From my first Darkroom run

Cholentpot · Jan 18, 2017

From my first successful darkroom run. Shot on expired Tmax400 pushed to 800 developed in Tmax Dev. Shot on a Pentax ME Super with a 50 1.8 (I think)

Ilford VC RC Glossy 5x7, Ilford multigrade dev and rapid fix. I have an ancient Fotolarger 100DC with a Rodenstock 50 3.5

The photo looks far nicer in print than a scan. I'm still getting the hand of dodging and burning by hand. I have too many years of doing it by mouse.

afriman · Jan 18, 2017

Be proud. Be very proud...

Sirius Glass · Jan 18, 2017

Great!!

Cholentpot · Jan 18, 2017

Redfox61 said:
Be proud. Be very proud...

Thanks! I am!

This was not my best print. I have better ones that I'd rather not post online.

I bought a box of 5x7 as an after-thought and used 22 of the 25 and only made 1 8x10 print. I ended up using the 8x10s for test strips and contact sheets. I guess the 5x7 is more practical and looks nice to my eyes for 35mm that's past its prime.

rpavich · Jan 19, 2017

Nicely done!

Cholentpot · Jan 19, 2017

rpavich said:
Nicely done!

Thanks!

M Carter · Jan 19, 2017

Awesome, and welcome to the fixey-fingers club!

Two books that can really up your game -

"Way Beyond Monochrome", the basics, plus split-filter printing, lots of info on exposing, developing and testing film, from beginner to crazy advanced. The one book that's kind of do-it-all for al things B&W;

A used copy of Tim Rudman's "Master Printing Course" - just the freaking bomb for going insanely next-level with printing, much of it very simple, plenty of info on toning, bleaching, etc. Seriously a must-have once you feel you have the basics going on. Packed with great ideas and techniques, but Tim's a master printer, chemist, an teacher.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 19, 2017

Wonderful work! Keep at it.

HiHoSilver · Jan 19, 2017

Bravo!! 'Hope I can do so well.

Cholentpot · Jan 19, 2017

M Carter said:
Awesome, and welcome to the fixey-fingers club!

Two books that can really up your game -

"Way Beyond Monochrome", the basics, plus split-filter printing, lots of info on exposing, developing and testing film, from beginner to crazy advanced. The one book that's kind of do-it-all for al things B&W;

A used copy of Tim Rudman's "Master Printing Course" - just the freaking bomb for going insanely next-level with printing, much of it very simple, plenty of info on toning, bleaching, etc. Seriously a must-have once you feel you have the basics going on. Packed with great ideas and techniques, but Tim's a master printer, chemist, an teacher.

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Wonderful work! Keep at it.

HiHoSilver said:
Bravo!! 'Hope I can do so well.

Thanks! The prints look even better than the negative scans I've done. I'll give it to beginners luck. I misread the sheet info and only washed for about 30 seconds, I wonder how these will hold up. Maybe I should re-wash...

I have a few really good books that I've been reading to help with the prints. The 35mm Photographers Handbook by Julian Calder and John Garrett and Beginner's Guide to Darkroom Techniques by Ralph Hattersley along with an awesome Time Life series I found in the trash.

Stephen Prunier · Jan 21, 2017

Nicely done.

Cholentpot · Jan 21, 2017

Stephen Prunier said:
Nicely done.

Thanks!

I'm looking to try some 120 later this week. 6x4.5 should look fine on 5x7 but I think I'll need some more 8x10 for the 6x6.

winger · Jan 21, 2017

Congrats! And isn't it just cool to hold it in your hand and really feel, "I made this."

Cholentpot · Jan 21, 2017

winger said:
Congrats! And isn't it just cool to hold it in your hand and really feel, "I made this."

Really nothing like it. It make a great little gift for the inlaws and parents. I have bragging rights too, my older bro is a major photoshop guy. Does ads and stuff. I told him I'm photoshopping, by hand.

Sirius Glass · Jan 21, 2017

Tell your bother that he works a the pixel level but you work at the molecular level. It is his problem that he has limited abilities.

Harry Stevens · Jan 22, 2017

winger said:
Congrats! And isn't it just cool to hold it in your hand and really feel, "I made this."

I did but the policeman still arrested me.

Cholentpot · Jan 22, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
Tell your bother that he works a the pixel level but you work at the molecular level. It is his problem that he has limited abilities.

He also hates vinegar, so there's no getting him near a darkroom.

480sparky · Jan 22, 2017

Cholentpot said:
...........The photo looks far nicer in print than a scan...........

Sirius Glass · Jan 22, 2017

Cholentpot said:
He also hates vinegar, so there's no getting him near a darkroom.

Simple solution, pun very much intended, use stop bath with indicator and there will be no vinegar smell. So that is a real wimpy excuse from him.

Cholentpot · Jan 22, 2017

480sparky said:

Know it, you do.

I loaded up my ancient TLR with a piece of paper. No clue on the ISO or anything. Gonna take it for a spin and see what happens.

Are contact prints off a print a thing?

480sparky · Jan 22, 2017

Cholentpot said:
Know it, you do.

I loaded up my ancient TLR with a piece of paper. No clue on the ISO or anything. Gonna take it for a spin and see what happens.

Are contact prints off a print a thing?

I think I used something like ISO 12 for shooting with paper.

tezzasmall · Jan 23, 2017

480sparky said:
I think I used something like ISO 12 for shooting with paper.

Most people quote ISO 3 being the right figure for paper negs etc. so you might find the negs slightly underexposed.

Also from further back on the posts: 'I misread the sheet info and only washed for about 30 seconds, I wonder how these will hold up. Maybe I should re-wash...'

A quick wash is fine for quickness of RC prints and if you don't expect to keep the print in A1 condition forever, but I think the rule manufactures give out is about 4 - 5 minutes at 5 degrees C and above in gently moving water, although at the other end not too hot - probably around the same for film dev at about 20C / room temperature is best. So if you want to keep the print, another wash would do no harm.

NOTE: just thought, I am presuming you are using RC paper as FB requires a lot L O N G E R wash and is another answer all together!

Terry S

Cholentpot · Jan 23, 2017

tezzasmall said:
Most people quote ISO 3 being the right figure for paper negs etc. so you might find the negs slightly underexposed.

Also from further back on the posts: 'I misread the sheet info and only washed for about 30 seconds, I wonder how these will hold up. Maybe I should re-wash...'

A quick wash is fine for quickness of RC prints and if you don't expect to keep the print in A1 condition forever, but I think the rule manufactures give out is about 4 - 5 minutes at 5 degrees C and above in gently moving water, although at the other end not too hot - probably around the same for film dev at about 20C / room temperature is best. So if you want to keep the print, another wash would do no harm.

NOTE: just thought, I am presuming you are using RC paper as FB requires a lot L O N G E R wash and is another answer all together!

Terry S

It's RC paper. I decided not to jump in the deep end and left the FB alone for now.

ISO 3 for glossy RC paper, I'll give that a whirl.

480sparky · Jan 23, 2017

tezzasmall said:
Most people quote ISO 3 being the right figure for paper negs etc. so you might find the negs slightly underexposed............

Entirely possible. All I remember is my meter at the time didn't go down to the ISO that was suggested. Maybe I was using the meter's lowest, 12, then calculating the 'proper' exposure from there.

From my first Darkroom run

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