contact print and multigrade papers

[Julian]

I'm contact printing some 8x10 BW negs and I'd like to try some MG papers. I'm just using a lightbulb to expose the paper as I've no enlarger. Is it possible to use MG filters somehow? Taping them over the reflector seems a tad crude. Is there a workaround that anyone is using?[/b]

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It can't look any more crude than anything in Edward Weston's darkroom. No one will see the tape on the reflector in the prints.

 

[Julian]

It can't look any more crude than anything in Edward Weston's darkroom. No one will see the tape on the reflector in the prints.

Very true! It just seems a bit messy having to tape flimsy filters everytime. I'm also not sure I could get filters large enough

 

[Ole]

I've heard of using an electronic flash aimed at the ceiling, with a blue filter for high contrast and a green for low. Split grading is done with e.g. 7 pops blue, 3 pops green. If you can find a low enough setting to give you the correct exposure in 10 pops or so, fairly fine control is possible.
Of course this could be even better with "proper" multigrade filters.

 

[Julian]

wow Ole, that is something I'd never have thought of!

 

[lee]

When I only contact printed I used, a 1/2 round lamp as my light source and then I covered the bottom with frosted mylar to assure that it was a diffused light. To that I built a frame from balsa wood which allowed the filters to slide in and out so I could split filter contact print.

lee\c

 

[veriwide]

When I got my first LF camera, an Anniversary Speed Graphic, I had no darkroom. I started contact printing with a contact frame, three trays, and fliping my laundryroom lightswitch on and off.

After my third round of printing this way, I went to my local used camera shop, and bought the cheapest 35mm enlarger they had to use as my light source. I also got an enlarger timer, and a set of MC filters.

I still use it for my contact printing. I just hold the filters under the enlarger lens.

Patrick

 

[Julian]

When I only contact printed I used, a 1/2 round lamp as my light source and then I covered the bottom with frosted mylar to assure that it was a diffused light. To that I built a frame from balsa wood which allowed the filters to slide in and out so I could split filter contact print.

lee\c

Lee, you 've just reminded me I've an old stage 'footlight' somehwere which has a frame for gels. Thanks!

 

[Loose Gravel]

You can buy blue and green Rosco or Lee lighting filters. These are huge. They come in 1/8 stops to 2 or 3 stops of color density. They can be used in combinations to get any contrast. Not very expensive. Ilford MG filters are available in 12x12 large sheet, too, but they are somewhat pricey.