The intimate contact print

Thomas Bertilsson · Jun 6, 2013

TheFlyingCamera said:
Thomas- use an enlarging easel. Mask to the borders of the negative with the blades, then a sheet of heavy glass on top to keep the negative flat.

Thanks, Scott.

Does that actually keep the neg in contact with the paper surface? I would think that the glass would only put pressure on the easel blades?

Anyway, I was hoping for a solution using my contact printing frame.

DannL · Jun 6, 2013

Thomas Bertilsson said:
When I enlarge I always like a big white border to surround the image. So I print 6x8 on 8x10 paper, for example. That looks nice, and I mount the prints using simple photo corners, and overmat with something like 1/2 of the white print border showing.
How do I accomplish that when I contact print? Ruby lith? Black masking? I haven't found a good way.

My method is very basic, so please don't laugh. I use the old wooden contact printing frames, spring-back type. Remove the glass from the contact printing frame and pop in a mat-board cut to the proper shape. Insert the glass on top of the mat board. Place the negative on the glass in the proper position and tape two opposite corners with small pieces of tape. Insert your paper, insert the spring-back, and enjoy printing with borders.

PS: I'm sure you have figured out that the opening in the mat-board should be slightly smaller than the negative being printed. ;-)

Newt_on_Swings · Jun 7, 2013

Well since I use a roll of 5 inch paper I have to cut them in my darkroom to whatever size I'm looking to mess around with. I have a mini rotary trimmer there as well as a large rotatrim to use afterwards. I found the fastest way to make them was to use a smaller piece of glass and not use a contact frame. My method gives me edge markings and a black border though.

But I remembered a solution to your problem and looked it up just to double check. In Lootens on photographic enlarging, chap 11 photographic boarder printing, he discusses a simple method of creating a custom sized easel out of cardboard and two strips of card stock in the corner to act as stops for a piece of glass laid on top. Then he makes a mask with that piece of glass ontop using rubber cement and black paper over the whole piece of glass. Your desired photo size say 5x7, would be traced onto that black paper leaving room for the boarder you want. The centeral part is then cut out and the cement cleaned off leaving a simple glass mask. He goes on further about how to make another mask for black boarders with the same rubber cement and black paper on glass method by leaving the center section and cutting a thin strip around the edge.

Newt_on_Swings · Jun 7, 2013

Here are two examples of the stickers that I made.

The one on the top is probably the result your trying to get, I made it as a test with the negative held down without glass using the easel blades. It gives it a white border, and is only sharp as the film was very flat naturally. The bottom version is made with glass and a wide black edge that was trimmed off. It's sharper because of the glass. I wouldn't recommend doing what I did with the first version unless you know your easel blades are in very good condition, and your film is flat. I didn't continue with it as sharpness was lacking. You can drop a loupe onto the bottom one and see the tiniest details, the top one looks a bit soft under the loupe.

doughowk · Jun 7, 2013

I believe Tillman Crane has masks created by a print shop for a clean edge when coating or exposing pt/pd.
For Silver Chloride paper, eg Fomalux & Lodima, I use Rubylith for masking. Just cut out the size you want, then tape the sandwich of neg & mask to underside of contact printing glass.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jun 7, 2013

doughowk said:
I believe Tillman Crane has masks created by a print shop for a clean edge when coating or exposing pt/pd.
For Silver Chloride paper, eg Fomalux & Lodima, I use Rubylith for masking. Just cut out the size you want, then tape the sandwich of neg & mask to underside of contact printing glass.

That's what I'm thinking about doing. It seems to me that the only way to insure proper 'contact' between paper and negative, while doing 'contact' printing, (to insure sharp prints), is to use a mask of rubylith or maybe even opaque material. (I thought of using the black plastic that printing paper comes in, but am not sure how to get a 100% straight cut since it's so flexible.
My idea is to cut two pieces of Ruby Lith, like an L-shape, and then overlay them to create any size mask I need, rectangular or square, within the limitations of the contact printing frame, which is 12x16".

I'm really picky about print presentation, and absolutely want neat, crisp, straight, and clean edges on the paper, since the edge of the white border and print area is displayed in the overmat window. This is going to be interesting. The enlargements will be easy by comparison...

marciofs · Oct 6, 2013

I do a lot of contact prints with medium format 6x4.5 and 6x7 frame size negatives. They are charming and attract people closer to it.

I like to frame it for sales because frame makes it more impressive:

It is also more fordable.

Recently I have photographed more macro because I think it suits very well medium format contact prints.

johnielvis · Oct 13, 2013

teeny tiny direct paper reversals are nice too--the teeny tiny's do seem much sharper for some reason.

cl3mens · Dec 21, 2013

I love small prints, and since my enlarger only does 135 I only contact print my 120 and 4x5 negatives at the moment. I found that they look great in my photo album, I am especially fond of the four 6x4.5:s. I also use a Brownie Six-20 E and the 6x9 prints are wonderful.

PeterB · Dec 22, 2013

Printing on 92 year old paper ?

Michael A. Smith said:
And about ten years ago she began making 6x6 cm. and 6x7 cm. contact prints. Some of them on very old Azo paper that expired in 1921. These prints are exquisite.

Assuming that isn't a typo, how on earth is the paper base still white (i.e. no fogging and no yellowing) ?! Was it stored in a salt mine in an inert gas ? Am I the only person amazed by the ability to get exquisite prints from 92 year old photographic paper ?

bdial · Dec 22, 2013

Has anyone done contacts with negs as small as 35mm? That is, a single 35mm frame presented on it's own.

I've been thinking lately that it could be an interesting challenge.

TheFlyingCamera · Dec 22, 2013

bdial said:
Has anyone done contacts with negs as small as 35mm? That is, a single 35mm frame presented on it's own.

I've been thinking lately that it could be an interesting challenge.

I haven't, but you'd be in very good company - Andre Kertesz did much of his early work making contact prints from very small negatives.

marciofs · Dec 22, 2013

bdial said:
Has anyone done contacts with negs as small as 35mm? That is, a single 35mm frame presented on it's own.

I've been thinking lately that it could be an interesting challenge.

I just decided to print 35mm to sell and have for my own. I will print my first ones tonight.

Vaughn · Dec 22, 2013

PeterB said:
Assuming that isn't a typo, how on earth is the paper base still white (i.e. no fogging and no yellowing) ?! Was it stored in a salt mine in an inert gas ? Am I the only person amazed by the ability to get exquisite prints from 92 year old photographic paper ?

Old papers last -- esp AZO...the slower the better! Might be due the heavy metals?

I have drawn directly on the glass of the contact printing frame with a sharpie to do a little dodging. Usually part way thru the exposure.

Trask · Dec 22, 2013

One reason I've been holding onto some Polaroid 665 -- so I can contact print the negatives. I do wish this film was still available.

removed account4 · Dec 22, 2013

bdial said:
Has anyone done contacts with negs as small as 35mm? That is, a single 35mm frame presented on it's own.

I've been thinking lately that it could be an interesting challenge.

hi barry

i shot a lot of 35mm slides
and did just what you suggested ..
they were kind of small, almost too small

i got the idea a few years after i assisted a guy who put a 5x7 chrome
of his wife in a glass frame in the kitchen window.
it was beautiful, like stained glass ...

Vaughn · Dec 22, 2013

Trask said:
One reason I've been holding onto some Polaroid 665 -- so I can contact print the negatives. I do wish this film was still available.

I still have a little Type 55 left -- the last time I hauled some out was for some still life images -- I solarized the negatives. Too much fun...but also chancy.

vintagesnaps · Dec 22, 2013

I've been doing lumen prints and besides using objects I've tried some with 35mm negatives and yeah, they're small... played around w/a triptych of sorts but am still experimenting to come up with a final print. I've used Azo, in the sun it turns a peachish orange, and old Velox is great, turns a deep purple.

The intimate contact print

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