potassium bichromate alternatives

[ANCS]

Are there alternatives to using potassium dichromate for salt paper? Trying to avoid this substance if I could. Thanks.

 

[mohmad khatab]

Are there alternatives to using potassium dichromate for salt paper? Trying to avoid this substance if I could. Thanks.

I don't understand, what do you want to do?
What do you mean by (salt paper)? Do you want to print black and white photos with toning or what?

 

[ANCS]

I don't understand, what do you want to do?
What do you mean by (salt paper)? Do you want to print black and white photos with toning or what?

Potassium Dichromate as a contrast enhancer for salt printing process. Thanks.

 

[mohmad khatab]

Potassium Dichromate as a contrast enhancer for salt printing process. Thanks.

Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with printing.
But Mr. Raghu from India.. He can help you,
Dichromate may be replaced by another element such as permanganate or copper sulfate. I don't know, but Mr. Raghu always has solutions for these problems.

 

[ANCS]

Thank you.

 

[fgorga]

I know that this will be considered heresy by some, but here goes...

One good substitute for dichromate is to use digital negatives. Control contrast by developing an appropriate curve in Photoshop and apply that curve to your photo as you create the negative for inkjet printing.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Are there alternatives to using potassium dichromate for salt paper? Trying to avoid this substance if I could. Thanks.

There are some tantalizing morsels, tidbits & hints in the links below on how to increase/control contrast including waxing, fuming, toning, and using shade/sunlight combined or using diffuse masking during exposure to stop the blacks from blocking up too fast.

Couldn't find anything on an alternative sensitizer chemical, but there may be one out there.

Can't vouch for the validity of any of these ideas because I'm still in the research & accumulate equipment stage...haven't made a salt print or even seen one in real life yet!

https://www.christopherjames-studio.com/materials/08dec07_Updates/The Book of Alternative Processes/NEW SAMPLE CHAPTERS/ JAMES - Chapter 2 - Salted Paper Process.doc.pdf

https://ebookreading.net/view/book/EB9781351802376_19.html

 

[DMJ]

Trying to avoid this substance if I could. Thanks.

Good thing to do.

Why not work the contrast in the development process?

 

[fgorga]

Good thing to do.

Why not work the contrast in the development process?

With regard to your first statement... I fully agree.

As for your second statement, please explain, especially remembering that the original post asked about salted-paper which is a printing out process.

 

[DMJ]

Frank, I was referring to the development of the original film negative that is contact printed. Though the OP has not stated if he/she is working with DGs. or film.

 

[fgorga]

Frank, I was referring to the development of the original film negative that is contact printed. Though the OP has not stated if he/she is working with DGs. or film.

Got it!

I thought that I might be missing something interesting in terms of the salted paper process.

If the OP is working with digital negatives, as I said in a previous message, there is no need for dichromate as one can control the contrast in great detail when one prepares the negative.

 

[DMJ]

one can control the contrast in great detail when one prepares the negative.

I print my kallitypes and cyanotypes from digital negatives too, and in addition to curves, I've been using LUTs, which apparently have more resolution than the curves in PS. I really need to print more to find out if there is a difference though.

BTW, your prints look great !

 

[fgorga]

I print my kallitypes and cyanotypes from digital negatives too, and in addition to curves, I've been using LUTs, which apparently have more resolution than the curves in PS. I really need to print more to find out if there is a difference though.

BTW, your prints look great !

Hmmm... I read about LUTs somewhere (Anderson & Reader's boob maybe?) but have not even dipped a toe into that pool.

I find old fashioned curves (that I began with back about 20 years ago when I made my first digital negative) give me what I need.

In my practice the other great advantage of digital negatives for alt process is the ability to dodge and burn on the computer. Dodging and burning while exposing in a UV light box is simply not doable. The fact that one can lock in those local adjustments when you print a negative is just icing on the cake.

It is my habit these days to print small (4x5 inches or 4.5 inched square) test negatives and when I have what I want in the print I make a larger negative and a final print. With some experience, I often have a good negative on the first attempt. I would say that about a third of the time, I make a second test negative. Very rarely do I make a third version, but I do so if needed.

And... thanks for your kind comment about my prints.

 

[ANCS]

I know that this will be considered heresy by some, but here goes...

One good substitute for dichromate is to use digital negatives. Control contrast by developing an appropriate curve in Photoshop and apply that curve to your photo as you create the negative for inkjet printing.

I'm printing with old film negatives. Trying not to incur too much cost by digitizing new negatives. Thanks for the suggestion though

 

[ANCS]

There are some tantalizing morsels, tidbits & hints in the links below on how to increase/control contrast including waxing, fuming, toning, and using shade/sunlight combined or using diffuse masking during exposure to stop the blacks from blocking up too fast.

Couldn't find anything on an alternative sensitizer chemical, but there may be one out there.

Can't vouch for the validity of any of these ideas because I'm still in the research & accumulate equipment stage...haven't made a salt print or even seen one in real life yet!

https://www.christopherjames-studio.com/materials/08dec07_Updates/The Book of Alternative Processes/NEW SAMPLE CHAPTERS/ JAMES - Chapter 2 - Salted Paper Process.doc.pdf

https://ebookreading.net/view/book/EB9781351802376_19.html

Thank you for finding time to show me those links. I'll be sure to read them. I've also read that using sunlight instead of UV lamps helps with the contrast.

 

[ANCS]

Frank, I was referring to the development of the original film negative that is contact printed. Though the OP has not stated if he/she is working with DGs. or film.

I'm working with old 4x5" and 5x7" film negatives. I have stopped shooting large format because films are expensive these days. Thanks for suggesting.

 

[nmp]

Thank you for finding time to show me those links. I'll be sure to read them. I've also read that using sunlight instead of UV lamps helps with the contrast.

I think shade is supposed to be more contrasty than direct sunlight (not that I have personal experience.)

I take it you are already using citric acid in your sensitizer.

Also how about negative intensification?

:Niranjan.

 

[ANCS]

I think shade is supposed to be more contrasty than direct sunlight (not that I have personal experience.)

I take it you are already using citric acid in your sensitizer.

Also how about negative intensification?

:Niranjan.

Yes, shade gives more contrast as I understand. Negative intensification may be an alternative. No experience with that though. Thanks for suggesting.