Sepia Toning e.g Roman Loranc

[mikewhi]

Hi:

I am interested in trying out toning to get the look of prints by Roman Loranc, for example. Descriptions that I've read say it's sepia toning, but his work doesn't look like it's just straightforward sepia toning. Does anyone know anything about his processing? Can you tell me how he tones his prints?
I have a few that would benefit from this and I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks.

-Mike

P.S. Does anyone own that book out on Toning (can't recall exact title or author, but it's a relatively new book)

 

[Donald Miller]

If my memory serves me I seem to recall that Roman indicated a split toning using selenium and sepia in one of the early articles on his work.

I seem to recall that he indicated having difficulty in developing a repeatable procedure. He seems to have accomplished it. His work is outstanding.

 

[AndrewH]

If you are referring to the look such as in "Absolution", it does look like Sepia toning to me. I don't see any others online that show any apparent toning. If you have more examples, please link them. Now I see some that appear to have the subtle purple hue of Selenium, or at least some cool tones. If you could provide a link to exactly what you are speaking of, maybe some people around here could steer you in the right direction.

 

[esearing]

http://www.photographywest.com/pages/gallery.html

PW Gallery mentions his use of sepia toning but his images within the gallery are a mix of gray and sepia tones.

 

[ann]

Mike;
perhaps you are referring to Tim Rudman's book "The Master photographer"s Toning Book."? If you are interested in serious toning this is the book to get.
there are several others that will give you some basics, but tim's is much more specific and detailed .
I am not familiar with the gentleman you ask about but if he is split toning that effect may not be as easy to copy .
With regard to split toning. the results vary in strange ways. Same print using the same materials may differ to the extremes.

For instance, Jonathan Bailey has a print i love, it is split in selenium and GP-1 but he has only been able to get the print to split in the most wondrous method ONCE. With more exotic methods we are at the mercy of the chemical, which is part of the charm (for some of us, anyway. )

 

[Aggie]

Dead Link Removed

read his bio and you will see it is split toning, sepia and selenium. Also his photos show a non consistent from one to the next tone. Yet I have seen his work up close and personal. It is stunning, and I can say that is one of the greats of today.

 

[ann]

Checked out his images and I agree with Aggie about the consistent toning from image to image, however, thought some of it might be my monitor.

THe various changes are a result of split toning. As i indicated before there will be differences as the control is not the same as one finds with "normal" toning process.

 

[John McCallum]

Hi Mike, more expert practicioners have already posted here than me. But I have done quite a lot of split toning with Selenium, hopefully I can be a little help.
As has been mentioned, results can vary a great deal given (apparantly) the same conditions and materials.
But most sig factors seem to be the usual; Materials (paper in particular and dilutions), temp and time.
A warm tone paper like Multigrade will enhance the brown/sepia, whilst a cold tone allows greater action by the Selenium enhancing the DMax, with the warm sepia appearing more subtly.
I've had great results on Agfa MC111 with a full range of results available using Sel and Veridon. This gives a different result to Roman L's work, who definately uses Sel + Sepia, and I suspect Gold also. But the process is the same.
My process goes:
1. Make sure Stop bath dilutions are correct and fresh. This seems to be a cause of uneven toning, if not right.
2. Also, make sure print is fully washed (archival if possible) after fixing. I wash for 60mins in archival washer at this point.
3. Tone with Selenium until DMax deepens. I generally use 1:6 for about 2 mins on MC111. But the dilution and timing will vary with the paper and content of your image.
As the Selenium toning affect is more subtle, I like to Sel tone first and use a wet reference print beside the toning tray, in daylight. Check it frequently, it is important to preempt the colour change. At this point, not all hallides are converted leaving room for the Sepia action.
4. Arrest the action by washing thoroughly again. I give it another 30mins in archival washer.
5. Now tone in the Veridon (or Sepia) to completion. Depending upon the amount of prior action of the Selenium and the receptiveness of the paper, you will see a subtle rich sepia or brown through to more pronounced two tone sepia or brown.
6. Archival wash.

A good way to get control is to have 1/2 doz prints all printed the same time and the same way, and then changed the length of Sel toning for each.

Lastly ...... throw lots of paper at it . Don't be disheartened by the inconsistancy. Last year I had a print in a show that had toning just how I wanted it. Because of this and the schedule, I had sent it through with a minor defect (hoping that just for the show, it would be missed). I was asked to reprint it, but never been able to reproduce exactly the same tone.

Can be frustrating, but that's the fun of it too!
best, John

 

[Donald Miller]

This is from what I understand of the split toning involving selenium and sepia. The selenium will convert silver halides to silver selenide and thus when one selenium tones before sepia toning the chemical conversion locks the deep tonal values from being affected by the bleach in the sepia toning.

Selenium tones shadows first and sepia tones highlights.

It is theoretically possible to achieve a three way split if one watches the toning progression in the selenium toner and keeps it from involving the midtones and then allows the sepia to only address the highlights. Neutral and cold tone papers seem to be the most susceptible to this approach.

 

[mikewhi]

Dead Link Removed

read his bio and you will see it is split toning, sepia and selenium. Also his photos show a non consistent from one to the next tone. Yet I have seen his work up close and personal. It is stunning, and I can say that is one of the greats of today.

Actually, I own a fair number of his prints, 4 or 5 I think. I really liked them and bought them a few years ago when they could be had inexpensively. I have one of his "Night Storm over Kesterson" prints. It is only listed in 8x10 for $2k. I got him to print one in 11x14 for me and I paid probably $400 for it. It will be very rare one day.

I just want to get that look for 1 or 2 of my own prints. I guess it will take some work on my part, but it will be worth it.

-Mike