Recommendations for books on masking

[Sirius Glass]

I am looking for recommendations for books on masking black & white negatives. I have been given the name of an author, Lynn Radeka, but no book titles. Recommendations please.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Nonexistent if you're looking for something current and involving the darkroom (vs post-scan inkjet-printed masks). A number of books are in print regarding digi options; but I find them actually less straightforward. There were basic magazine articles by Howard Bond maybe 30 years ago which are still largely relevant, and there is all kinds out-of-date potentially confusing literature related to dye transfer printing now posted on the web, though it is sometimes useful because much of the equipment remains the same, even if you have to acqujire it used. I think Lynn Radeka sells tutorial info from his own website. It's not really that difficult to begin learning with a few good tips. But if you can actually get your hands on a clean MATCHING Condit punch and registered contact frame for masking, it will make life vastly easier. Radeka might still sell something equivalent new, but probably only up to 4x5 film size. Specific tools and specific techniques kinda go hand in hand, so if you can get it all from the same current source, like Radeka, it might be a real boost. Otherwise, take it a step at a time, and ask questions according to upcoming sequence too. But regardless of the many variables, every single one of them requires a lot of darkroom cleanliness, dust control.

 

[removed account4]

SG do you mean unsharp masking ?
Lynn Radeka made a kit not sure about a book.
There were also articles written in photo techniques, way beyond monochrome ( Ralph's book ),Bruce Barnbaum's book, and article on the largeformat page
and if you can the articles or PDFs written by Donald Miller get them. Donald wrote about the subject extensively and was an expert, but unfortunately his website no longer exists and his pdf's seem to have ended up in the ether... here are a few articles and a way to retrieve armloads of links... there might be something on the unblinkingly.com but i can't seem to find it on the site, it might take digging.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/how-to-tell-if-your-unsharp-mask-is-good.9076/
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/analog-unsharp-mask.74156/
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/unsharp-masking-of-negatives.34193/
( the top three from going to google and typing sitehotrio.com "unsharp masking" in the search bar )

 

[DREW WILEY]

I've been thumbing around on my shelves looking for old Howard Bond articles. No luck so far. I did stumble onto an article by Ctein on masking for color printing in Photo Techniques Oct 1997, which includes his Muir Softshot developer formula. I have a simpler formula for very low gamma use of TMax100 that is analogous. You can also get his older books free online directly from his personal website. I think his book, Post Exposure, has some masking info. still largely relevant. .. Oh, Bond's article is in the same issue of Photo Techniques. There must also be some web video tutorials, though I haven't checked. If your original negs are pyro stained, the exposure technique is ideally a bit different.

 

[Sirius Glass]

SG do you mean unsharp masking ?

That is one of a number of options I would like to understand and when applicable use. It is important to get a good understanding all many options before doing a deep dive into one or a few.

Lynn Radeka made a kit not sure about a book.
There were also articles written in photo techniques, way beyond monochrome ( Ralph's book ),Bruce Barnbaum's book, and article on the largeformat page
and if you can the articles or PDFs written by Donald Miller get them. Donald wrote about the subject extensively and was an expert, but unfortunately his website no longer exists and his pdf's seem to have ended up in the ether... here are a few articles and a way to retrieve armloads of links... there might be something on the unblinkingly.com but i can't seem to find it on the site, it might take digging.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/how-to-tell-if-your-unsharp-mask-is-good.9076/
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/analog-unsharp-mask.74156/
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/unsharp-masking-of-negatives.34193/
( the top three from going to google and typing sitehotrio.com "unsharp masking" in the search bar )

Thank you this is a place for me to start.

 

[DREW WILEY]

It's best to start with learning basic unsharp contrast masking before venturing into the many other options. I do note that there is a lot of misinformation as well as good info on past apug threads, as usual. What format film originals do you wish to start with? Knowing that will help with equipment recommendations.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It's best to start with learning basic unsharp contrast masking before venturing into the many other options. I do note that there is a lot of misinformation as well as good info on past apug threads, as usual. What format film originals do you wish to start with? Knowing that will help with equipment recommendations.

MF, specifically 6x6.

 

[MattKing]

This link may be of some assistance: https://www.largeformatphotography.info/unsharp/

 

[gordrob]

There is a lot of information that can be found about masking in general and specifically how it pertained to dye transfer in David Doubleys website. Includes information on Condit equipment and a copy of an old Kodak publication that includes masking. There is a link to a Bob Pace video that walks you through masking as it pertains to dye transfer but educational in general.
http://www.daviddoubley.com/DyeTransfer.htm

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I am looking for recommendations for books on masking black & white negatives. I have been given the name of an author, Lynn Radeka, but no book titles. Recommendations please.

Sirius; if you send me an email to rwlambewc@gmail.com ,I'll return it with what I have in pdfs

 

[DREW WILEY]

Bob Pace's instructional videos and papers largely applied to DT printing and are apt to be either confusing or overwhelming to a beginner. 6x6 work is generally done with a 4x5 punch system by taping a wider piece of punched sheet film to the smaller neg. But for learning purposes you might be able to locate an old Gepe 6x6 slide mount punch and a bunch of matching pin-registered anti-Newton glass slide mounts. 6x7 were more common, but you might try hunting for 6x6. Ctein might still have his matched Condit 4x5 system for sale. It will be well used, but I've seen only two matched sets come up for sale in the past year. The newer variety made by Radeka or Inglis would be cheaper.

 

[Sirius Glass]

MY copy of Way Beyond Monochrome had gone into hiding. I found it this morning and Ralph has laid out the principles and techniques needed. Now I have to decide if and when I am going to do it and locating the appropriate punch and negative carrier.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Google Bob Pace... he wrote some basic articles on Mask making for photo comp, basic but gives the idea.... Also in Ilfords archives you will find many articles on complicated contrast control masking methods for Cibachrome.... I lost all my notes on both but this may be of help for your search.

Oh I see Drew Pointed that out... also Blind Pig here on PHOTRIO is really a custom comp maker out of Kansas City, Don and I go back to early 80's and we met .. Both of us did complicated mask making and he may have notes and he may pipe in here if he is still alive and kicking.... Don are you out there???

 

[Eric Rose]

I don't imagine you do Facebook but Lynn Radeka is a member of the large format and darkroom groups. He is a regular contributor.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

...and you don't need a punch for unsharp masking... For dodging and burning masks, you will.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I actually just bought Radeka’s book on masking. I’m planning a few how to videos and wanted to see what methods were out there I hadn’t tried yet. It’s informative, but somewhat vague. At $95 I thought it would describe or show what the resulting masks would look like better.

Way Beyond Monochrome has two chapters clearly explaining how to do masking with text and drawings, and examples. It is much clearer than the videos with serious mumbling, many useless interjections, and unrelated radio music making the audio hard to hear.

 

[bedrof]

If I remember correctly, one of the chapters on the masking in the Way beyond Monochrome was written by Radeka himself.

 

[Neal]

Try this one.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

MY copy of Way Beyond Monochrome had gone into hiding. I found it this morning and Ralph has laid out the principles and techniques needed. Now I have to decide if and when I am going to do it and locating the appropriate punch and negative carrier.

it's worth a try and gives amazing results but, it's a lot of work. I was successful in aligning neg and mask on a lighttable with just a loupe and a bit of tape.

 

[Sirius Glass]

it's worth a try and gives amazing results but, it's a lot of work. I was successful in aligning neg and mask on a lighttable with just a loupe and a bit of tape.

My next step is to mask by hand, foam, yellow and magenta water soluble high lighters, pencils crayons, ... Then I will have to make choice to make masks with photographic masks or to make masks with GIMP or Photo$hop.

 

[Bob Carnie]

You may try contour masking but original film needs to be large... cut out shapes in tissue to sit on top of the negative during exposure...

 

[removed account4]

Way Beyond Monochrome has two chapters clearly explaining how to do masking with text and drawings, and examples. It is much clearer than the videos with serious mumbling, many useless interjections, and unrelated radio music making the audio hard to hear.

wow.

 

[visual impact]

I think Alistair Inglis ( email crossjet@telus.net ) still makes pin register systems and can match existing condit equipment. I too wrote a book on masking techniques. As I don't get to this site very much you can email me at visualimpact@powerup.com.au
Hope this information helps.

 

[mike c]

Thanks Greg, like the idea of the pins, neg and mask taped to the film carrier.

 

[DREW WILEY]

It's a pain without a matched register punch and masking glass frame. After dev the mask you tape them together before putting the film sandwich in a glass carrier. The carrier itself does not need registration pins for basic applications.