Advice needed! Nick Knight style 90's B&W printing

[FL at CC]

Hey everyone - I'm really left scratching my head on how to properly print the very high contrast type images as Nick Knight did during the late 80's and onward. I'm using 10x8 and 6x6, mostly Tmax 100 and 400 and TXP. I can't seem to get the 'edge' on my prints as while contrasty, don't have the same impact. I'm using D76 1:1 for 8.5 minutes and Bromophen 1:3 for 2.5 to 3 minutes and 22 deg C and Dektol 1:1 at 22 deg C for 2.5 minutes.

I've attached the reference images I'm thinking of, can anyone give any ideas??

 

[koraks]

I'd say something like use a film that easily builds density (say, FP4+), underexpose by about a stop, develop the &*%& out of that film (in a non-compensating developer; D76 would be OK) and then print at the desired contrast.

 

[neeksgeek]

You might try developing your film in Dektol. A search here will produce some suggested times and dilutions.

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

Its also the lighting and in the case of the David Copperfield photo the choice of a harder light close in with no fill and the black shirt adding (subtracting ha) to the contrast you seem to seek. It then also is blasting a lot of watt-seconds of 80's Broncolor's or the like and then getting that highlight exposure on the film at just the right density to still allow printing; the higher contrast developer comes in to play here. TO ME it looks more like UFG like Penn was using rather than Dektol or D-19.

I also think the first model has had dark makeup done perhaps a darker metallic blue with additional filtration on the exposure, again with massive watt-seconds of 80's lights put in close, expose on the edge of printable from high contrast developer and then print down. Maybe bleach the neg a touch if can't get a good print. Good fun I wish I had a darkroom to print in again..

 

[BSP]

@FL at CC But are you sure you are famous enough to get away with all the loss of detail and tonality in the highlights and shadows?

 

[Patrick Robert James]

That is done more in the studio than the darkroom. Careful lighting is needed. You couldn't really get a print to look like that unless you shot it that way.