Well..it looks like I'm going to be the first one to make comments.....my comments are based on first impressions (and too many years spent printing photos in commercial and custom darkrooms) , and are in no particular order - just in the order each print came out of the envelope..
Oxleyroad - Flower 11 June 2012
I promise Andrew's was a random first choice! Of the 2 prints I much prefer the one on white linen. I am a sucker for a van Dyke Brown print, but I feel the texture/tonality of the print is wonderful, and I like the way the stem of the tree blends in with the background to a greater extent than the Lith Developed print does. However having said that the staining caused by the Lith Developer has given the print a wonderful tone - warm and inviting - reminds me of prints made on Agfa Portrega many, many years ago..
Nige - Axedale cemetery
Great to see a infra red shot - especially shot on film (I know - this is a Analog group..all my infra red is now digital). I like the composition, but the lack of any true black in the print somehow bothers me. Maybe I spent too many years printing photos commercially and got used to putting black into everything? Just a suggestion, but I would have split printed - used the same grade (or slightly lower) that you sed for this print for 80% of your exposure, and printed the remaining 20% of the exposure through a grade 5 filter to put a bit of black in it without altering the tonal range too much.
Walbergb - Exposed Tree Roots
Again another print I like, and the split toning you've used suits it perfectly. I'm surprised you think the prints you made are dark - I think the density is perfect. Personally I would have burnt the 4 corners of the print in (with a bit extra on the top right side) to bring your eye to the tree and the roots in the centre of the image - letting the sunlight lead your eye across the image from right to left, stoping at the tree trunk.
SM Booth -Eurobin Creek
Nice print Shane - great tonal range, and please remember - I'm not a landscape photographer, but to me well composed. Personally I would have printed the top left corner a little bit darker (maybe 20-25% more exposure) so that your eye followed the waters path through the print from top to bottom (mine goes up the waters path to the top corner).
munz6869
You're right - the Fuji rangefinder is an impressive travel camera! Nice print - I would have liked to see the sky printed a litle darker on the top left corner to balance the photo (the right side of the sky is a little darker) - although I'm sure what we're seeing is how the scene was (lucky bugger!)
Spatz - Where the calm things are
I like it. I like the boats position, the contrast, the tonal range. I'm not sure about the half sprocket holes along the edge of the image? It's one of those photos that will immediately bring back the memory of where you were when you took the photo...nice
hoffy - Chopped,lowered, whitened
What can I say? I totally agree with you about the Koni Omega - I had the same love/hate relationship with it - super sharp, but not a natural camera to use....thats why I sold it.. You've done an excellent print - great detail in the highlights, good detail in the shadows. And nice use of depth of field.
Michael W
2 prints...my kind of man
Photo of your nephew. Lovely prints - both of them. This is one instance when I can't decide which print I prefer. Sometimes I prefer the darker one (I tend to print on the dark side), but then I like the extra detail in the lighter print. Maybe the lighter face on the darker print? As for the papers - I think both are capable of excellent results, and great tonal range.....and I may just have to order some Fuji paper for myself.
Print of the darkroom dismantled...I love small prints. I love the look you get using an older camera. And I'm amazed by the result you got using such out of date/high contrast glass plates. You've got me thinking I really should shoot that box of Kodak Tropical 1/2 plate glass plates I've got. Might be pushing it a bit, as they expired in 1948, but after seeing your results who knows??
I'm glad I was involved in this print exchange, and if people will have me I'll go and sign up for the next one. I have to agree with everyone who has said this is the best print exchange to date.
I hope people don't mind me making a few comments about their printing techniques.
I've avoided making comments in the past because I've been sumitting commercially made prints, but now that my old darkroom has been gutted and is in the process of being renovated I'm actually looking forward to getting back into the darkroom and making a few prints, and I've started thinking again about how to make a good print.
Having worked full time for over 15 years in commercial darkrooms I never thought I'd miss making prints, but I'm starting to realise I do, and I'm looking forward to making a few black and white prints once the darkrooms finished..