Beginner digital neg contact printing questions - my intended workflow

[LFman]

Hi all!

I'm a large and medium format shooter in Australia. I recently did my first contact print with an 8x10 (silver gelatin) negative on some silver gelatin paper (Ilford MGFB). I intend to shoot large format negs and I hope to be able to produce fine prints of archival quality, without having to buy an enlarger or dodge/burn by hand. My major goal is to have consistent prints from high quality negatives.

Here's my intended workflow:

• Shoot
• Develop negative
• Fluid mount (need to buy and learn how to use) and scan on Epson V700 (have it already)
• Photoshop as usual, apply curves.
• Print 8x10 or 16x20 negative on inkjet printer (need to buy) using Pictorico (need to buy)
• Test exposure time for good black with low-power bulb in contact frame (need to make)
• Develop test exposure, noting time for good highlights.
• Expose actual print and develop as normal

Before doing this, I intend to test print using a printed step wedge from Photoshop. I'll then eyeball some curves to get a good tonal range, and apply the curves. I know I can do the QTR thing, but I'll leave that for after I get the basic setup right and have practised a few times.

My questions:

1. Is my intended workflow reasonable for the goal I have (up to 16x20 prints, good tonal range, archival quality)?
2. Is there a difference using UV or visible light to expose silver gelatin prints?
3. Is there a consensus as to what a good printer is, not too expensive, which can make excellent negatives at 16x20?
4. Do I need to worry about using coloured inks for density on the digital negs since I'm just using silver gelatin paper do not intend to try alternative processes (yet)? Will black be sufficient?
5. Am I missing anything?

Any advice is profoundly appreciated

Daniel

 

[OzJohn]

Welcome to DPUG from a fellow Australian. Unfortunately digital negs are outside my experience so I can't be of help to you. I'm sure there are threads here that you could search for info and hopefully someone will yet jump in with some advice. Cheers. OzJohn

 

[LFman]

Welcome to DPUG from a fellow Australian. Unfortunately digital negs are outside my experience so I can't be of help to you. I'm sure there are threads here that you could search for info and hopefully someone will yet jump in with some advice. Cheers. OzJohn

Hi John! Many thanks for the welcome. I learned quite a few things about film and traditional printing over at APUG, but now I've decided to do digital negatives, I've been reading DPUG a lot. I think I'm on the right track now after reading, but I still lack the experience to tell if I'm really heading in the right direction. Nevertheless, I'm still devouring everything I can about digital negatives and printing

If you're around Brisbane somewhere by any chance, let me know! We could do some shooting and/or have a beer!

Daniel

 

[Joe Lipka]

You don't need a UV light source for gelatin silver prints. You only need a UV light source for alt process prints. I have a few pages on my website that go through how I used to make digital negatives. It's a pretty good overview of the process.

 

[LFman]

Excellent resource, Joe. Thanks! Love the way you wrote it, too!

 

[Zero_Equals_Infinity]

Too bad you are not in Canada.

see Defend the Darkroom Workshops . Toronto May 2013

One of the super cool things about the facility where the workshop is being given is that they have a Durst Lambda silver printer which the owner says he can configure to create digital silver negatives of whatever size you can practically want.

You may want to consider getting a UV Exposure unit, and then look at kallityping. Something like a Nuarc 26-1K can often be had for a very reasonable price on the 2nd hand market -- see NUARC PLATE EXPOSURE SYSTEM - City of Toronto Buy & Sell Items - Kijiji City of Toronto as an example.

 

[LFman]

Thanks, Zero. Those workshops look amazing. I wish we had similar here. Maybe one day when I know enough, I'll put on some workshops like this to pay it forward