The
quality of your enlarging lens
will lead to better and sharper results at greater magnification. The aperture
( low number = large opening, high number = small opening) you set not only
affects the amount of light it lets through but the depth of field as well. A
good average aperture is F/5.6 in most cases. If the exposure times are to
short a larger F number is needed, this will give you a chance to hold back
shadow areas that may become to dark to show any detail. But don't get carried
away and close down the lens by too many
F numbers as this may over heat the negative causing it to buckle, making the
picture loose sharpness.
Friday 27 January 2012
Thursday 26 January 2012
Dodging and burning.
A selection of dodgers |
No matter how well you expose and develop your negatives, when it comes to making a positive you will need to equalize the exposure by holding back and burning in to keep the detail in the highlights and shadow areas. In a lot of cases it is not possible to alter the overall exposure time to take these deficiency's in to account. In these cases dodgers as the name implies will help you get round this problem. You can use your hands, fingers, pieces of card, a length of wire with a cut out of card stuck to it and cards with holes in them.
Holding back |
No matter how well you expose and develop your negatives, when it comes to making a positive you will need to equalize the exposure by holding back and burning in to keep the detail in the highlights and shadow areas. In a lot of cases it is not possible to alter the overall exposure time to take these deficiency's in to account. In these cases dodgers as the name implies will help you get round this problem. You can use your hands, fingers, pieces of card, a length of wire with a cut out of card stuck to it and cards with holes in them.
Burnning in |
Dodgers are
not just for correcting problems, they are there also for creative purposes for
example to bring out some extra drama in the scene, add a shaft of light where
there was none or to bring two pictures together where one maybe lacking any
sky detail.
Labels:
composition,
darkroom,
dodger,
exposure,
expression,
highlight,
image,
photograph,
print,
shadow,
tool
Tuesday 24 January 2012
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.
Labels:
black and white,
magazine,
monochrome,
pain,
photograph,
picture,
press,
print
Thursday 19 January 2012
Evaluating your print test strip.
low contrast |
High contrast |
correct contrast |
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.
Labels:
black and white,
contrast,
image,
monochrome,
photograph,
picture,
print,
shades of grey,
silver,
strip,
test
Tuesday 17 January 2012
Colour film well out of date.
The
friend that gave me the out of date colour film did so in part for the removal of a
partly exposed roll of film from her Dads camera a week or so earlier. She was
not sure if it had become stuck or not.
The camera
was an Olympus OM707. The battery carrier lid was broken and held in place with
sticky tape and not working. The batteries were flat, so I tried some new ones
but there was still no life which is a shame as it was in good order otherwise
and had been in regular use up until eight years earlier. I had not come across
this camera before so was not sure if I would be able to unwind the film
manually. I found a re-wind button on the base plate, pressed it and went into
the darkroom and opened the back. I took the cassette out first then gently
pulled on the film and to my surprise it started to unwind. Once the film was
fully removed I wound it back into the cassette.
A couple of
weeks later I found out that the film had been developed and to her surprise it
had produced some excellent results. It just goes to show even with a partly
exposed colour film that has been sitting in a camera for eight years and
extremely out of date, it can still produce some unexpectedly good results!
Yes I will
admit that it is a risk when using film well outside the bbd; even more so with
colour but I do not believe, like some, that you should only use this film with
a so called toy camera as it suggests that if it goes wrong then it's “OK!” You
just have to look at the lomograph site to see some excellent photographs.
Personally you should have the courage of your conviction, use the best camera
you can lay your hands on and embrace the results no matter what!
The colour
pictures attached to this post were taken on my F5 on Agfa vista neg film that
could have been out of date by fifteen years or so and kept in “iffy”
conditions. So I walked into Lincoln on a warm sunny day with this film and an open mind. If I had listened to the doom and gloom
merchants it was likely a waste of time! As it happens it was a good result
even though I would have liked some colour shift to the pictures.
Related Posts:
Saturday 14 January 2012
PMK Pyro after bath.
I have
been developing Ilford FP4+ 120 format in PMK Pyro for ten minutes for quite some time, without an afterbath.
With my latest use of this developer I decided to change part of the
process, instead of inverting the tank every twenty seconds I changed
it to every fifteen seconds to see if this increased the density of
the negatives. My reasoning is that previous negatives have looked a
bit on the thin side. Yes you are right! I could have increased the
developing time but wanted to find out how much influence agitation
has on the process.
FG 1 Film FP4+ |
When changing or
adapting a method that works well, it is better to change one aspect
of it at a time so that it makes it easier to judge whether it is an
improvement or not. So what did I do introduce a re-bath of the film
in the developer after the fix. The after bath is part of the full
process when using PMK pyro that completes the staining. Up to now I
have not felt the need to do this but was curious to see how much
stain would be added and if it improves the print quality. I did this
for the two minutes suggested which I agitated for thirty-seconds at
the beginning and ten seconds one minute later.
FG 2 Film FP4+ |
There has been a marked difference
in the density and the colour of the staining on the negatives. The
picture marked Fg 1 shows the negatives developed with the afterbath,
they have a yellow-brown look to them. Fg 2 shows negatives
without the bath and they have a purplish look to them.
These results
would suggest that an increase in agitation has just as much effect
if not more on the density of the negative than an increase in the
process time. The afterbath also produces a significant change in how
much stain is deposited which is supposed to help in making these
negatives easier to print. I have found that even without the extra
staining I have been producing some wonderfully toned photographs. I
have not printed this latest set of negatives yet but hope to do so
soon.
Related Posts:
FP4+ PMK pyro method update.
PMK Pyro developer part B
PMK Pyro working solution
Related Posts:
FP4+ PMK pyro method update.
PMK Pyro developer part B
PMK Pyro working solution
Labels:
darkroom,
developer,
ilford,
method,
monochrome,
negative,
photography,
PMK Pyro,
process
Thursday 12 January 2012
Keeping to a known formular
It is always
difficult to know when you first start printing, which developer
and paper combination to go with. Pick one and stick with it. It is
not a good idea to keep chopping and changing in the beginning.
The best way to approach this is to choose the developer that the manufacture recommends for their film and paper. They have spent a lot of time researching what works the best. Once you have become used to developing and printing you can start to experiment if you wish.
Antonov An2 Film Ilford FP4+ 6x6 neg, developed in Ilford ID11, printed on Ilford Multigrade RC gloss, processed using Ilford multigrade paper developer. |
Tuesday 10 January 2012
PMK Pyro solution part B.
As mentioned
in this post
the developer is divided into two parts as a stock solution. Part B is the
larger quantity of the two and suffers from settlement where the powder comes
out of suspension and accumulates at the bottom of the bottle. Before use, you
should shake the bottle well so that it goes back to a milky colour. It would
seem that the larger the crystals in packet B the more drop out there will be.
I have not yet found a method that stops this.
Labels:
analogue,
B,
developer,
film,
photography,
PMK Pyro,
second part,
solution
Sunday 8 January 2012
Idiot list!
I've
been clearing out the closet that I use as a darkroom. Whilst I was moving out some old
photographic paper the bottom of one packet opened and on to the floor dropped
a clear plastic folder. To my surprise it's my original film processing list; a
step by step reminder for the developing process, showing what quantities to
mix and how long to develop each of the makes of film. At the time it was
Ilford PanF, FP4 and HP5. The developer is the recently reintroduced Paterson
Aculux. The only film from the list to stand the test of time is FP4; the only
film I use from Ilford regularly and remains my all time favorite.
When
starting on your journey to develop your own film it is a good idea to make up
an idiot list. It is there in writing to prompt you on what to do next; it is a
way of ensuring that the process goes smoothly and that the negatives are
properly developed. As you become more proficient you should update your list
with the changes you make - ie: film development times, solution quantities
etc. I still use one but now it's divided into two. One page shows the
developing method needed for each of the developers I use and page two is a
prompt for the stop, fix and wash procedure. I know it backwards but old habits
die-hard.
So what has
changed over the years? The developer for a start. The stop time has increased
to two minutes. I no longer check to see if the film has cleared and the
milkiness has gone after two and a half minutes when fixing. I had forgotten
that I even did this! The wash time is down to fifteen minutes and I do not add
fourteen drops of wetting agent - thats way to much!
Labels:
aculux,
developer,
list,
method,
pan f,
paterson,
photography,
procedure,
process,
traditional
Saturday 7 January 2012
Luxuary Darkroom.
Some more kit
for those with a bit more space and money.
- Enlarger with auto focus, tilting base and better lens.
- Enlarging easel 30 x 40 cm (12"x16") with four blades.
- Wall mounted safe lights and one white light.
- Automatic darkroom timer.
- Two timers one for developer and another for fix.
- Dishes 30 x 40 cm (12"x 16") and or slot processor.
- 50 ml measure.
- Four heaters with built-in thermostats for dishes.
- Four thermometers, alcohol.
- Double sided glazier with thermostat.
- Electric print dryer.
- Roller squeegee.
- Printing paper FB.
- Vacuum mount press.
- Film drying cabinet.
- Paper washer.
This is not a
definitive list.
Labels:
darkroom,
equipment,
kit,
list,
luxuary,
photographic,
printing,
traditional
Friday 6 January 2012
Film storage.
Out of date colour film. Upto four years on some boxes |
How do you define
fresh? A film that has a long expiry date, one that has been kept refrigerated
most of its life or even in the deep freeze. It is true to say that film used
before the manufactures expiry date, which by the way is a conservative
indication of when it should be used by, will yield the best results provided
that it has been kept properly. The manufacturers suggest that normal conditions are temperatures of no
greater than 24 degrees C (75 F) and a relative humidity of 40% to as much as
60% in some cases. At temperatures and humanities greater than this will cause
the emulsions to age far quicker. Normal conditions also refer to the fact that
the film should only be removed from, in the case of 35mm from its plastic
container and roll film from its foil wrapper just prier to use. Once the film
has been exposed the rate of deterioration increases so you should not leave it
to long after the roll is finished, to develop the latent image. It is
reasonable to say that monochrome film
is more robust relatively speaking to colour film which has a greater number
of delicate layers for the atmosphere
to attack and if stored badly will increase the likely hood of a colour shift.
Fg 1 Film 35mm, FP4, developed in ID11. Printed on Ilford MGr paper |
Freezing is
an extreme method of slowing the ageing process and can cause problems with condensation and ice particles.
Refrigeration is the most popular with film photographers but should be treated
with care and common sense. At one time I used this method but not any more as
it is not suitable with the way I work. Instead I use a floor standing Cabernet
that is out of direct sunlight and away from direct heat. I have used this
method for years with no ill affects. I also pay little attention to expiry
dates as experience has shown me that it has had little affect on my results
thus far.
FG 2 Same as above. |
A couple of
years ago I was sorting out some boxes of darkroom kit when I came across some
containers of FP4 that was about twenty years out of date. I say twenty but on
thinking back it's probably closer to thirty years or longer. The pictures (fg1
& fg2) are the results from one of those rolls of FP4 which was mistakenly
exposed at ISO 400. Half the film was developed in ID11 and timed for HP5 and
the other was developed in Rolie R3 developer and timed for 400 iso. With results like this it makes
me wonder whether refrigeration is necessary for monochrome emulsion if stored
with care.
Related Posts:
Colour film out of date
Labels:
colour,
film,
fp4,
ilford,
image,
latent,
monochrome,
negative,
normal,
paper,
r3,
Refrigeration,
rollie,
storage,
traditional,
twenty,
years
Thursday 5 January 2012
400TX: Agfa APX 400 in Prescysol
I came across this post while looking up a friends blog. It is worth a read as Jeffery Smith makes some interesting points. I must say that my use of the newly released Agfa APX 100 with PMK Pyro has not shown the signs of graininess he refers to with the faster film. But then I'm not sure that the new film is of the same make up as the discontinued one. He also did not say whether or not he used an after bath when processed his films.
400TX: Agfa APX 400 in Prescysol
400TX: Agfa APX 400 in Prescysol
Wednesday 4 January 2012
PMK Pyro a working solution
I am no
stranger to making up developers from powders into stock solutions. The first thing you notice is the
very small amount it makes up. Next, it comes in two parts and last, the powder
needs to be mixed into distilled/de-ionised water ( used for car battery top
ups ).
Solution
A mixes up as
follows:
Pour 80 mls
of de-ionised water at room temperature into a measure. Open the packet marked A inside there are two sachets, take the smaller
one and mix that in until it dissolves, do the same with the second one. It is
important that they go in, in the right order. Make the solution up to a 1oo
mls once done pour into a small storage container.
Solution
B
Pour 160 mls
of de-ionised water at room temperature into a measure. Add the contents of
packet B slowly to the water stirring all the
time until dissolved. Then top up to 200 mls. Again pour into small storage
container.
Some
notes:
By the time
all the powders are mixed in, the amount of top up will be very small. The
distilled/de-ionised water helps it to stay fresh and will keep well in partly
filled bottles. Solution B has a bit of drop out and will need to be shaken clear
before use. Makes up to 10 litres of working developer.Freshly made PMK Pyro |
A normal mix
is as follows,
•
One
part A + two parts B to One hundred part of water.
e.g: To make
600 mls of working developer. Measure out 500 mls of water add 6 mls of
solution A then add 12 mls of solution B and top off to 600 mls and stir. It is
important that they go in in this order.
Notes:
•
When
you add part B to the water it will turn a straw colour,
if this happens it's OK to use.
•
Working
temperature should be 20- 21 degrees C depending on which make of film you are
using. You can check this with Digital truths
massive dev chart.
Used PMK Pyro developer.You reuse this at the end of the process to add extra stain to the negatives. |
•
Prepare
everything else before you make up the working developer then use it straight
away as it oxidises very quickly.
•
When
you pour the developer out at the end of the allotted time the solution will be
very dark brown.
•
It
is a 'use once and throw away' developer.
•
It
is not necessary to re-dip the film in the developer after it has been fixed to
increase staining.
•
Make
working solution up with filtered tap water.
Labels:
chemical,
de-ionised,
developer,
distilled,
Hutchens,
instruction,
mixing,
packets,
PMK Pyro,
powder,
solution,
water
Test strips before printing.
The
test strip is the foundation to obtaining a good final print. Unless you have one of RH designs excellent Analsyser Pro enlarging meters. If not the most common way of
producing a test strip is with a sheet of card moved at timed intervals across
light-sensitive paper. There are several things you need to set before doing
the test: the size of the print, the aperture of the enlarging lens and making
sure you have sharp focus.
10 x 8 test strip. |
What
should the time separation be?
A good starting point for prints around the ten by eight size is five seconds.
These intervals will give you a rough idea of what the exposure should be. This
can be refined with further test strips of two and/or one second if needed.
On
what grade of paper should you make the test print? Grade one is standard practice. If the method you use places your negatives at a particular grade In my case it is grade three then you should do your test print at that grade unless you are using the split grade method.
Related posts:
Evaluating your test strips
Related posts:
Evaluating your test strips
Labels:
image,
light sensitive,
negative,
paper,
photography,
print,
printing,
strips,
test
Tuesday 3 January 2012
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 |
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 |
Labels:
120 format,
6x6,
cropping,
developer,
format,
fp4,
id11,
ilford,
landscape,
medium,
motor bikes,
multigrade,
negative,
picture,
portrait,
reframing,
size,
the dales,
waterscape
Monday 2 January 2012
Photographys. Bigger again?
To
make enlargements over 50 x 60 centimeters requires a different working
practice and a large darkroom.
If your negatives allow you to print them at 50 x 60 centimeters this is not the end of the story, you can go bigger with roll sized paper of 65, 100 and even 130 centimeters wide. But to go larger you will need a different method to produce them and a larger negative to start with which will increase the quality of the image projected by the enlarger. Your darkroom will need to be big enough to cope with the increased size of equipment. You will need an area of clear space that the enlarger can project the image onto whether it is the floor or a wall. Of the former the latter is the better way of doing things as you are less likely to get dust on the paper, it also makes it easier to dodge and burn if you need to.
Labels:
darkroom,
enlargments,
equipment,
light sensitive,
materials,
print,
silver
Sunday 1 January 2012
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.
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