Shit happens. Wrong speed setting and/or wrong development (like with this example here), or excessive push can lead to difficulties in positive process. Thin negatives, or negatives with thin shadows and dense lights are sometimes not to be printed satisfactorily.
A slightly shadow separation admittedly is recognizable in this negative, however it is not enough. If the lights are right, all shadow zones become deep black . The densities of beard and black jumper are too near together, in the print a "black hole." With thin negatives, split-exposering (with dogging at the soft light) retires because the time with Y-Filter is too short. Two Tray development can then be the solution. In any case, it is to be chosen a premium-paper with long tonal range (like Ilford MGWT, Bergger CB, Agfa MCC) for such problematic negatives.
First a hard working developer for the separation of the shadows, after that a normal developer for the lights. The more the two developers lie apart in their effect, the bigger the possibilities of influence are.
Lith as first developer offers itself of course.
The fatter the Lith, the shorter the exposure time can be. The shorter the exposure time, the better the shadow-separation.
Because the light-quantity is however higher, as with normal processing, the second developer should be not too soft. A diluted normal-developer will do, sometimes it´s better to mix a harder (and slow) one.
I. SE5 LITH A+B+water 40+40+500ml
II. VGT TOOL A+B+C+water 30+5+50+500ml
dev. times 4:30 + 2:30 minutes
