I have just done my first print!

Shaggysk8 · Nov 8, 2009

Well its finally happened after months of getting equipment and reading I have done my first print, well my first few came out black but then I worked that out.

One question I set my enlarger so it was grade 2, printed it, and it all looked fine, then I wanted to see what grade 5 would look like so did that and there was so much life in the image, now is this a personal taste do you think, what grade is normal I guess it's all dependant on the image and your vision, but I love the separation of tone on grade 5 but maybe I am too new to this and its a bit cliche.

Your own experiences and thoughts would be nice on this?

Paul

perkeleellinen · Nov 8, 2009

I think when you first start you are drawn to the more extreme grades as they have a 'wow' factor. If that works for you, keep going. Your taste may change in time, or may not. Doesn't matter - you're not doing this to please other people (unless you're a commercial photographer).

Shaggysk8 · Nov 8, 2009

Thank you I did think that is what was happening I will not worry to much then I will just keep going until I naturally find my style

Paul

Rick A · Nov 8, 2009

Congrats!!! Welcome to our world. After nearly fifty years of printing, I still feel the magic when I watch an image come up on a print. Keep after it, and dont worry what other people think of your work. Never hesitate to show your work off, and never make excuses for what you've done. If someone sees your work and gives you a bunch of negative feedback, then you have done something good IMO (nothing makes me happier than poking a stick in someones emotions).Life only gets better now that you have new skills.

Rick

Romary · Nov 8, 2009

Recently in a workshop, the guy who was teaching asked us to do a little exercice.

Take a photo, find the set-up you like (e.g. grade 2, 16s). Then you print it with the same picture with the same time minus a grade (#2, 16 s) and plus a grade (#3, 16 s). You do the same minus half a stop (#1, #2, #3, 11.3 s) and plus half a stop (#1, #2, #3, 22.6 s). You end up with 9 photos. After drying put them by order (3x3, the first one in the middle) and immediatly you understand the possibilities of modifying the set-up.

I have hanged my 9 photos in my lab, and I still discover new things on them. That does not take longue to do it.

I hope my English was clear enough

clayne · Nov 8, 2009

Shaggy, make sure your safelight is truly safe. It's common to want to pump the contrast when one's paper is effectively being flashed for them by an unsafe safelight. If it passes the safelight test, then consider the negative. Usually g5 is pretty hard and reserved for specific uses or flat negatives.

Good job on your first printing.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 8, 2009

Romary said:
Recently in a workshop, the guy who was teaching asked us to do a little exercice.

Take a photo, find the set-up you like (e.g. grade 2, 16s). Then you print it with the same picture with the same time minus a grade (#2, 16 s) and plus a grade (#3, 16 s). You do the same minus half a stop (#1, #2, #3, 11.3 s) and plus half a stop (#1, #2, #3, 22.6 s). You end up with 9 photos. After drying put them by order (3x3, the first one in the middle) and immediatly you understand the possibilities of modifying the set-up.

I have hanged my 9 photos in my lab, and I still discover new things on them. That does not take longue to do it.

I hope my English was clear enough

Yes, that's called a run-around, and it is a very valuable exercise!

Christopher Walrath · Nov 8, 2009

Wow, jumpin' right into the deep end, huh. I would like to venture that if you like it who gives a hoot what anyone else says. But make sure it fits your vision. Now that you know what can do what, chase your vision. Try to remember how you felt when you made the exposure of the film and try to duplicate that in your work at the enlarger.

Good luck.

jvo · Nov 9, 2009

change...

congratulations - yes, it is exciting!!!

one thing for sure your technique, taste, and eye will evolve and change. it's a good thing because you'll push the envelope and create something new!

benjiboy · Nov 9, 2009

Congratulations, you never forget you're first print, like the first time you have sex, as long as you don't mix them up.

Shaggysk8 · Nov 9, 2009

Hahahaha....well my first print went a little better...hahaha

I did a safelight test as well today for 10mins and White so I think I, well at the moment like higher grades.

ROL · Nov 9, 2009

benjiboy said:
Congratulations, you never forget you're first print, like the first time you have sex.

In no way can I remember my first print, but at least I now know I have SOMETHING to look forward to...

RalphLambrecht · Nov 9, 2009

benjiboy said:
Congratulations, you never forget you're first print, like the first time you have sex.

Ben

Please try to get out of the darkroom more often. Those odors have side effects.

benjiboy · Nov 9, 2009

RalphLambrecht said:
Ben

Please try to get out of the darkroom more often. Those odors have side effects.

I don't think It's the darkroom Ralph, I haven't had one since we bought a smaller house after our children left home about fifteen years ago so I can't use that for an excuse

beyond · Nov 9, 2009

Congrats!~ And Hi from Malaysia.
Darkroom printing is a dying art in Malaysia.
An old forum-er from a local forum conducted a printing workshop last week. And I was equally excited too when I did the first print.
Priceless experience.

michaelbsc · Nov 11, 2009

Shaggysk8 said:
Well its finally happened after months of getting equipment and reading I have done my first print....

WOOHOO!!! Way to go!!

Shaggysk8 said:
... I set my enlarger so it was grade 2, printed it, and it all looked fine, then I wanted to see what grade 5 would look like so did that and there was so much life in the image ... Your own experiences and thoughts would be nice on this?

Welcome to the expressive art of the darkroom. You'll notice that they really don't look like the same print at all. That's because they aren't the same print.

Don't be afraid to experiment, but also don't try to skip learning the craft.

Prints are not reality, although you can work hard to make them very 'realistic' looking. Or you can blow out an area of a print on purpose to create an alternate representation.

If you learn the craft, so that you can predictably alter the print how *YOU* choose rather than looking for lucky accidents, then you have a powerful tool.

MB

oscura · Nov 27, 2009

First i want to congratulate you. I've done my first print a short time ago and of course it's very excitting.

I hope you'll do a lot. Didi you have put somewhere your first try on the net ? Just to see the difference between your grade 2 & 5.

Congratulation

Romary said:
Recently in a workshop, the guy who was teaching asked us to do a little exercice.

Take a photo, find the set-up you like (e.g. grade 2, 16s). Then you print it with the same picture with the same time minus a grade (#2, 16 s) and plus a grade (#3, 16 s). You do the same minus half a stop (#1, #2, #3, 11.3 s) and plus half a stop (#1, #2, #3, 22.6 s). You end up with 9 photos. After drying put them by order (3x3, the first one in the middle) and immediatly you understand the possibilities of modifying the set-up.

I have hanged my 9 photos in my lab, and I still discover new things on them. That does not take longue to do it.

I hope my English was clear enough

Romary,

It seems to be a very interesting experience and i think i will do it.

But, i've just a question, how do you calculate the duration of one stop ? For example, if i'm at 20s. and wants to do like you how i can calculate the others times ?

Thanks for your help

++

Oscura

Willie Jan · Nov 27, 2009

My first print was black. So possible you are a natural talent!

could you post them here?

Shaggysk8 · Nov 27, 2009

hahahahahaha......ok so was mine! it was A6 and black so I guess I should say my first time in my own or any darkroom Here is a link

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ronald Moravec · Nov 27, 2009

IF YOU NEED 5 TO GET A GOOD PRINT, the neg is too low a contrast. Increase development time 20%.

Try a nice pic first that has full tones from black to white first. If that looks good on 2, do not change anything.

If you had a low contrast neg or subject, it is normal that higher contrast paper is required.

Rick Jones · Nov 28, 2009

Oscura - calculating the new exposure times is simple once you have the multipliers for the f stop adjustments you want to make. If your base exposure is 16s and you want to reduce the exposure time by 1/2 stop multiply 16 by .71 = 11.36. To increase the time by the same amount use 1.41 as the multiplier (1.41 X 16 = 22.56). These are other multipliers I regularly use: -1/4 - .84, +1/4 - 1.19, -1/8 - .92 and +1/8 - 1.09. Deep pockets buys you an f stop timer that does this with the push of a button but, frankly, I kind of enjoy the process of calculating my own adjusted times.

oscura · Nov 28, 2009

Good morning rick johns !

Thank you very much for your explication.

So if i understand well, my standard time is 20 s, if i want to push +1/4 stop the time will be 25 s.

Thank you very much because i didn't know before this notion and i hope i will have time to make this experiencem it seems to be very interesting !

All the best

++

Oscura

MattKing · Nov 28, 2009

Oscura:

Ralph Lambrecht is just too modest .

Go to his website:

Dead Link Removed (warning, some nudity) and then click on the link labelled "Library".

In that Library, there is a whole bunch of useful stuff, including an extremely useful f/stop timing table in pdf format.

Download that, and it will help you calculate all your necessary changes.

It's in Ralph's book as well (Way beyond Monochrome) which I would recommend highly. I've got a copy of the 1st edition, and hope to get a copy of the second edition when it comes out.

Matt

Rick Jones · Nov 28, 2009

oscura - 20.0s X 1.19 = 23.8s representing a 1/4 stop increase in exposure. As Matt suggested, print Ralph's f stop timing table. That will eliminate dealing with my multipliers and make life a lot easier.

clayne · Nov 29, 2009

Ronald Moravec said:
IF YOU NEED 5 TO GET A GOOD PRINT, the neg is too low a contrast. Increase development time 20%.

Try a nice pic first that has full tones from black to white first. If that looks good on 2, do not change anything.

If you had a low contrast neg or subject, it is normal that higher contrast paper is required.

I think it's more common that a faulty darkroom environment (lighting) is to blame for the NEED for #5 to get a reasonable print rather than negs themselves.

I have just done my first print!

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