How to get High Contrast Prints?

Ray Carr

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Hi fellow darkroom developers,

I have always been surprised by the artistic methods employeed in darkrooms by printers. One type of darkroom prints that I wish to acheive is like the one I have attached herewith. That is, high contrast. By that, I mean more or less absence of mid-tones and the presence of only shadows and highlights.

My question is, how can I achieve this kind of prints? I use Ilford Ilfospeed RC Delux paper, grade 3 and developer is Foma Fomatol P paper developer. Any suggestions, information or instructions are much appreciated. The enlarger I use is LPL with Dichoric head (with dials to control Cyan, Yellow and Magenta colors)

Thanks and much appreciated ...
 

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xkaes

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The easiest way is to use a higher grade of paper -- if available -- or use VC paper with a high contrast filter (or HI magenta setting on your colorhead.
 
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Ray Carr

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xkaes said:
The easiest way is to use a higher grade of paper -- if available -- or use VC paper with a high contrast filter (or HI magenta setting on your colorhead.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for your response. Do you think Ilford Multigrade IV RC DE LUXE works for this kind of print?
 

xkaes

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That will work fine. The exposure will be as much of a factor as the filter grade -- so a lot of test strips will be needed.

You might also want to try some different toners -- brown, sepia, gold, etc. -- if you want an "antique" look.
 

RalphLambrecht

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Ray Carr said:
Thanks very much for your response. Do you think Ilford Multigrade IV RC DE LUXE works for this kind of print?
Click to expand...
The above statements are correct, but you may have to do more. Negative needs to be developed to support your goal. A hard negative is the result of slight under-exposure and extended development. Set your ISO a stop above box speed and develop 20% longer than normal. Read will kill shadow and mid-tone detail and combined with the high-contrast paper filtration, you will get your desired output.
good luck I'll keep experimenting.
 
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Ray Carr

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Thanks Ralph. You mean a correctly exposed negative, I mean, metered correctly and exposed negative will be appropriate, right...
 

Craig

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I think it might be, it has that kind of look.
 

Sirius Glass

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Consider using split grade printing. Use Dektol developer for 2 minutes to develop the paper, that eliminates the variability of the development stage. Then made a test strip at grade 5 and choose the best print. Then using that exposure first, do a test strip at grade 0. Now expose the paper first with the grade 5 exposure and then with the grade 0 exposure. Review this print and do any dodging and burning in grade 5 or grade 0 as necessary.


Welcome to APUG Photrio!!​
 
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Ray Carr

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Awesome, I will try this approach...
 

snusmumriken

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You don’t stand the source/age of your example photo, but given the pallid flesh tones I’m wondering if it may have been taken on orthochromatic film. If that’s the case, and if that’s your kind of subject, you could use for example Ilford Ortho Plus.
 
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Ray Carr

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Sure, thanks for the information...
 

Pieter12

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There are so many ways to achieve such a look. With a Caucasian model, shooting with a red filter will give you very light skin and dark lips. Then print with a 4 or 5 grade filter, burn, dodge and adjust to taste.
 

MattKing

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That example may appear the way it does due to it being a poor reproduction of an original that has a much wider range of intermediate tones. If you want to achieve this regularly, print your negatives regularly, and then copy those prints by taking a photo of them using film that gives good, high contrast negatives. Then print those negatives using high contrast paper or filter settings.
 

awty

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Yes

Looks like it was done on fogged paper to get a low tonal range.
 

john_s

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Would it be worth trying making a very dense print at whatever high contrast you can manage then bleach fairly intensively to reduce the lighter and mid tones?

When I was young, Agfa made a high contrast paper BEH1, single weight Extra Hard. I wish I could get some now.
 

Don_ih

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john_s said:
When I was young, Agfa made a high contrast paper BEH1, single weight Extra Hard. I wish I could get some now.
Click to expand...

I have some. It's contrast has drooped.

The best bet for getting contrast like in the sample is to do what @MattKing said: have good negatives, enlarge them, then copy them using either ortho film in a 4x5 camera or doing what @RalphLambrecht suggested - underexposing and overdeveloping. Wanting chalk and soot prints doesn't mean your negatives need to be lithographs.
 

koraks

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RalphLambrecht said:
Set your ISO a stop above box speed and develop 20% longer than normal.
Click to expand...

For the kind of extreme 'poor newspaper reproduction' photo shown in the OP, I'd not hesitate to take this to a higher level. Develop e.g. 50% or 100% more depending on original scene contrast.
Using ortho film or something that mimics it (color filter(s)) may also help.
 

pentaxuser

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Ray Carr said:
Thanks Ralph. You mean a correctly exposed negative, I mean, metered correctly and exposed negative will be appropriate, right...
Click to expand...

Well no, it looks to me as if Ralph meant a negative underxposed by one stop ( so a 400 speed film exposed as if it was an 800 speed) and developed for 20 % longer or even more than that as koraks suggested

In other words you change the state of the negative from normally exposed and normally developed to help with whatever you do with any other weapons at your disposal

pentaxuser
 
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