Moving on up ....so I bought an enlarger

[Rob Skeoch]

Sorry guys... I had to do it.
I didn't like making contact prints.... maybe it's the size.... or my work needs a crop.... or I couldn't burn and dodge very well.... or I could never get the glass clean. Hey just because it worked for Weston doesn't mean it's for everyone.
Anyway I bought a Beseler with a 8x10 cold head and a lens... now once I get this baby set up, I'll be all set. On a new adventure, off to the races as they say.
This is the last thing I need, now my pictures can be great .... it's my silver bullet.
At least until tomorrow... when my pictures still suck, only in a bigger way, and now you can see the grain... and lack of focus, and the dust wasn't on the glass, it was in the film holder.
I'm not going to sell that piece of glass just yet.
Too bad i just stocked up on multigrade.... now I have to use graded paper.
-Rob Skeoch
Keeping Ilford in business one print at a time.

 

[Claire Senft]

Silver bullet?? Are you into photography or are you hunting werewolves. For sure werewolves are no damn good at all for contact printing.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Why would you need to use graded paper? I have a cold light and (as Claire said it would) it works just fine with multigrade. I split filter, but that's mostly a budget decision; two filters cost a lot less than a full set, and that goes double if you use theatrical lighting filters.

Don't forget, there's only one way to make an 8x10 print that has the depth and crispness of a 4x5 contact print: make an 8x10 contact print. At least the dust on the glass isn't enlarged when it shows up white on your print...