Split grade printing: the key to success

Life is too short to be a stick-in-the-mud. I will try the test-strips on the hard-contrast first. I can see the advantage to it during the experimentation stage. But when doing the actual exposure of the real print, I'll stick with 00 first as mixing methods there is definitely not green-friendly.

Ken N said:

Life is too short to be a stick-in-the-mud. I will try the test-strips on the hard-contrast first.

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Be sure, though, that you are printing a low contrast negative - i.e. are printing at a contrast equivalent to grade #3 or above. That would be negative with less than a 3.8 stop contrast grade from highlights to blacks.

Well, regardless of how we proceed to make our prints, I have found the ongoing discussion of unique and lasting benefit. Once again, I sincerely thank Nick for taking the time to reference his article, and for everyone who found the time to respond. It isn't easy to post one's "findings" and views, and invite comments and criticisms. One continues to marvel at the friendship and comraderie that photographers extend to relative strangers, and the willingness to extend help and advice without condition, renumeration, or sarcasm. Once again, what a great group of colleagues to have.

Ed

I very much agree. This was a classic case of "peer review" gone right. Nicholas presented his findings and documentation. I challenged the "work-flow" as being a little more cumbersome than what it needs to be. I believe we both learned something and will improve our own methods, procedures and documentation accordingly.

There has been so much misinformation regarding split-grade printing that Nicholas' work is actually a good clarification of the facts which many of us have learned through hard work and a fat waste-basket. Unfortunately, I think about everything ever written about split-grade printing has been too complex and either confusion or incorrect conclusions result. What Nicholas has done is added another log to the fire of knowledge.

But I still find the earlier text and graphs hard to follow.