Printing black & white photographs

[cliveh]

Over many years, I have found exposure time far more important than contrast control. Would others agree?

 

[Milpool]

I find them both important, although I think I understand what you mean in a sense.

 

[logan2z]

Equally important, in my experience.

 

[Don_ih]

I can't see "far more important" - although I do understand one can get confused about whether they should expose longer/shorter or boost/diminish contrast. I'm inclined to agree with @logan2z Choosing contrast decides the flavour of the print, exposure time is something that is mostly either right or wrong.

 

[Paul Howell]

I don't understand why time is more or less important than contrast. The negative, the paper, surface texture, brightness of the paper base, contrast, and proper print exposure make up the characteristics of a given print. All can be changed to alter the appearance of an image.

 

[MattKing]

There is no particular hierarchy.
They are simply control adjustments that give different results, in differing circumstances, with different negatives, for different photographers, who may be seeking differing interpretations.
In some cases, making small adjustments in one such control will result in more consequential improvements or detriments, while in other cases the print result will be more responsive to small adjustments in the other such control.
It is true that some printers have approaches that favour "pinning down" one before the other, but that is often just the result of habit and training.

 

[Don_ih]

I can see where Clive is coming from, if he consistently hits his desired exposure and development - which he seems to do. In that instance, contrast is a given (maybe just a grade one way or the other).

 

[oxcanary]

I print grade 0 and grade 5. Thus to fine tune the print I either alter the balance over a single time or extend the time of one of these, occasionally both.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I need both my left foot and right foot to walk. Your milage may vary.

 

[koraks]

In that instance, contrast is a given

Only if the same subject matter is photographed under the same/similar lighting conditions and the printer doesn't really have any particular expectation of how the print will come out, as long as nothing is blown out or solid black.

I need both my left foot and right foot to walk.

Exactly!

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Over many years, I have found exposure time far more important than contrast control. Would others agree?

No, one is as important as the other. But, with experience, intermediate printers conclude that exposure time must first lock in the highlights. Then contrast control determines the shadow density.

 

[MARTIE]

I can see where Clive is coming from, if he consistently hits his desired exposure and development - which he seems to do. In that instance, contrast is a given (maybe just a grade one way or the other).

Ageed

 

[payral]

Result is important. How you get it, that's your problem and nobody care.

 

[awty]

The more contrast the tighter the exposure time.

 

[Rick A]

It's a question of balance.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I print grade 0 and grade 5. Thus to fine tune the print I either alter the balance over a single time or extend the time of one of these, occasionally both.

Essentially that is what I do - split grade printing.

 

[Milpool]

One way of thinking about this might be as follows. For many photographers, prints typically require at least some, sometimes extensive localized exposure adjustment (ie burn/dodge), even if there is no localized contrast adjustment. On the other hand less experienced workers might need to do more of that if they don’t get the basic printing contrast right.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Well, in extremis, way too little exposure results in an all white print, too much in all black. Get the wrong contrast and you still get an image, maybe not a great image, but an image none the less.

It all depends on the postulated error when the discussion is limited to creating a 'fine print.'

• A 1/2 stop change in time is ~1 zone in tone difference around ZV and grade 2 1/2.
• The effect of a 1/2 grade change in contrast depends on the location on the HD curve and the grades involved. But at the same conditions 1/2 grade change in filtration will result in a ~0.2 zone tone shift going from ZV to ZIV - or the ZIV tones will be ~1/5 of a zone off if the prints are matched at ZV.

A 1 zone/0.5 stop change in time is going from, say, 16 seconds to 23 seconds. A 1/5 of a zone change in tone is about a 0.1 stop change in time or equivalent to going from 16 seconds to 17 seconds.

Obviously, smaller errors in time and larger errors in contrast filtration can flip the dynamic.

I'd says it is like asking "What is more important: staying hydrated or getting enough sleep?"

 

[Milpool]

Well, in extremis, way too little exposure results in an all white print, too much in all black. Get the wrong contrast and you still get an image, maybe not a great image, but an image none the less.

It all depends on the postulated error when the discussion is limited to creating a 'fine print.'

• A 1/2 stop change in time is ~1 zone in tone difference around ZV and grade 2 1/2.
• The effect of a 1/2 grade change in contrast depends on the location on the HD curve and the grades involved. But at the same conditions 1/2 grade change in filtration will result in a ~0.2 zone tone shift going from ZV to ZIV - or the ZIV tones will be ~1/5 of a zone off if the prints are matched at ZV.

A 1 zone/0.5 stop change in time is going from, say, 16 seconds to 23 seconds. A 1/5 of a zone change in tone is about a 0.1 stop change in time or equivalent to going from 16 seconds to 17 seconds.

Obviously, smaller errors in time and larger errors in contrast filtration can flip the dynamic.

I'd says it is like asking "What is more important: staying hydrated or getting enough sleep?"

My rough guess (I could be wrong) is that cliveh is coming at this from a point of view where if you get the exposure right for the composition to “work” (primary subject matter is properly visible, no glaring distractions interrupting the design etc.), overall contrast is less important. The negative is the negative and you make a pretty much straight print. This is where I think it has a lot to do with personal philosophy.

 

[images39]

No, one is as important as the other. But, with experience, intermediate printers conclude that exposure time must first lock in the highlights. Then contrast control determines the shadow density.

I'd say that's a good way to think about it, and a helpful guideline.

Dale

 

[cliveh]

No, one is as important as the other. But, with experience, intermediate printers conclude that exposure time must first lock in the highlights. Then contrast control determines the shadow density.

I don't buy this, as you could also lock in shadows and use contrast control to determine highlight detail.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Finding base exposure time for a highlight is first on my list. Then comes contrast adjustments (and tweaks to the exposure time as needed with that).

There's a definite order, but no difference in importance IM-HO

Doremus

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I don't buy this, as you could also lock in shadows and use contrast control to determine highlight detail.

It's a lot easier for your eye to evaluate detail in a highlight area than in a shadow. That, and the fact that more "meaning" in the image comes from the highlights and midtones than the shadows, which are, by definition, less information-rich, makes using a textured highlight area or important high mid-tone the logical choice for determining base exposure most of the time.

Of course the opposite might be the case, especially if the shadow values are what the image is about. I do use important shadows to base my base exposure on occasionally, but, for most images, the highlights do a better job there.

Best,

Doremus

 

[cliveh]

There are shadows that are so black, they have no shadow detail and there are highlights that are so bright, they have no highlight detail.

 

[logan2z]

Finding base exposure time for a highlight is first on my list. Then comes contrast adjustments (and tweaks to the exposure time as needed with that).

That's exactly the approach I take.