Search results

No, it's not the title of my brand new hit single, but a perplexing question. Recently I shot a bunch of Type 55 and have been steadily printing the negatives with good result. Today I was trying to print one in particular and I noticed something strange: the negative was positive. The darks are...

Do you have any kind of schedule or manifesto someplace?

Yes, mind-numbing at times! That's why I'm trying to save as much time as possible without affecting quality. Right now I'm using Maco developer and the only paper I get good repeatable results on is the Maco paper. Unfortunately they are only producing glossy (according to the email they sent...

This certainly seems to be the case. Lest you think I have been slacking or asking questions without actually trying things, here are two scans of prints I have made recently: Dead Link Removed Sometimes I am able to produce this look with some degree of consistency when using certain...

Bob, here's what it comes down to: How many 7-minute exposed prints can you develop at 3-5 minutes vs. 7 1-minute exposured prints? I'm looking at ways to make the best out of the time I have. Simple as that. You already do this when you alk about your 3-5 minute development time. I'm asking the...

Hi Dan, I know that adjusting f/stop and shutter on a camera to get the exact same "reading" produces vastly differing photographs. Based on that then using a different combination at printing would give different prints.

Bob, what do you think about my initial question regarding exposure times and f/stops? Would increasing the exposure while keeping the time the same result in an identical (theoretically) print? Would exposing at f/64 for a seriously long time also result in the same print? I've been looking...

Right now 'm just trying to nail down the exposure equation. I've read a lot of Bob's stuff and I understand the development aspects, I'm just wondering bout the initial exposure.

Hi Ann, yes, three times exposure is not necassarily three f/stops. Let me rephrase the question: Would exposing for the same amount of time while increasing the f/stop to the appropriate amount that gives three times the exposure produce the same result? With regard to sunlight, again I'm...

I have a couple of questions relating to exposure for lith printing. The general consensus seem to be exposing for an extra three-stops or so. In the books and comments online people seem to do that by adding time: taking an x-second exposure and leaving it in three times longer. Here's my first...

I use a small amount of Rexton Hyper-wet as a final short soak for my negatives to aid in them drying clean. Today it left a wonderful collection of chunky granules all over my negatives, requiring much washing and leaving to dry without any rinse aid. The solution itself looks okay, it...

Would the Ilford Ortho be comparible, do you think?

That ws my suspicion as well, I've seen plenty of gold-toned prints but none looked like those. Maybe I just haven't seen enough of them, but it struck me as interesting.

Surely 1895 would be considered the late 1800s? Certainly they could have been made later, and my memory put the dates a decade earlier than the book said and for that I appologize.

The hibiscus is gorgeous as far as the blacks go! I've been experimenting with tea lately, myself, oddly enough. I'd not considered selenium first. I just may have to try that!

The info comes from book, which is probably where the website got it from. I'm not aware of the historical timeline of the processes, but there wasn't any hesitation on the part of the author in describing them.

Not that I'm aware of.

The web images are just that: web images. You're right, they don't look terribly special, but without a good way to pass the book around I'm not sure of a better method. I figured someone might have seen the book or one of the prints. If it makes any difference the photos were made in the...

I've been in awe of the work of Charles Jones for some time now after stumbling upon Plant Kingdoms at my local library. His blacks are so rich that they look like tarnished silver. If you haven't seen his work, there is a good representation here...

Just an update: Over the weekend I decided to try it again using a different negative - this time a portrait. It turned out beautifully, just like in the books and photos I've seen. Creamy light tones and wonderful darks with transitions smooth as butter. It exceeded all of my expectations, a...

Sorry, I put the wrong URL in the link to the samples. The scans are at: Dead Link Removed

I think I was not giving enough exposure. I added a bunch of extra time which tamed the contrast to an extent, but still didn't give the results I've seen so many times with other photos.

I spent the last couple of days trying to come up with some decent prints. Increasing the exposure times even further (six minutes to nine minutes for hilights, up from three to four) helped in some cases, but not always, and sometimes with strange results. The longer exposures did tend to curb...

It looks like Maco=Cachet. I tried their RC paper and got the same results as with the Ilford. It's the Lith RC-F grade 2.

The problem for me is the high contrast and loss of hilights. Those two contribute to a photo that doesn't suit my subjects very well. The only thing I can see that I've done different is my time under the enlarger has not passed two minutes. Maybe the extra minute will help, I'm sure willing to...

I'm more than happy to put in the time and effort, I just figured after the twenty or so prints turned out identically bad on two different papers that I should probably stop and ask for help. Then I'd try any suggestions that came along and see where that went. I've got some Kentmere paper...

Despite a degree in molecular biology and working in a biotech lab some time ago I have a feeling that mixing my own chemicals will only add more variables to the problem!

My experience is obviously quite limited, so I'm very happily open to all suggestions. It just made sense to me that the rapid fixer was accelerating the undesirable bleaching process. But as I mentioned I didn't read anything specifically against using it, though the authors may just have...

Which fixer do you recommend, Ole?

But the fact that I can't get a light- or mid-tone no matter when I pull it is disturbing, isn't it? It just bleaches away in a few seconds. Almost all of the work I do is extreme macro of insects and spiders, and almost all of the details are destroyed by this.