Print Today - Process Tomorrow

I know, an easy test to make. What results though
have others had. Are there some papers that won't
hold their latent image?

With what little time I've available for darkroom
work I think I might be able to up my volume
by splitting sessions. Dan

g'day dan

i don't think printing (exposing) now and processing later would be a good idea

apart from any slight possibly of problems with latent image retention a printing session needs time for assessment and re-exposing if required

why up your volume? quality is far more important than quantity

Ray

The problem with that is that you don't get feedback on your print, and then you've got to wait to do the next attempt. If you've standardized your exposure pretty well, though, you could do proof sheets that way, as Garry Winogrand did. I suppose if you wanted to make many of the same print, you could do the first one, figure out the exposure, dodging and burning, and then expose the duplicates and process later.

Batch processing a stack of print takes no time. If you have nailed properly all the exposure/dodge/burn/etc parameters, you could simply make the duplicates by exposing them all first, then developing by shuffling a stack of sheets at a time in trays. No need to wait later.

Occasionally I do this for contacts when I have a large batch of the same film to proof. But it's tricky because shuffling prints in the developer is like constant agitation, thus augments the print contrast.

What I prefer to do is to develop one print at a time, but stack them up in the stop bath (that's what it's for!). Once I have a dozen or so print, I shuffle them in the fixer. I don't know if it saves me processing time, but it cuts down on the number of manipulations and backaches.

Ray Heath said:

g'day dan. why up your volume? quality is far more important
than quantity Ray

Click to expand...

Actually I've come to think it doesn't have anything to do with
volume, great or small. More so it has to do with an efficient
use of time and even space. Processing does follow printing
but once under way is not complete until the print is out of
the fix and holding.

I'm something of a Time and Motion analyst. Some papers
will be tested for image retention. That testing in itself will
require later processing; an opportunity there for some
workflow and space efficiencies observation. Likely
printing today and processing tomorrow will work
for some situations and not for others. Dan

sorry dan, i don't agree

expose now, process later will not produce good work in any scenario

traditional photography is not about "Time and Motion" or "workflow and space efficiencies"

what about the other variables, solution temp and strength, state of mind, aesthetics, presentation, visual communication, ...

Ray

Using Ilford multigrade RC papers I have done similar things, but usually with many, many prints, from the one negative.

The biggest run I have had, was just over 2,000 5x8" prints from the one negative.

I printed a handful at slightly different exposures and allowed two days to pass before I developed them. I then compared the results with prints developed straight after exposure, I couldn't see any difference.

That said, there is a difference, especially with the variables Ray pointed out. I cannot explain them rationally, but they are there.

Having done several large print runs from different negatives and papers, I can say it's possible, but I wouldn't do it for single print exposures.

Mick.

Apart from the reservations already mentioned you should be fine to process a day or two later. I had cause to experiement with MGFB Warmtone a little while ago and found that waiting two weeks had not altered a midtone by any visible amount.

I do this all the time with no problems or discernible difference between the quickly processed paper and the later processed paper.

I typically have time to print 2-4 negatives in a session to the point of my best effort. If I have a negative worth printing/framing then I usually make 5-10 copies of the print. Once I have the printing sequence down, I expose the copies and put them in a paper safe. By then end of the session I have 10-20 sheets to process. Most of the time I process the same day, sometimes the next day. On some occasions up to 3 months later (Kentmere FinePrint VC FB). I never have any problems and the processing sequence and toning is much more time efficient when done in batches.

I don't think the process degrades quality at all. For me, it improves quality because when my mind is in printing mode I am not distracted by the monotony of processing.

David A. Goldfarb said:

The problem with that is that you don't get feedback
on your print, and then you've got to wait to do the
next attempt.

Click to expand...

Perhaps my use of one-shot chemistry and single
tray processing has me thinking of printing today and
processing tomorrow.

Duplicating my method, doing it conventionally, would use
7 trays loaded with the usual working strength developer,
stop, 1st fix, 2nd fix, rinse, hca, hold. Having that much
to deal with before and after a session would justify
only lengthy stays and greater volume. As well, 7
trays in my compact lab?

I use 2 trays, one for processing a second for hold. The
2 together are used for alternate tray washes. Very
dilute solutions make good use of the chemistry.
Similar to one-shot rotary processing.

Proofing is an exception to split processing. This evening
I'll proof a negative full frame 2up on 5x7, two sheets, then
print 1up 5x7, two sheets. Exposure will be determined using
the four 2up test exposures.

After that and an evaluation of the two 5x7s four more
5x7s will be made for day after processing. If the negative
is good to go larger that will follow. I use an EM-10 for
same exposure with change in size. The EM-10 value
is determined at the 5x7 size. Dan