pinhole 4x5 negatives and cynotype?

hey all,

It been a while, I am looking to shoot 4x5 pinhole negatives with a 4x5 pinhole camera I have built, I don't have access to an enlarger at the moment so I was thinking about making cyanotypes with the 4x5 pinhole negatives. My question is is there any suggestions for the negatives. Should I under or overexpose the negatives?

thanks,
Scott Hunnicutt

Very beautiful results can be had, Rae uses this very process for her work and works with negs exposed and balanced for silver jelly printing

However, a word of caution, big bugger caution - In one image the paper was not completely dry, although it felt like it was, and in the printing frame in the sun it sweated and caused some of the paper fibres to stick to the film - These could only be removed by washing, which also bleached the film - This was a real piss-off



The image shows the Arches paper fibre pattern sweated on to the neg'

For best results, you need a negative with a density range around log 1.6. And, definitely use a thin (2mil / 50micron) mylar (or similar) protective film between the paper and the negative; it won't hurt sharpness much, but will fully protect the film from mishaps like the one shown above...

Regards,
Loris.

I did some work with a home built 4x5 pinhole in the 80's. I was never happy with the focal length I chose because it was too wide and composition was hard to read except at close viewing range. The pictures looked better when enlarged and had surprising sharpness.


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