Intensifier For Under Exposed Negative?

Will an intensifier, such as the Chromium Intensifier that PF sells, save an under exposed negative?

I've got this FP4 negative where the scene behind was much brighter than my wife and I, foreground. I was able to work on it in scanning as you see but I'd like to make a silver print of it.

Is this what intensifiers are for?

You should be able to print this with a combination of split grade filtering and dodging, but no intensifier is going to fix the contrast between background and subjects. If it were mine, I'd be strongly inclined to just print lighter and dodge the background almost to white, to give a "high key" effect.

Intensifiers work with under-developed negatives: negatives where there is detail throughout, but low contrast due to too little development.
Under-exposed negatives don't have the necessary detail in the shadowed areas, and intensifiers can't work on what isn't there.
Based on the scan you posted (a view of the negative would be better) if you intensify that negative you might see marginal improvement in the rendition of the high shadows, but the deep shadows won' improve and the background will almost certainly blow out.

MattKing said:

if you intensify that negative you might see marginal improvement in the rendition of the high shadows, but the deep shadows won' improve and the background will almost certainly blow out.

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Yes, I agree. The background already looks fairly dense. Of course, very dense highlights can usually be printed through, so there may be some improvement, but intensifiers like the chromium one are generally proportional, so you gain a little contrast in the shadows (where you need it) and a whole lot in the highlights (where you don't want it).

I know it's heresy, but frankly, I'd just make the best inkjet print that I coulf manage if I wanted it on my wall (and I totally understand you do as it's a hella cute photo!)

I agree with Donald that you can likely make a nice print of this with split-grade printing techniques and/or flashing. If it were me, I'd flash the paper first to almost threshold and go about split-printing from there. You'd be surprised how gratifying a little flashing can be in cases like this.

Check out Les McLean's article on flashing here: www.lesmcleanphotography.com/articles.php?page=full&article=27

Best,

Doremus

Thanks for the tips everyone! I will avoid the intensifier for this one and see what I can do in the normal printing process. I've wanted to get into paper flashing so now is as good a time as any to learn a new trick!

As others have mentioned, frequently underexposure is 'permanent damage.' If understand you initial request, you would prefer the figures to have more density so the background were not washed out. However, a cardboard masking cutout, totally washing out the background could work (simulated here).

NortheastPhotographic said:

I've wanted to get into paper flashing so now is as good a time as any to learn a new trick!

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I hardly ever print, but when I flash a print I've generally done it with a small flashlight (continuous, not a flash) bounced off the ceiling. In my scheme, typically about 1/2 to 2 seconds does it. You need a switch that goes on/off quickly, when you want it to. What I do is point the light to a part of the ceiling that can "see" the full sheet; this illuminates it evenly enough for my purposes. I find the approximate best time with several exposures on a test strip. First find a good printing exposure (where the whites are a bit too light). Then I'll cover 2/3 of the test area with a card and give about a one-second flash. Then cover only 1/3 of the area with a card and give another one-second flash. So what I have is a section, each, of: straight print, one-second flash, and two-second flash.

You can fine-tune another flashing test from there. I just count off the time, which is mostly good enough for me; I don't see the flash exposure as being that critical. But if I was doing more critical work I'd probably set up a better controlled system. It's useful to have a white border as a reference so you'll know if you overdo the flashing.