Problem with Sepia Toning

thefizz · Aug 8, 2013

I was toning four prints last night which were all previously fixed (2 bath), hypo cleared and washed properly. Three of them re-developed in the sepia (Moersch MT3) correctly but one failed to come back to anything resembling its original density. I know a little highlight density can be lost after sepia toning but this one was way too light.

Any ideas what has happened here?

Peter

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 8, 2013

Exhausted toner?

The toner does have a definite capacity. Did you mix it fresh, or is it an old mix? You could test it by bleaching back another image and redeveloping it in regular developer. If it develops back in the developer, but not in the toner, it's highly likely your toner is exhausted.

thefizz · Aug 8, 2013

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Exhausted toner?

The toner does have a definite capacity. Did you mix it fresh, or is it an old mix? You could test it by bleaching back another image and redeveloping it in regular developer. If it develops back in the developer, but not in the toner, it's highly likely your toner is exhausted.

Hi Thomas, no the toner was fine as this one was the second print toned. The first, third and fourth toned fine.

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 8, 2013

OK. So all other things being equal, print #2 of four did not tone properly. Something must have happened to that individual sheet.
Is there a chance it got contaminated or introduced to fixer somehow?

thefizz · Aug 8, 2013

I seriously doubt it as I'm very meticulous about how I print.

The prints were fully washed a few days ago when printed and I had no fixer present last night while toning.

Its not a major issue as I have enough prints from the other three. I was just curious as to what may have caused it.

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 8, 2013

thefizz said:
I seriously doubt it as I'm very meticulous about how I print.

The prints were fully washed a few days ago when printed and I had no fixer present last night while toning.

Its not a major issue as I have enough prints from the other three. I was just curious as to what may have caused it.

I wasn't implying that you are a sloppy printer. Knowing about you for many years I expect the contrary.

I'm just brainstorming, trying to come up with ideas of what might have happened. It is pretty clear that this individual sheet is affected somehow, since it was treated the same way as the other three. So it could either be a manufacturing error, (although if it developed properly the first time, I sincerely doubt it), or something happened to it along the process. If it had been exposed to fixer somehow before getting toned, that would have prevented it from being re-developed. I'm trying to think of what else might cause that to happen, but like you I'm stumped.

thefizz · Aug 8, 2013

Thomas Bertilsson said:
I wasn't implying that you are a sloppy printer. Knowing about you for many years I expect the contrary.

Oh I know you weren't implying anything lake that Thomas. Your imput as usual is much appreciated

jeffreyg · Aug 8, 2013

It's been close to 40 years since I sepia toned a print so I cannot offer any technical explanation but I know when something I routinely do doesn't come out right there is usually a simple reason. Perhaps you were distracted and pulled the print too soon.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

thefizz · Aug 8, 2013

jeffreyg said:
It's been close to 40 years since I sepia toned a print so I cannot offer any technical explanation but I know when something I routinely do doesn't come out right there is usually a simple reason. Perhaps you were distracted and pulled the print too soon.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

Yes anything is possible Jeffrey. I have a few more prints of the same subject so will tone them in the same toner at my next session and see if the problem re-appears.

MattKing · Aug 8, 2013

Any chance the problem print was in the bleach for much longer than the rest?

Or did some selenium toner invade your process while you weren't looking?

thefizz · Aug 8, 2013

MattKing said:
Any chance the problem print was in the bleach for much longer than the rest?

Or did some selenium toner invade your process while you weren't looking?

The problem print was bleached further than the others but not excessively. I will try more and see if its a once off. I'm pretty sure I didn't get any selenium in my sepia. With an 8x4 foot sink there's plenty of room for lots of trays

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 8, 2013

thefizz said:
The problem print was bleached further than the others but not excessively. I will try more and see if its a once off. I'm pretty sure I didn't get any selenium in my sepia. With an 8x4 foot sink there's plenty of room for lots of trays

It doesn't matter how far you bleach back. The active toner will re-develop 95% of the tones that were there to begin with, and you said it was #2 in a sequence of four prints being toned. That doesn't make sense.

Problem with Sepia Toning

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