Made some 35mm contact prints

[aste]

Last night I cut some 8x10 down to 2.5x4 and made some 35mm contact prints.

The prints are like little windows...small, but there's something really wonderful about them.

 

[Rick A]

Why not just make a contact sheet with all your negatives from the roll then cut them out individually. Would save time by printing 24 or 36 exposures all at once.

 

[Mark Fisher]

I did a project where I contacted a dozen 6x6 pictures and made a little book out of them. They can really sing as a collection of "windows"

 

[pentaxuser]

I am presuming that you wanted 24x36mm picture in a larger black frame, otherwise Rick's suggestion makes good sense. In the U.K. several years ago you could get key holders with transparent fobs( do they use the same word in the U.S.?) that could be opened and a small contact print could be inserted. I have often thought that a 35mm contact print might be ideal for such key fobs. It just about big enought for some kind of shots

Just as an interesting story that is related to your thread. In the 1970s you used to get photographers who'd take a photo of you and your wife/girlfriend on 110 film when you entered a nightclub and then offer you a small key fob with I think a transparency at the end of the evening. The fob would have a small magnifier built into the plastic so the romantic shot would look a reasonable size. A memento of the evening.

You could always tell the guys who were there with the wrong "wife or girlfriend". They always refuse the offer to buy on the grounds that the picture didn't do him and his partner justice. No evidence, no crime :

pentaxuser

 

[aste]

Pentaxuser is correct that I wanted a 24x36mm picture in a larger frame, however I used a mask around the negative, so the frame is white instead of black. It seems to enhance the window effect.

Ralnphot, the other problem with just cutting out from the contact sheet, which I actually made, as I always do, I couldn't manipulate individual prints doing it that way. Although, I have to admit it's not easy dodging and burning a 35mm print.

Mark, I think 6x7 is my next step, if I can figure out why I get such poor negatives from my RB. Perhaps it's just because I don't use it as much as the FM2 and I just need more practice with it, but I have yet to get a single good frame with that camera.

BTW, just out of curiosity, how was the book bound. Did you do it yourself, or was it done by a specialist? I've often thought about binding a book of photographs, since I've done a few regular books myself, but it seems to me, silver prints present some special problems in binding.

 

[DanielStone]

aste:

have your rb's mirror checked to see if its at the right focal point to the film plane.

this is generally the cause of unsharp negatives/positives

-Dan

 

[Mark Fisher]

Pentaxuser is correct that I wanted a 24x36mm picture in a larger frame, however I used a mask around the negative, so the frame is white instead of black. It seems to enhance the window effect.

Ralnphot, the other problem with just cutting out from the contact sheet, which I actually made, as I always do, I couldn't manipulate individual prints doing it that way. Although, I have to admit it's not easy dodging and burning a 35mm print.

Mark, I think 6x7 is my next step, if I can figure out why I get such poor negatives from my RB. Perhaps it's just because I don't use it as much as the FM2 and I just need more practice with it, but I have yet to get a single good frame with that camera.

BTW, just out of curiosity, how was the book bound. Did you do it yourself, or was it done by a specialist? I've often thought about binding a book of photographs, since I've done a few regular books myself, but it seems to me, silver prints present some special problems in binding.

I made an accordion book, Here are a couple of pictures of it. The pics are in the gallery too, just harder to point to!

 

[Steve Smith]

Why not just make a contact sheet with all your negatives from the roll then cut them out individually. Would save time by printing 24 or 36 exposures all at once.

Because they may not all require the same exposure and grade.


Steve.

 

[Silence]

Mark, that book looks lovely! Great idea

 

[aste]

Thanks, Daniel. I'll look into that.

Mark, I agree with Silence. Great Book!

 

[Silence]

Aste, are you gonna share your 35mm contact prints?

 

[aste]

I'd like to, but I don't have a scanner right now. Maybe, I should go down to the electronics store and see what they have. Anyway, if I get them online I'll let you know.

 

[aste]

hmmm...film and paper, or an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier/dishwasher/trouser press, because they don't sell a just a simple scanner anymore.

Oh well. I guess I'll just have to leave it to your imagination.

 

[Silence]

Lol... maybe someday

 

[BoxBrownie]

Love small prints and just got the Kertesz Early years book of contact prints. I'm hoping to start contact printing 645 size. Not having done much conventional printing (I've been mostly developing and scanning negs) I'm looking for a way to start conventional printing and as I'm about to move house am not ready to get a darkroom/enlarger going yet.
To get going it's been suggested I use Fotospeed MG RC paper and selenium tone it (I was told it works better than Ilford RC for this). But would a graded paper be more suitable?
How would others go about it without getting to exotic (I'm not ready for Pyro, Amidol etc...)

 

[aste]

I'd like to try the Lodima paper...when I'm a better at all this. For now, I'm using the Ilford MGIV RC. It seems like a good place to start.

 

[Joe VanCleave]

Love small prints and just got the Kertesz Early years book of contact prints. I'm hoping to start contact printing 645 size. Not having done much conventional printing (I've been mostly developing and scanning negs) I'm looking for a way to start conventional printing and as I'm about to move house am not ready to get a darkroom/enlarger going yet.
To get going it's been suggested I use Fotospeed MG RC paper and selenium tone it (I was told it works better than Ilford RC for this). But would a graded paper be more suitable?
How would others go about it without getting to exotic (I'm not ready for Pyro, Amidol etc...)

Many people suggest using RC paper for contact prints if they're for making contact sheets of rollfilm negatives, for general perusal and such. But for finished prints I'd suggest going with fiber-based paper. It doesn't take any more room, just a bit longer washing time, but the results are much better. If you like Kertesz's prints, fiber paper is going to look closer to what he printed with. I'd recommend any of the eastern-European brands for a good start. I like the look of glossy fiber paper. A bit of selenium toning can add that special look.

Good luck and hope to see your results.

~Joe

 

[aste]

Many people suggest using RC paper for contact prints if they're for making contact sheets of rollfilm negatives, for general perusal and such. But for finished prints I'd suggest going with fiber-based paper. It doesn't take any more room, just a bit longer washing time, but the results are much better. If you like Kertesz's prints, fiber paper is going to look closer to what he printed with. I'd recommend any of the eastern-European brands for a good start. I like the look of glossy fiber paper. A bit of selenium toning can add that special look.

Good luck and hope to see your results.

~Joe

What kind of differences could be expected from fiber based as opposed to RC?

 

[DanielStone]

longer tonal range, and a more stable image over time.

as long as its stored properly after being thoroughly washed

-Dan

 

[aste]

longer tonal range

That get's my attention.

I see a multi-grade, FB offering from Ilford, Kentmere and Oriental. I'm guessing there are more. Anyone have a particular recommendation?

 

[henrysamson]

Just get a starter pack of the Lodima. I find it much easier to print on than the stuff made for enlarging. I contact print up to 8x10 and find it hard to beat. Why wait until your are "better at all this"? Just do it, you WON'T be sorry.

 

[aste]

Just get a starter pack of the Lodima. I find it much easier to print on than the stuff made for enlarging. I contact print up to 8x10 and find it hard to beat. Why wait until your are "better at all this"? Just do it, you WON'T be sorry.

I'd hate to waste the paper, learning on it. But, maybe I will get a starter pack and try it out.

 

[BoxBrownie]

Many people suggest using RC paper for contact prints if they're for making contact sheets of rollfilm negatives, for general perusal and such. But for finished prints I'd suggest going with fiber-based paper. It doesn't take any more room, just a bit longer washing time, but the results are much better. If you like Kertesz's prints, fiber paper is going to look closer to what he printed with. I'd recommend any of the eastern-European brands for a good start. I like the look of glossy fiber paper. A bit of selenium toning can add that special look.

Good luck and hope to see your results.

~Joe

Have got some RC paper on the way (Fotospeed) to start with as I've doing very little printing before but will probably be onto Fibre Base paper as soon as poss. Ta for the advice.