The "Aha" moment and Semi stand

[Arelia99]

Just had to tell someone who understands that I had that moment this week. You know the one? Where all the development, printing, exposure process just "clicks". I have read that one should pick one developer, one film, etc to begin with but I have not been doing that until now. I tried various films and decided to settle on bulk rolls of FP4, hp5, and ilford panF+ (35mm). Then I started mixing my own stuff, just because I like too, its fun. The commercial and homebrewed stuff I tried included Mytol, not really what I was looking for, ditto Kodak D-76. I tried R09 and loved the tones, but not with medium speed films. My favorite homemade stuff up until now is Gainer's VitC formula. But Recently I decided to try this Pyro stuff that I have heard about and long story short....I am loving the results. But more importantly I also decided to try Semi-stand with Pyrocat and that is when that moment arrived. The knowledge that I needed to take into account exposure (contrast levels), and desired printing format (just Multigrade RC for me at the moment). Hope I am not rambling but I think I am, anyway, it all makes sense to me now and I am definately going to stick to Pyrocat HC and Semi-stand develpment, I look forward to seeing where it will lead me!

I am including a scan of a recent roll I developed to share the results, the scan does not do the tones of the print justice.(Sorry for water spots, need to redo the print to get rid of the spots and the fibers)

Nancy Phaup

 

[Rolleijoe]

I tried semi-stand with Rodinal 1:100 and while the results were interesting, they were nothing to write home about.

Sticking with Efke 25, Efke 100, Fomapan 200, Plus-X & Tri-X all in Rodinal.

Glad you found what you were looking for.

 

[Eric Rose]

You have discovered the holy grail.

 

[Michael Kadillak]

Aha Moment

From my experience there are many variables that all have an equal effect on quality results in the print and film development is only one of these. Yes, stand or semi stand or whatever one calls this procedure has the potential for marvelous results when used properly. I personally find that this procedure is best relegated for expanded development simply because I can produce fine negatives with conventional tray development (DBI with infrared scope) in normal and normal minus in larger quantities in a fraction of the time and with fewer number of sheets exposed per satisfactory result.

At the end of the day I feel that there is no substitute for sticking with one film, one developer, one developing technique and one printing paper until you have "filled a garbage can with experience". To many variables only complicates an already challenging process to produce truly fine prints.

 

[BBarlow690]

"Filled a garbage can with experience." Wow! What a wonderful phrase.

I'm stealing it without any guilt whatsoever. Thanks, Michael!

 

[Steve Sherman]

My thougths

I couldn't agree more with "eliminate as many variables as possible"

The function of chemistry, film and exposure is a complicated one to say the least, each one is dependent on the other to achieve a desired end result.

If I might share with you some "bottom line" constants so far as I believe strongly in. That said, there are many ways to arrive at fine prints, that surely is one of the most rewarding parts of the wet process.

#1 The upside of Pyro based developers in general far outweigh non-Pyro developers.

#2 Semi-Stand or Reduced Agitation Development has no downside, as long as you discount the amount of time it takes, and there are efficient ways around that. SS development has no effect whatsoever on negative sharpness, it does however greatly enhance the perception of sharpness. This happens because of what is called adjancecy effects, the contrast at the very edge of where tonalities change is accentuated because of long periods of no agitation using diluted developers. The diluted developer is essential to the success of this phenomenon.

#3 The combination of dilute developer and extended periods of no agitation produces maximum film speed.

#4 Micro contrast in the deepest of shadows can be manipulated to extremes.

#5 By it’s own nature, Reduced Agitation development will compress highlight contrast to a greater degree than any other means of development control. Unlike other extreme methods of contrast control, micro contrast does not suffer.

#6 While it is a bold statement, it is nevertheless accurate, With this method of development there is no lighting situation which cannot be controlled to produce an acceptable photograph.

#7 Reduced Agitation development completes the set of tools which will allow the wet process photographer to manipulate a negative to produce any result which a computer can achieve.

#8 With such total and complete control of the resulting negative, make no mistake, the single most important element to an exquisite print is the “quality of light” which the negative was made in.