath and fix.
6. Three funnels of different colours or marked dev'. stop and fix.
7. A measuring jug of a 1000mls.
8. At least three storage bottles for your chemicals.
9. Timer with alarm or timer.
10. Thermometer alcohol type times three but you can get away with one.
11. Puffer brush.
12. Multi grade paper.
13. Paper cutter.
14. Focusing device.

The story behind the Winter Picnic Photograph.

It was round about this time last year (November/December 2010) that the UK was in the grip of the worst cold spell for as it turns out a hundred years. The country may have just missed coming to a standstill but it stopped me in my tracks literally, as I couldn't get the truck off the drive. The ice was a solid two inches thick not allowing for any grip!

The snow brought a brand new look to the area that I had not seen before, so I thought I would go out and take some photographs of this fresh, clean new wonderland of soft edges. Armed with my Bronica SQAi 120 format camera loaded with FP4 film I trudged gingerly off into the countryside.

Picnic

I was quite surprised to find there we a lot of people out and about with the same idea, walking the dog, playing and enjoying their enforced day off work. As I strolled further afield the numbers thinned until I was alone enjoying the crisp white land the snow had laid out for me to photograph; so engrossed with the scenes before me I forgot how bitterly cold it was until my throbbing freezing fingers sent SOS messages to my brain and brought me back to reality -“Shhahhhoi!!! Its cold.!” Pulling my gloves on the best I could I made off in a hurry to warm up.

Briskly walking up a path by one of the lakes the path turns a corner at the top where there is a bench and from a distance it looks like someone is sitting there! As I got closer I could see it was two people! -”they must be mad!- and it looks like they are having a picnic!” As I got closer I could see steam from their cups as they ate their mince pies! An idea for this picture was forming as I approach them to ask if they would mind being in the photograph. They did not mind, so I walked back down the track a bit, set up the camera on the mono pod, took a light reading and pressed the shutter. You're right! I only used one frame, no back up or bracketing, the view that came to mind is the one I took. After the shot was taken I walked back and chatted for a while. Apparently they don't let a little bad weather get in the way of them coming to their favourite spot! I wish them the best of the season and moved on. Not so mad after all! I wish I had thought to bring a hot drink with me!

I am pleased to say that Picnic was one of the Pictures chosen for this years Film and darkroom users Year Book. Which can be obtained from Blurb.

FADU year books