Path to better printing

slm · Jul 18, 2013

Hi Everyone,

After making a quick couple of prints last night and not getting what I wanted, I thought I'd ask this question:

What is the single (or few) techniques in darkroom printing that you feel you mastered, that took your print making to the next level ?

My prints last night needed some dodging and burning for sure, to make them "better", but they're a bit complicated for my current skill level, so I'm thinking its something I have to work on. Then I read about split grade printing, well maybe that's something I should try out, and then there's a device you can buy (Heiland ?) for this technique....

Interested in hearing about your eureka moments !

Cheers
Steven

darkosaric · Jul 18, 2013

Hi,

No easy path I am afraid: practice, practice and some more practice. It is also good to look on youtube videos - some stuff are pretty helpful there.
Good exposed negative for sure helps to get good print faster (for example yellow filter for skies vs. no filter, developing differently film when you have contrast scene vs. low contrast scene ...).
Also which paper size you are using? For dodging and burning for me it is difficult with small papers.

jordanstarr · Jul 18, 2013

I did an internship under a Print Master in NYC for 8 months. It was inspiring to not only learn so much about printing, but about "good" documentary photographic techniques as well. Best decision I ever made. There wasn't ONE or even a few techniques that I can say came out above the rest. Everything advanced like a slow moving train and took a lot of hard work.

Ghostman · Jul 18, 2013

When I first started printing my prints were flat and muddy. Then I took a course and learned about split grade printing. I wouldn't say I've mastered it but I am able to work towards the results I want. Learning how to make test strips, analyse the results and decide how to make the necessary adjustments. Formulate a workflow that worked for me was another fat penny to drop. Dodging and burning seems logical to me (I paint so it seemed like a natural transcription or similar application in principal)

I would say landmark and pivotal events for me were:

- consistency. Using the same materials and chemistry.
- understanding split grade printing and having this demonstrated to me.
- dodging and burning and having this demonstrated to me.
- toning and in particular bleaching. This was a revelation.

I have multigrade enlarger so I cannot comment on the Heiland device. I guess the principal is the same. Depending on what enlarger you have, it may be easier to get a set of Under the Lens multigrade filters.

summicron1 · Jul 18, 2013

Ghostman has it -- consistency is your friend. Try to stick to familiar film, chemicals and paper -- Mary Ellen Mark was once asked about film and said she always used Tri-X, nothing else, and she learned how to get the most from it. I've played the game of trying different chemicals and films in the past because someone says they give this or that better result, but have found that consistency is my own key to getting what I want from what I am using.

Let your prints develop longer. Imogen Cunningham discovered that if she let her prints develop a coupla minutes longer than the norm she got better blacks and whites -- and her prints are amazing.

I've read about split grade printing -- using different grades for different areas of the print ? - but never had the energy to try it. I find the key area of my print that I know will draw the eye, make that perfect as to exposure and contrast, and let the rest follow along. If those buildings in the background are a little flat, who's going to notice if the faces are perfect and drawing all the attention?

It's like what the cab driver told you about getting to Carnegie Hall, baby -- practice.

Also keep this in mind: Some nights you can't make a good print to save your life. Dunno why, but it's the truth. On those nights take a walk, file negatives, sweep out the darkroom, or just go watch TV. Tomorrow will be better.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jul 18, 2013

Working hard is definitely the lesson that taught me the most. When I started printing years ago I was often happy after one or two sheets of simple testing. Today it takes a fair bit more effort to get me to a point where I'm satisfied with a print, and often I spend three or four sheets of paper before I end up in a place where I start to like what I see.

Patience is also a virtue in the darkroom. You can't rush perfection. Think of each individual print as if it was the last one you were ever going to make. Spend time with the negative, make some work prints and study them closely. Take notes, careful ones, that tell you later exactly what you did. This not only helps you learn, but it also helps you remember.

Try one technique at a time. Dodging and burning is essential, and learning how to make a good negative is imperative. Split grade printing is a good tool, but it's best to learn basics first.

Worker 11811 · Jul 18, 2013

Make test strips.

Even if I think I have the right exposure for a print, I'll still make a test strip with my chosen settings at the center to see if a little more or less exposure will make the picture better.

When I have the base exposure looking the way I want, I still make test strips of different areas on the print to see if dodging or burning would give an improvement. This gives me an exposure above or below the base that I can use to figure out a dodge or burn exposure.

If I want to tone a print, I'll make a test strip and tone it the same way I plan to do the entire print. Sometimes, I'll need to change the print exposure for toning. Test strips help me figure out whether I need to make that change.

Another thing I have learned is, once you think you have a print looking the way you like, let it dry completely. Let it dry overnight or at least for a few hours. It's especially important if you use fiber based paper or if you tone a print. I have often spent a lot of time trying to get a print to look the way I want it only to find that it looks different (darker) the next day after it has dried. I have learned to judge the way a print looks when it is wet compared to when it is dry and I can compensate for that a little bit but I still find it best to just wait until it is fully dry before I make a final decision.

Whether you make test strips or whether you let prints dry before deciding if they are right is up to you but, regardless of your personal methods, I say the bottom line is... TAKE YOUR TIME! DON'T RUSH!

Vincent Brady · Jul 18, 2013

I would advise to mastering basic printing first. Split grade printing can be very time consuming and takes a lot of experience to get right. I think using 8 x 10 size sheets is a good start and stick with RC paper, you'll find that you will produce more work in a shorter time. If you know a printer it would be worth your time to visit him bringing your results with you. There is nothing like a person to person chat when starting out. There are no shortcuts to gaining experience in the darkroom.

JamesMorris · Jul 18, 2013

Try and find a good teacher. You need to get a really solid grip on exposure and development of film to make good negatives, without which, you'll struggle to make good prints.

That said, a bit of simple edge burning can really transform a print

jp498 · Jul 18, 2013

As others have said.. Good negative. fresh/consistent developer, get the contrast choices right, don't skip the test strips... I will even do some test strips or test prints to evaluate contrast choices.

I don't dodge/burn to take the print to the next level, but rather to make a portion of the image lighter or darker if I couldn't do it when I was shooting. After a while you will shoot knowing beforehand what you can make of the image in the darkroom. You can think, if that were a little brighter/darker here, I wouldn't need to dodge/burn in the darkroom; lets take care of that in the field. For dodging, I just wave my hand between the lens and paper, watching the shadow it casts and the time the shadow is on the photo relative to the total exposure.

Go to a good gallery or museum once a while to see top grade silver prints. It's inspiring and educating. It's becoming less common in the inkjet "giclee" era, but it's out there and worth seeing.

Rick A · Jul 18, 2013

Making better negatives is the first step in making better prints. Taking notes of what and how you made an exposure, then how you developed so you can compare print results to exposure. Once you start fne tuning your negatives printing them becomes less work and more of a joy. You will know it when you have a negative that all but prints itself.

tkamiya · Jul 18, 2013

My "trick" isn't a trick at all.... but I'd share anyway.

I like to work SLOWLY. I make a test strip and this is quickly done. I then make my first and second test FULL print. I develop them completely, fix completely, wash completely, and DRY completely. Evaluate it slowly and for quite a while, not just a quick glance. At this point, I even wait til the next day if I feel it is necessary.

The reason why this is important TO ME is that I like to use fiber/matte surface paper. The brand I like has pretty severe dry down. So if I go fast, I tend to waste lots of paper and get none that I actually like. So by going slowly like this, I get to improve the print I'm working on steadily over the process of few days. Also, I tend to miss a lot when I hurry. By slowing down and evaluating few times, I catch more problems and figure out different ways to improve on it.

I can also tell you, there is no short cut. Everybody works differently. I was advised by someone who is a master printer to work FAST. It didn't work for me. So although there's nothing wrong with asking for a tip or two, please don't assume, you can employ them all and they will make you better.

jp498 · Jul 18, 2013

RC paper will of course speed things up, but for FB paper, I have been known to dry test strips with a hair dryer or throw them in the microwave to get them dry. View the test strips or test prints in different light as well; such as the light the final print will be displayed in rather than just flippin on the darkroom lights.

MattKing · Jul 18, 2013

Be sure to make notes as you go!

Thomas Bertilsson · Jul 18, 2013

tkamiya said:
I can also tell you, there is no short cut. Everybody works differently. I was advised by someone who is a master printer to work FAST. It didn't work for me. So although there's nothing wrong with asking for a tip or two, please don't assume, you can employ them all and they will make you better.

Which is where the argument of hard work comes back. Basics can be learned quickly, put neg in enlarger and focus, shine light through it to expose some photo paper, and develop the paper. That part is so easy.

I still remember my dad showing me how to make a print when I was about six or seven years old, and picking it up twenty years later, still remembering the basic method. Then I started to experiment with using different contrast filters, and after doing that for a while I realized that I had been developing my negatives to a much too low contrast, so I started working on film exposure and film development.
Along the way I made the mistake of experimenting with way too many films and developers, just because I didn't know any better. Once I settled on a film and developer combination, and started to learn how to use it, everything started to make sense. Then I learned how to standardize on a single printing paper, because if I wanted to eke the most performance out of it, it was way better if the negatives were geared to printing on that single paper.

On and on it goes. Every time I go into the darkroom to print I learn something new, and I do believe we will always learn, improve, and remain humble and open to new methods, techniques, and philosophies that will help us improve and advance our art into something amazing.

Get ready for an incredible ride!

removed account4 · Jul 18, 2013

the best thing i ever did was print everything i could find,
poorly exposed film glass with paint on it, trash ... half of printing is
knowing what you want to print and how you want to print it ... not just making
a flat negative print not so flat ..

(don't forget to have fun)
john

Alex Muir · Jul 18, 2013

I started to improve when I realised how quickly the shadow values develop during the print exposure. This realisation have me a better understanding of when and where to dodge, or burn-in areas. For me, getting the darker tones right is a good starting point, and I can then work on the lighter tones where necessary. I know this is opposite to the way many people work, but it suits me. Alex

Gerald C Koch · Jul 18, 2013

Pick up a book on enlarging like Lootens "On Photographic Enlarging and Print Quality." Enlarging is a complex subject that cannot be taught on a single thread on APUG.

slm · Jul 18, 2013

Everyone, thanks very much for all your suggestions ! I'll try to answer a few of the questions to give of better idea of "where I'm coming from"

I am mostly printing on FB 5x7 size sheets. I use mostly Minolta manual focus gear, but I have a few rangefinders around too, some other older classics too. Regarding my negatives, from what I can see under a loupe, I believe they are fine. I can see lots of detail in the highlights and shadows, to my eye it looks like all the information is there. i do use a few different films and have several bulk rolls in stock, but I will settle on Ilford FP4 once I get through that, and Kentmere Fineprint VC FB once I convince Ilford to not discontinue it !

I posted my question because my last print session, I felt it should have been an easy print, but it didn't turn out that way. The highlights had no detail. So I guess my frustration stemmed from my expectations. But, not really. I've never really made a jaw dropping print. At best they're sort of, "Oh, look...it's a picture..." Ugh....

There's a lot of info to digest from your posts, and I will certainly take it all in (right away I know I need to slow down !). For sure I will have more questions for everyone

And again, thanks very much for all your responses, it's all very encouraging !

Cheers
Steven

ataim · Jul 19, 2013

I guess my reply did not take. But for me F-stop printing has helped a ton. And out flanking prints. That is if you think that you need to burn for 15 seconds, burn for 30, that way you know how far it too far.

tkamiya · Jul 19, 2013

nextreme said:
I posted my question because my last print session, I felt it should have been an easy print, but it didn't turn out that way.

Hi, Steven,

I know exactly what you mean. I had many negatives like that. Should have been an easy one but it wasn't. Once, I spent 6 months in darkroom before I printed one that I was happy with. I also had many that looked bad but printed amazingly well.

We call this, fun in the darkroom, right?

jerrybro · Jul 19, 2013

For me it was learning how to expose and develop film to match the tonal range of the paper I was using.

Bill Burk · Jul 20, 2013

Standardize.

Otherwise you might spend Friday night cutting a new negative carrier for half-frame instead of printing.

Oops. That's what I'm doing tonight.

Bill Burk · Jul 20, 2013

ataim said:
I guess my reply did not take. But for me F-stop printing has helped a ton. And out flanking prints. That is if you think that you need to burn for 15 seconds, burn for 30, that way you know how far it too far.

I agree these are good steps forward.

By out-flanking you see what could be, and know decisively that (when) you've gone too far. With that knowledge, you know where you are.

tkamiya · Jul 20, 2013

Bill Burk said:
Otherwise you might spend Friday night cutting a new negative carrier

You, too?

Path to better printing

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency