Save me from digital?

dpprice · Sep 18, 2009

I've recently moved to large format, and have access to a full color darkroom.

I have been investigating the possibility of using a pin registration carrier to make and use masks to get repeatable results, but I'm unsure what masking techniques I can reasonably use for color printing. I could just scan and do it in photoshop, but I'd like to avoid it if I can.

What I'm interested in/looking at is this: http://www.radekaphotography.com/maskingkits.htm

A book comes with it, that would presumably tell me everything I need to know, but I'd like to know before I shell out $400

I'm concerned that these things won't work for color because there is no more pan masking film.

Can anyone help save me from photoshop?

Mike1234 · Sep 18, 2009

Ahh... just go ahead and sin a little. As long as you only play with your PS just a little bit you'll only go half blind.

tim elder · Sep 18, 2009

There's a lot of information on creating masks for color film in Ctein's book "Post Exposure."

You don't need Pan Masking Film to make masks - I have seen Acros and TMAX 100 used with excellent results.

Now I have to start making them myself!

Tim

Ektagraphic · Sep 20, 2009

Color darkroom made prints are stunning but are going away very rapidly! Keep the craft alive.

Poisson Du Jour · Sep 20, 2009

dpprice said:
I've recently moved to large format, and have access to a full color darkroom.

Can anyone help save me from photoshop?

Don't screw the beauty of large format in the morass of pretention that is Photoshop.

Mike1234 · Sep 21, 2009

Poisson Du Jour said:
Don't screw the beauty of large format in the morass of pretention that is Photoshop.

Are you expressing your opinion that it's okay to digitize small and medium format?

Nikanon · Sep 21, 2009

What is photoshop? I don't even know, you'd better just work in the darkroom, if you go spouting off words like photoshop people will think your up to witch craft, then well all just end up in some silly monty python movie.

Chris Nielsen · Sep 21, 2009

Photoshop's the shop you go for photo gear, right?

Mike1234 · Sep 21, 2009

Chris Nielsen said:
Photoshop's the shop you go for photo gear, right?

It sure was when I was a thirteen-year-old kid living in north-central Texas. The Photo Shop was just a twenty minute ride on my bicycle.

Mike Wilde · Sep 21, 2009

It depends on what the mask is to do - if it is a contrast reducing mask, then it likely needs to be Pan. There was a good aritcle pair a few years ago in Photo Techniques that discussed calibrating your process - exposure under the enlarger as a light source, and calibration of a standard development tiem to get the required contrast index of the mask.

To date, I have not gone to the length of pan mask making; usually I just do it using lith film, and do it to make either unsharp masks or hard masks for inserting areas of text for posters, etc.

Save me from digital?

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