Print datasheet?

[Robert]

This sort of follows the question on storing slides. What do people use to record the info for a print. Things like F/stop time. I guess dodging/burning. To be honest everything that's involved in not just reproducing a print but improving it. I've been just writing the basic info on the back of a test print.

 

[juan]

I use a system similar to Fred Picker's. I take a separate sheet of paper and record exposure, dodging and burning information. I only do contact prints now, so there's no f/stop.

I draw boxes down the side of the page in the shape of the print and record each step - basic exposure, dodging using little circles with the amount out to the side, burning in using slashmarks with the time out to the side.

I write the paper grade and type and the basic exposure on the back of the print when I am testing and doing more than one at a time. For the final print after I've worked out the printing, I write nothing on the back.

If you can get a copy of Picker's video on printing (ebay - the library - some camera clubs) take a look. He goes through the entire process and there's a lot of information there, even if you don't do everything the way he did.
juan

 

[Ed Sukach]

..

Somehow... this got posted twice. How can I delete one of them?

 

[Ed Sukach]

This sort of follows the question on storing slides. What do people use to record the info for a print. Things like F/stop time. I guess dodging/burning. To be honest everything that's involved in not just reproducing a print but improving it. I've been just writing the basic info on the back of a test print.

Prior to development, I code my film with size, and sequence number ("119"th film of ) year ("03"), and record developer type, time and temperature. In printing, I'll keep this coding and, with the addition of a frame number (more or less coinciding with edge marking), record, in home-made table, the information associated, with notes; i.e., Film/frame#, Enlarger column height, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow fltration (even as used in printing VC black and white), and, if necssary a tiny sketch to remind me of dodging and burning.

Hmm... "everything that's involved in not just reproducing a print, but improving it...". When ...? I don't have a crystal ball, so I don't know what will work in the future ...??? Once I "improve it" I record it... I can only work with history.

I also keep "Lab Notes" -- iformation that may prove to be of interest in the future - very little of it does - but the 0.1% that does is invaluable.

 

[ann]

after jogging down the basic infomation on the back of the print,(before developing) I transfer the information to "my little black book", This contains all the information considering the print. Each print has it's own paper with every scrap of information that occur when making the print.
We have several varieties of the printing map that Fred Picker used, available for students. Some have gone so far as to take a sharpie and outline burning and doging information right on a test print(after drying).

Clever, wish i had come up with it years ago.
Basically it comes down to what is most comfortable to one's style or recording keeping. I really hate the note keeping, but the payoff is more important , so I do it.

 

[Robert]

I'm thinking of making up a form I can print out. I figure if I've got a spot for each bit of info I won't forget to write it down-))

The improvement relates to the times I look at a print and figure I could do better but I'm missing some basic info so I need to start over again.

I'm terrible for record keeping.

 

[Nige]

since I'm a product of the computer age... I do this in a MS-Access database!

Have a look at http://www.photocritique.net/g/s?zzig4c-p21162059 for an example athough that one doesn't have any exposure data on it. For print exposure, I record (in the other info column) enlarger, enlargement size, aperture, filter grade, time and any other details that are neccessary. For a straight print it would say M601, 295mm, f8, G1.5, 6secs. I file that page back to back with the contact sheet in a plastic sleeve in a folder (with the negs in a neg sleeve)

Yesterday, I reprinted a print I did in 2001 using my recorded data and it was spot on!