Image exposure and printing image with low dynamic range

silvercloud2323 · Dec 16, 2022

Hello Everyone,

I would like to print an image which has a low dynamic range (2 or 3) and is in general very grey.
What would be your general recommendations for 1) shooting such an image (exposure advice),
and 2) printing it.(printing advice)
Also 3) how should I reduce the dynamic range given an image with 4 dynamic ranges for example.

Thx

Sirius Glass · Dec 16, 2022

I have had this problem which is frustrating. I make test strips with different levels of Yellow filtering from the lowest level to higher levels. That will tell me how much Yellow is needed to get the exposure. Magenta will just make it darker overall and not separate the close contrasts.

gone · Dec 16, 2022

Sirius is right. I tried to bump things up w/ a red filter, and as he stated, it simply made everything else dark. You really can't adjust what isn't there in the first place very much, or at least I don't know how. In my case it was an underexposed negative, those things are brutal.

MattKing · Dec 16, 2022

If you use split grade printing, instead of making your first test with the low contrast filter, followed by the test with the high contrast filter, reverse the order.
But the first question should be - how do you visualize the result?

silvercloud2323 · Dec 16, 2022

MattKing said:
If you use split grade printing, instead of making your first test with the low contrast filter, followed by the test with the high contrast filter, reverse the order.
But the first question should be - how do you visualize the result?

Hi Mattking,

Thx for your sharing.
Can you by reversing the order of low and high contrast filter in the enlarger, decrease the dynamic range of print? Could you explain that a little more?
So from High to low you mean? I thought the order in which i expose the print did not matter?

ic-racer · Dec 16, 2022

Maximum magenta filtration, if that does not work, increase development 25% on the next roll. Otherwise if the negative is very thin and no way to re-shoot it, I'd try lith printing it, that can get up and beyond grade 5.

Sirius Glass · Dec 16, 2022

ic-racer said:
Maximum magenta filtration, if that does not work, increase development 25% on the next roll.

Magenta on a thin negative will just produce a very dark flat print. Do not bother to waste your time with the magenta filter for a thin negative. Now read post #2 again.

albada · Dec 16, 2022

lieven2323 said:
Hello Everyone,

I would like to print an image which has a low dynamic range (2 or 3) and is in general very grey.
What would be your general recommendations for 1) shooting such an image (exposure advice),
and 2) printing it.(printing advice)
Also 3) how should I reduce the dynamic range given an image with 4 dynamic ranges for example.

Does your enlarger have a dichroic lamp? If so, Sirius' advice is appropriate.

If the lamp is a simple condenser for B&W, you can create a test strip at grade 5 (maximum contrast), and then make a test print. If that print is too flat, and you need yet more contrast, then you have a few options to boost contrast some, such as using a different print-developer, or adding restrainer to the developer, or underexposing the print a little and overdeveloping it.

If you can re-shoot the negative, then you can boost contrast by overdeveloping the negative. Zonies can explain how to do this; it's called N+1 and N+2 development.

Mark

GregY · Dec 16, 2022

or selenium tone the existing neg.

MattKing · Dec 17, 2022

lieven2323 said:
Hi Mattking,

Thx for your sharing.
Can you by reversing the order of low and high contrast filter in the enlarger, decrease the dynamic range of print? Could you explain that a little more?
So from High to low you mean? I thought the order in which i expose the print did not matter?

I'm not suggesting a particular order for printing.
I'm suggesting a particular order for testing.
With a grey image that has a narrow dynamic range, test first to establish the darkest areas - using the high contrast filtration.
Then when you determine that part of the exposure, use that determination and add testing for the lightest areas - using the low contrast filtration.
That is the reverse of the usual testing approach, and that reversal is due to the mature of the image.
If you aren't familiar with split grade printing, it would be useful to read up on that before applying this approach.
I started out with Les McLean's: https://www.lesmcleanphotography.com/articles.php?page=full&article=21

koraks · Dec 17, 2022

GregY said:
or selenium tone the existing neg.

Or any other means of intensification, indeed. I personally prefer chromium intensification albeit with the obvious drawback of it involving chromium-VI. Much more effective than trying to eek out another half paper grade by changing developer etc. With the exclusion of Lith printing, which will in fact allow for significant contrast increase.

But initially at the exposure stage I'd just underexpose by a stop or so and more importantly overdevelop generously. IMO @ic-racer's +25% is a good starting point, but by no means the limit - feel free to go beyond it.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 17, 2022

lieven2323 said:
Hello Everyone,

I would like to print an image which has a low dynamic range (2 or 3) and is in general very grey.
What would be your general recommendations for 1) shooting such an image (exposure advice),
and 2) printing it.(printing advice)
Also 3) how should I reduce the dynamic range given an image with 4 dynamic ranges for example.

Thx

To clarify, are you referring to density range when you speak of dynamic range?

Image exposure and printing image with low dynamic range

silvercloud2323

Sirius Glass

gone

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Image exposure and printing image with low dynamic range

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