SPLIT GRADE PRINTING, A question of sequence

Hi Folks

Interesting thread, I agree with most of what is being said, and I started split printing with the 0 and 5 as most here. In fact I think I really started with graded paper and a super soft, mid and High contrast dev. with hot water on the side.

For the last 5 or 6 years I have changed to a method that is a bit different but one that works well for me.
My workflow is probably different from most as I am a commercial printer that recieves negatives from all different sources, lighting conditions, neg types, developer types and skill in capture from basic to highly advanced.

So in all due respect to Mr McLean my dear friend , I will describe a slightly different approach.. I have a couple of his prints hanging on my living room wall and he is making me one right now on a new project that he is starting.. So Les,, get the camera out , go for that walk, make me the print. I have seen him in action here and his method of working is very very good and he is going to have to teach me how to use that flasher thing of his.

slightly different approach
Look at the neg on the lightbox, experience will tell you a starting filter pack, for negs developed in D76 I will start any where around 1-2 as a filter pack, for negs developed in Pyro or rodinal I will start any where around 1 1/2 -3 filter pack.
Why??? I find the pyro neg and rodinal neg have a higher basefog plus density and require a higher filtration... plain and simple.

The first goal is to create a print that is just a bit soft and lighter than one that I would desire using a middle filter. I find that this gives me a beautiful mid tone range to base the rest of my work on. But it must be soft and light enough to accept the additional blast of 5

Then with the 5 filter I will give a % of the main exposure , usually starting at 1/3 of the time. More or less will set my blacks and create the contrast that I am looking for in the print. Sometimes I have found with certain negs the 5 exposure becomes more than the main exposure. Your personal tastes will tell you.

Now those tricky highlights,,, I will as suggested drop down to a 00 filter on top of my burning in tool and burn in the whites for detail, and I will repeat this burn with the 5 filter on the burning tool to make sure the highlights do not go muddy and flat. the five will only bring in black detail.( I usually do not treat this area with a main blast but treat it locally with a burning tool, and here is where I differ from most.. I believe that too much overall exposure of the 0 creates a muddyness in the shadow areas of the print which I want to avoid, I guees I colud dodge all the blacks in the main burst of 0 light but I prefer not to..)

Now we are some where ... the print has good midtones, nice blacks and the highlights have good detail.
Now some more work can start by dodging centers of interest in the main exposure and burning back with different filters to create areas within the print that pop out.

Times when I do a complete 0 and 5 split..
1. when I want to soften a ladys face but retain sharpness, I will use a soft focus black stocking for all or % of the 0 filter and use 5 to bring in contrast and detail without affecting the soft skin.
2. total diffusion/tissue of the O and or 5 in conjunction with a non filtered opposite filter.( playing around with this is one of my favorite games)

this above method works for me and I hope it does not confuse the thread.
Bob

Thanks Bob, for a very clear explaination.

Dave Miller said:

Thanks Bob, for a very clear explaination.

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Thanks Bob for explaining different method to get the same result.

Greg

Great thread Bruce and some great replies. I'd be interested to hear if you are using a single developer or more than one.

I'd also be glad to hear the people that have given their opinions, if they use single or multiple developers and water baths as this seems to have a big impact on your initial choice of grades.

Regarding developers for split grade... FWIW I have found that out of Pyrocat, WD2D+ and PMK, that PMK seems to give the most "split", ie. the hard exposure is really hard and the soft exposure is really soft. My typical negative is a bit thick, and most often N+1. It may be just me....

An interesting thread this, particularly as I want to experiment with some 'high-key' printing over the holiday period for a project I have in mind.

Fintan said:

Great thread Bruce and some great replies. I'd be interested to hear if you are using a single developer or more than one.

I'd also be glad to hear the people that have given their opinions, if they use single or multiple developers and water baths as this seems to have a big impact on your initial choice of grades.

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Just one. Midway thru this project I switched from Ilford PQ to ID-14, both home brews, to see what effect could be gained, if any. Additionally I dropped the Stop Bath and am presently using a water bath equal in time to the development -- no reasoning for this but it was a simple answer to "how long" a water/stop bath. I felt letting the developer play out might be better than an acidic abrupt interruption of development. I'm happy with the results.

The ID-14 seems a bit slow to get underway and my usual guide to development time indicated something in the neighborhood of 3 minutes which I know is wrong. I keep it to 1:30 and let it wind down in the water bath.

They say all roads lead to Rome, it's amazing just how many roads there are..especially when you think your going to Mecca.

By George...

I've got it.

I've tried split-grade before, obviously not quite understanding the theory and the practice... Thanks for this informative and de-mystifying thread.

JBrunner said:

That is my biggest problem with split grade, getting distracted, and forgetting where I am. Sometimes the timer gives a clue, but only if I can remember if have printed since I changed it.

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I woulda said that if I had remembered.

On that note,
Before I go to the trays I always set my enlargers back to the main setting points.
Another complication, I always use two or three enlargers at a time, I find working on multiple images keeps me sharp and intent on what I am doing, I learn stuff with each different image, and when working on a series of prints I will load negatives of the same characteristics on one enlarger and negs of different values on another. I always work from the main exposure to final burn on each neg, then move to the next image.
I have to admit now its not timer numbers but % of the main exposure that I am evaluating the images. I move fast and do not ever keep tests for evaluation but always move forward to the final print that I like, I always make two or three prints that have slight differences and usually am happy with two of the three of the four versions.
What I find is the first round of any printing session is the longest, but once the %'s are figured out in my noggin it is a breeze over the rest of the negs.

As I print shows mainly in my darkroom , or images from series I find this method works for me.

vet173 said:

I woulda said that if I had remembered.

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Bob Carnie said:

....Another complication, I always use two or three enlargers at a time, ....

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Sweet Lord Mr Carnie, thats nearly three more than this noggin can handle.

I should add that I usually have a lab rat in the room with me keeping me in balance.
*cold beer, nice sandwich, good music at ear splitting intensity , definately no jazz or classical , I don't want to fall asleep.*

Fintan said:

Sweet Lord Mr Carnie, thats nearly three more than this noggin can handle.

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Bob Carnie said:

I should add that I usually have a lab rat in the room with me keeping me in balance.
*cold beer, nice sandwich, good music at ear splitting intensity , definately no jazz or classical , I don't want to fall asleep.*

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Ever thought of putting in a live feed webcam onto your site?

I don't want to get myself in trouble!!!

Fintan said:

Ever thought of putting in a live feed webcam onto your site?

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Bob Carnie said:

I don't want to get myself in trouble!!!

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Is that because the sheep wont sign the model release?

So, out of curiosity, how many of you split grade print everything? I find that I do it rarely, but sometimes I have to to bring out details at all ends of the spectrum. Being a Holga user, I am forced to deal with wildly inaccurate exposures. On the underexposed negs, I have found absolutely no advantage with split grade printing, but that a hard filter works the best. Any ideas on that?
- Thomas

Thomas

The technique I described is what I use for all negatives, I do find that with certain negs that I will start the main very high or very low, but usually I will come up with a combination that works for the negs I am working on.

Dinesh:::: that was nasty.

Thanks for your reply, Bob. Just out of curiosity, what benefit do you see by doing this? Since the shadows are blocked up anyway, I mean. You are a much more experienced printer than I am; I will take any suggestion you make under deep consideration.
- Thomas

I use split filter printing always. I make a test strip moving my cover down the strip in increments of 5 seconds for a total of 50 seconds. I use the 5 first going down the test strip and then use the 0 going from one side to the other. Once finished, I have a strip which shows the effects of the 5 and 0 filters. I look at the strip and find the intersection of the 5 and 0 that produces the results I want. I use those times for another test strip and adjust from there. It is time consuming but in the end, the results are worth it.

SilkAngel said:

I use split filter printing always. I make a test strip moving my cover down the strip in increments of 5 seconds for a total of 50 seconds. I use the 5 first going down the test strip and then use the 0 going from one side to the other. Once finished, I have a strip which shows the effects of the 5 and 0 filters. I look at the strip and find the intersection of the 5 and 0 that produces the results I want. I use those times for another test strip and adjust from there. It is time consuming but in the end, the results are worth it.

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When I was first doing this I would use a sheet of paper and make a checker board. 0 one way, 5 the other. I would get a ton of combinations this way, but doesn't work as well with lots of sky, etc,

Thomas.
Ok ,underexposed negs or thin negs.
I will try to find the grade 3,3 1/2 , or 4 that gives me the best shadow detail without blocking up. We do agree that there is a compromise in quality in these types of negative. I just try to find the filter that will give me the best detail. Then I will with dodging hold back these areas slightly and then come back in with the 5 filter for a short blast to define the blacks. Creating separation in small increments in very dark areas is very important just as much as separation in a well lit scene. If we take a night scene for example, I find that this delicate balance needs this split , even though we are up in the filter grades.
There will always be the blown out highlight region that I then will burn in with a lower filter grade to bring out detail, followed by a 5 burn to bring out blacks within the highlights.
I hope this isn't to confusing, but I find this method is one of the advantages when printing thin negatives , over than just going to a higher filter and let the shadows plugg up.
Other very experienced workers*I will suggest Donald Miller* will approach this type of image with contrast masks to bring out the best of a neg.
It really is all about sucking out the kind of information in a negative that may not be possible in a single filter or paper grade.
When working with such negatives any step should be taken with moderation as your moves will be obvious if they are too heavy handed. I find that dodging is very important step in any print and maybe underrated as a tool.

Night Scenes are very good for learning this type of printing as you are going from one extreme to another.
As well Pyro Development of the negatives will also show their strength if well exposed for night scenes and then the above method of split filter printing is practiced.
Bob

Thomas Bertilsson said:

Thanks for your reply, Bob. Just out of curiosity, what benefit do you see by doing this? Since the shadows are blocked up anyway, I mean. You are a much more experienced printer than I am; I will take any suggestion you make under deep consideration.
- Thomas

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I get it now. Thank you so much for taking time, Bob! You're very kind.
- Thomas

I use a quarter sheet and run it diagonally. It isn't a fool-proof process but it does give a place to start. There will always be exceptions that will test any process you use.

Thomas Bertilsson said:

Thanks for your reply, Bob. Just out of curiosity, what benefit do you see by doing this? Since the shadows are blocked up anyway, I mean. You are a much more experienced printer than I am; I will take any suggestion you make under deep consideration.
- Thomas

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Thomas, my approach to dealing with thin negatives is similar to yours in that I start with Grade 5 and work out the correct exposure to show some separation in the deepest shadow, given that there is some information on the negative. Having established that time I go on to calculate the correct exposure for the remainder of the image which may involve split grading using grade 0 or more exposure with the grade 5 filter and quite frequently the use of post flashing. When making the final print having decided on the correct exposure for the "thin" shadow means that the remainder of the print receives more exposure when I dodge the "thin" shadow. I also frequently use a two bath development or single bath and water bath to further control the density of the darkest areas and at the same time help in the development of the highlights and lighter mid tones.

I split grade my own negatives most of the time because I ensure that I process the film to produce the high contrast that I require to split grade. When printing this negative that I deem to be my "normal" negative I start with grade 0 followed by Grade 5. I also post flash and use two bath and water bath when printing the high contrast negatives that I like to produce. I employ the use of two bath and water bath development frequently in my printing.


I don't claim that this is the only way to print difficult "thin" negatives it just suits my way of working. I've watched Bob print some pretty difficult negatives and make exceptional prints and can vouch that his method works well. However, it is not a pretty process to watch.

R.O.F.L. - now you made an incentive to go visit Bob in Toronto...

Thanks Les, that is also very helpful. I realized the very first time I used split grade printing the potential it holds... It seems like a never ending learning curve and especially useful with roll film. I have a feeling that practicing it more might help slow me down in the darkroom even more to become more critical of a print before I stop trying with it.

You're very kind to share you knowledge!

- Thomas