One of the things that Im finding with B&W printing is that I seem to be leaning toward a certain look or a style, if you will, on paper. I keep finding it at harder grades.
The other thing I have found with my VC printing is that chasing contrast grade sucks, I find no fun there. Im starting to experiment with graded paper now and so far it is really nice.
With regard to my style its become a matter of the finished print I want dictating the contrast rate or look or tonality of the print. I dont know what word to use there.
This may be old hat for some but for me this is a different way of thinking. No longer letting the negative dictate the grade of contrast required, the paper is now is starting to influence the way I want negatives to be shot and processed.
I have also come to like shooting with lower contrast, long straight line films, C-41 films taught me this. The flexibility and freedom this provides while shooting is good for my creativity. Simply put I can incident meter at an EI that allows plenty of exposure and let the film worry about getting the highlights and shadows.
Im not necessarily worried about printing everything that lands on the film curve. Im more worried about getting the main subject placed right on the paper and having a nice snappy contrast rate in the print. If I need to burn in a sky or dodge for detail in the shadows, so be it.
So, given that background is there any big reason I should not consider standardizing on Grade 4 or 3?
Are there other questions I need to answer?
Paper suggestions?
The other thing I have found with my VC printing is that chasing contrast grade sucks, I find no fun there. Im starting to experiment with graded paper now and so far it is really nice.
With regard to my style its become a matter of the finished print I want dictating the contrast rate or look or tonality of the print. I dont know what word to use there.
This may be old hat for some but for me this is a different way of thinking. No longer letting the negative dictate the grade of contrast required, the paper is now is starting to influence the way I want negatives to be shot and processed.
I have also come to like shooting with lower contrast, long straight line films, C-41 films taught me this. The flexibility and freedom this provides while shooting is good for my creativity. Simply put I can incident meter at an EI that allows plenty of exposure and let the film worry about getting the highlights and shadows.
Im not necessarily worried about printing everything that lands on the film curve. Im more worried about getting the main subject placed right on the paper and having a nice snappy contrast rate in the print. If I need to burn in a sky or dodge for detail in the shadows, so be it.
So, given that background is there any big reason I should not consider standardizing on Grade 4 or 3?
Are there other questions I need to answer?
Paper suggestions?


