I challenge David to develop one of his rolls with D-76 or whatever, and see, whether he can print the negs just as well.
Hi Rudeofus,
As I mentioned in my post #34, at the end of the day it really does not matter what processing technique you employ so long as you achieve the results that you desire. I am not in the habit of telling anyone getting satisfactory results to change to a two-bath developer - simply refuting the negative statements that I do not consider to be true.
As to BTTB developer, I find it ideal for my requirements. I prefer the tonality of BTTB compared to D76, HC110, Crawley FX39, Cellar-Stellar and many of the other developers that I have used in the past but this is, of course, a personal and subjective matter.
When I used to do natural landscape photographs, I worked with 5" x 4" and a Hasselblad with multiple backs to allow for N+ and N- development using HC110 and extensively employed a Minus Blue Wratten filter. When I moved to urban landscapes on 6 x 7 with Delta 400 processed in BTTB developer I found that I no longer needed to use any filter - the combination just delivered the tonality that I wanted. Indeed, every single image on my website was produced using a Mamiya 7, 65mm lens, Delta 400 and BTTB developer without any filter.
Many people at my last exhibition said that they thought that I had used filters extensively but what they were seeing was how the combination of correct shadow placement, BTTB developers specific tonality and my own printing style (all my negatives print 'straight' on Grade 3 with a diffuser head but my exhibition prints are always printed on Grade 4 with a little bit of dodging and burning).
As to printing negatives not processed in BTTB developer, well I have to do this very often with either very old work of my own or when printing for the people that I occasionally print for. As stated before, I prefer the tonality and results that my methods deliver for me.
As an example of why I personally prefer using BTTB developer, if you take the photograph on my Homepage, if I was using D76 then I would have had two options, reducing the development to hold the highlights (given the exposure required to retain shadow detail) with the loss of some mid-tone micro-contrast or process normally and put in a lot of effort burning in the bright highlights. As it was, this was processed in BTTB developer and the cloud / sky balance is exactly what I wanted without the need for using a filter at the taking stage or any burning-in at the printing stage. In the end, the exhibition print required (given my earlier comment about Grade used for exhibition prints) slight dodging in the shadows on the window and about 5% extra burning in at the bottom and right-hand side to visually better hold the edges of the print.
So no thanks Rudeofus, as a fully signed up member of the if it aint broke then dont fix it club I do not intent making, what for me and the results that I prefer, would be a retrospective step.
Bests,
David.
www.dsallen.de