Preference for printing exposure times

Joe,

When I learned that somebody as proficient as Yosuf Karsh was impressed to learn about the f-stop printing method, I understood that it has merit. He was no slouch when he visited Gene Nocon's studio to find out how the heck he could have the results he had.
So I tried it, and it works for me. It's second nature today, and I thank you for bringing your experience with your students up for us to see.

I think that it's good to sometimes examine what we do, to see if we can improve. So I will always listen to those with other ideas. But I do not take very kindly to those who categorically declare something to be wrong just because we don't do what they do. That is hard to swallow and completely unnecessary.

To be honest my eyes glaze over when people start to go into long explanations. I am with Bob. Keep it as simple as possible. I still do a test strip or two because paper is expensive. Work with the same equipment long enough and it isn't really necessary.

I also think some people enjoy complicating the hell out of everything. That isn't directed at anyone here in particular I should say. I have seen print maps from people and when I look at them I see many ways to simplify the print. Why have ten steps when 5 will do?

I appreciate reading opinions of different people though, especially someone like Bob who does it every day. I am old enough to know that even though I have been doing it a long time there is always something I didn't know that I didn't know.

In the end though, whatever works go for it. The vast majority of us only have to please ourselves.

Patrick Robert James said:

I am old enough to know that even though I have been doing it a long time there is always something I didn't know that I didn't know.

Click to expand...

And, the more we learn, the more we realize there's still to learn. I think it's one of the great things about what we do. The never ending learning experience... Keeps it fresh, interesting, and keeps us striving for more...

Carnies era?? I am still printing , maybe I can call it half century in 2023 , since 1973 was the first day I ever saw a print emerge.btw still love that feeling.

Right out of the gate I printed colour, we use a basic translator to find density and colour. In the neg sleeve was a proof print of the image with no dodge and burn.
That proof print was my **map** so to speak, without it we were lost for dodging and burning apps.
In the Analogue world I live in I always want a reference print so I can move in that direction, Darkroom Innovations has a timer that should get one in the close ballpark for density and contrast from the get go.
If one is as anal as the Zone Gurus then of course one can be within micro nanons of density and contrast with their first print.

I just happen to look at the neg, on a light box and on the easel , stick my wet finger in the air to calculate the exposure and contrast and hope for the best. Common sense dictates my decision, also when I work in a day I usually work with 4-8 negs, and I start with what I think is the easiest negatives and I match neg's on the light-box to work on next. I always use two enlargers and print two at a time , if I am having difficulty with one I will finish the first and then concentrate on the more difficult print.

Any way will get you there, I just think that to make great prints one should not worry too much about a lot of unnecessary trappings and just enjoy the print making experience.
My way is only one right way **for me**.

I'm basically with Bob about keeping things simple. And, I use a lot fewer test strips than my posts above might lead one to believe. When I'm printing, I've already proofed everything and I'm usually using just one or two brands/grades of paper. With that going, I can more often than not just expose a straight print.

I will, however, defend making test strips when the variables start to be less predictable. For example, when looking for a replacement for a recently-discontinued paper that I used a lot, I ordered six or seven different papers to test. They all have different speeds and characteristics, so, when learning to use them, test strips were helpful and saved a lot of time and paper. Likewise, when I switch from one enlarger to another or change light sources or make a big jump in filtration, I often will do another test strip - it only takes a couple minutes and I usually have some trim strips lying around anyway. Plus, I don't always make a test strip from 10 to 45 seconds; often its 14 to 29 or an even smaller spread.

As for f-stop printing; I certainly see and understand the logic. It's just easier for me to think in percentages, which accomplishes exactly the same thing. BTW, 50% less exposure is a stop... 100% more is a stop and all the values in between are able to be aligned as well. Good prints don't need exposures in fractions of a stop or particular percentages; they just need the right amount of time.

I have an aversion to lots of automation and complexity as well. I use a metronome and a footswitch and a couple of test strip sequences. For me, it's the subjective evaluation and fine adjustments made to a print to make it really sing that takes my time, not figuring out a starting base exposure.

Back to the original subject: often I have a rather complicated dance of dodging and burning to do. Especially when it comes to dodging, I need to have the time necessary to comfortably and relatively repeatably perform the manipulations. My print exposure time is guided by that. For the occasional print that requires only few manipulations, a ten-second exposure time is just fine. One that needs lots of dodging maybe better at 35 seconds.

Best,

Doremus

I think in % 's and keep my timer set to a basic time. All I do is hit the timer more or less for the extra filters and burns.