MurrayMinchin said:
Hi,
Who out there is masking? How's it going? Where abouts on the learning curve are you? What film are you using for the masks? Developer? Agitation? How did you win the battle to get things to register properly. What impact has the control had on your prints? Are your prints living up to what you thought would be possible when the realization of maskings potential first hit you?
Murray
For some years now, I've done unsharp masking frequently on my 4x5s (USMs). I use Arista 200 and Alistair Inglis' masking punch, easil registration system,
and enlarger negative carriers. For more information see :
Dead Link Removed.
Then, get a 10 1/2" turtable/lazy susan, a Slosher and a pocket tape recorder.
For panchomatic film, make a tape calling out the time (but, important, bypass the batteries to get consistant results). Use this as a timer while you rotate the slosher through the water bath first, then the developer, etc. OR, use Orthocrhomatic Lith film also available from Freestyle Photo. This way you can use the usual ruby bulb so you can see your timer.
Place the turntable as far to edge of the enlarger illumination area so you can more uniformly expose and get more of an edge-effect.
I use a higly dilute HC110 solution (1.17% for first neg, then for a denser neg use 1.53% dil.). Develop mask in a Slosher for 2-min. and 30-sec, rocking gently. However, every 30-sec raise Slosher up from tray bottom and vibrate up and down like crazy. Then, stop, fix, etc.
Run a test to determine exposure. Typically I expose or 8-sec @ f/32. Image should be very light (faint such that this positive image only extends into the middle values) with almost no highlights in this positive. If you have a densitometer, I can provide density readings - but, really are not needed despite what Howard Bond says.
Most or many of my prints are printed using a USM because of the improvement of "local contrast" and require less burning/dodging. I alway do a "straight print" first before I decide if I need a USM.