Paper, Chemical, Contrast Tests?

I'm not new to the darkroom, I have printed plenty both straight and splitgrade, but I just built a new darkroom and am getting back into printing and I know there are various tests one can do to really understand their paper, chemicals, and contrast filters. I currently am using Ilford MG RC Pearl ( I would love to print fiber but I live in Mexico and water is scarce so running an hour water bath isn't doable.) I have ilford mg under the lens filters and I am using Dektol 1:2.

If anyone has some great tests that I can do to really understand the paper, chemicals and filters I'd greatly appreciate it. Additionally, I just found a Mexican made developer and fix that I'm planning to order and would love to do some tests to really understand what times work best with it.

Thanks in advance!

Pictorial Planet (youtube channel) has some videos about tests that don't require specific equipment. they may not be 100% precise, but i think they can be useful.
they're more focused towards determining film speed and dev times for film.

As per paper and contrast filter testing, i would suggest to select a balanced negative (what is a balanced negatives? well...):
- find min exposure time for max black (expose a test strip with only the base negative, no image, find the time where you cannot see the black becoming darker)
- expose the image for that time
- develop, stop, fix, etc
You do that for every filter and you can find more or less: 1- how the various tones react to the filters 2- what is your exposure change from one filter to another

harmonicmagician said:

If anyone has some great tests that I can do to really understand the paper, chemicals and filters I'd greatly appreciate it.

Click to expand...

What are these tests supposed to determine?

harmonicmagician said:

Additionally, I just found a Mexican made developer and fix that I'm planning to order and would love to do some tests to really understand what times work best with it.

Click to expand...

Film or paper developer? If paper developer: determine what time it takes for development of a test strip/print to reach a point where additional development doesn't seem to make much of a change anymore. If film: start with any reasonable time (surely, the developer comes with some kind of recommendation) and adjust based on evaluation of an initial test strip/roll.

Testing can be useful if you have a specific hypothesis or question in mind. Testing for testing's sake can be fun in its own right if that's your cup of tea, but I'd consider that a different hobby from (although overlapping with) photographic printmaking.

Before anything else, for each paper, you should determine the proper fixing time (of course that will vary with the fixer & dilution, etc.), then determine the proper washing time (to remove all the fixer), and then determine if your darkroom or enlarger or safelights could fog your film -- all of these might surprise you. Then test the paper for mottling from too short a development time (of course that will vary with the developer & dilution, etc.), Then test the paper for fogging from too long a development time (of course that will vary with the developer & dilution, etc.), None of these tests require much paper at all -- just small pieces.

Then you can actually start to test the paper regarding exposure time, contrast, filtration, etc. You can skip everything in the first paragraph -- as most people do -- but don't blame me if you have problems later on.

Get a copy of Richard Henry's book -- Controls in Black & White Photography.