• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

Split Filter printing article in "Photo Techniques"


Mark

The article is correct and so is Howard Bond. The effect of any combination of straight low and high-contrast exposures can also be achieved with a single mid-contrast exposure. However, the advantage of being able to dodge and burn differently during the two exposures makes split-grade printing a valuable techniques, achieving effects you can't do otherwise.
 
RalphLambrecht said:
the advantage of being able to dodge and burn differently during the two exposures makes split-grade printing a valuable technique, achieving effects you can't do otherwise.
Click to expand...

Dodging at a different contrast grade is a definite advantage to split grade printing - the thing is a royal PITA with single-filter printing.

Burning at a different contrast grade can be easier with single filter printing. If the burn is to be at other than #00 or #5 then two burns must be performed, and figuring the ratio of the two split-filter burns can be a bit of a nightmare.

Burning at an intermediate contrast grade with split filter printing is more easily done with fixed filtration.

For production printing, running off a set of 20 identical prints for instance, it can be easier to find the fixed contrast grade equivalent exposure once exposure and grade have been determined with SG techniques.
 

I agree. Split-grade printing has no advantage unless you dodge and burn. It is head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to dodging, and with burning-in it can even be a disadvantage.

For doing a lot of burning-ins at contrast extremes, split-grade printing is fine. For edge burns, which are mostly done at base print contrast, split-grade is not ideal. However, with an under-the-lens filter set, one can easily do both.
 
I have no choice but to split filter with my home made 8x10 enlarger. I print with blue and green, Roscoe filters placed between the negative and the light head. It's a little bit more work, but worth it as I feel that I have a bit more control.
 
Andrew O'Neill said:
I have no choice but to split filter with my home made 8x10 enlarger. I print with blue and green, Roscoe filters placed between the negative and the light head. It's a little bit more work, but worth it as I feel that I have a bit more control.
Click to expand...

Andrew

You still have the choice of using under-the-lens filters.
 
Split grade printing gives alot more control over local contrast. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but very few of my exhibition prints print straight without dodging and burning. Being able to dodge and burn during both the blue light exposure and the green light exposure produces prints that can't be made with single exposure dodging and burning. With split grade printing you can dodge the highlight and midtones without sacrificing blacks in the same local area, and converse is also true. Thats reality! I don't diagree with the article quoted, my critique of the article is that it totally ignores why split grade printing is so useful.
 
John Elder said:
Being able to dodge and burn during both the blue light exposure and the green light exposure produces prints that can't be made with single exposure dodging and burning
Click to expand...

I basically agree, and I'm a fan of split-grade printing too, but how do you burn during an exposure? IMHO, burning-in is about the only weak point split-grade printing has.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register