Three down, two to go

soysos · Feb 2, 2023

Cyanotype project I’ve had in the works for 3 years now. Felt like sharing. Those top two the negatives were way overexposed. So dense they took 4.5 hours to print. The third was a digital negative and took 15 minutes.

mshchem · Feb 2, 2023

Hey This is great! I only did cyanotype once. A botany college course. Very good job.

gone · Feb 2, 2023

I like the one on the top left. The digital neg is very contrasty, maybe too dark? Might just be that process. W/ only a 15 minute exposure time, you could fine tune it w/ 4 different exposures in just an hr.

nmp · Feb 2, 2023

Sorry, but I have to ask. What are we looking at here. One piece of paper and three negatives? That can't be since you have 2 different exposure times. Did you expose 2 long one together and then the other and then develop all together? Or did you develop in between?

:Niranjan.

soysos · Feb 2, 2023

nmp said:
Sorry, but I have to ask. What are we looking at here. One piece of paper and three negatives? That can't be since you have 2 different exposure times. Did you expose 2 long one together and then the other and then develop all together? Or did you develop in between?

:Niranjan.

I did expose both the top ones before the first development, but my contact printer is only 11x14, so I had to block off half the page, then switch. The third was done after developing the first 2. I have 2 more negatives to add.

nmp · Feb 2, 2023

soysos said:
I did expose both the top ones before the first development, but my contact printer is only 11x14, so I had to block off half the page, then switch. The third was done after developing the first 2. I have 2 more negatives to add.

Ah, now I get it....you are trying to make a collage of sorts with many different images on the same paper. Do you see any change in how the paper takes the sensitizer as you do more and more wet processing. Is this classic or the new cyano. More details please...

:Niranjan.

soysos · Feb 3, 2023

nmp said:
Ah, now I get it....you are trying to make a collage of sorts with many different images on the same paper. Do you see any change in how the paper takes the sensitizer as you do more and more wet processing. Is this classic or the new cyano. More details please...

:Niranjan.

Yep. That’s the idea. These are pictures I took while my wife was undergoing IVF and the resulting pregnancy. Our daughter just turned 3 and I still haven’t finished. From what I can tell this is the classic formula. Ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferrocyanide, diluted with water in a saturated solution, mixed 1:1. I’ve been really impressed with this watercolor paper. It’s now been through 3 cycles, no shrinking, no warping, no noticeable deterioration, and it’s still taking the sensitizer beautifully. There is a slight yellowing, but it’s barely noticeable.

soysos · Feb 3, 2023

momus said:
I like the one on the top left. The digital neg is very contrasty, maybe too dark? Might just be that process. W/ only a 15 minute exposure time, you could fine tune it w/ 4 different exposures in just an hr.

The original image on that bottom one was super contrasty to begin with. It could be flattened out a bit, but I kind of like it. I think the dramatic lighting really highlights her anxiety. Which adds to the joy and excitement in the top left portrait.

nmp · Feb 3, 2023

soysos said:
Yep. That’s the idea. These are pictures I took while my wife was undergoing IVF and the resulting pregnancy. Our daughter just turned 3 and I still haven’t finished. From what I can tell this is the classic formula. Ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferrocyanide, diluted with water in a saturated solution, mixed 1:1. I’ve been really impressed with this watercolor paper. It’s now been through 3 cycles, no shrinking, no warping, no noticeable deterioration, and it’s still taking the sensitizer beautifully. There is a slight yellowing, but it’s barely noticeable.

Wonderful story behind the pictures. You are going to need a lot more than one sheet of paper to document all the memories that are coming your way still....

:Niranjan.

soysos · Feb 4, 2023

I need to do a little spot toning, but overall, I’m really pleased with how this turned out.

nmp · Feb 7, 2023

soysos said:
View attachment 328719

I need to do a little spot toning, but overall, I’m really pleased with how this turned out.

You do get a real dark (Dmax-wise) cyanotype while keeping highlights clean - what's the secret?

:Niranjan.

soysos · Feb 7, 2023

nmp said:
You do get a real dark (Dmax-wise) cyanotype while keeping highlights clean - what's the secret?

:Niranjan.

Start with high contrast negatives.

nmp · Feb 7, 2023

soysos said:
Start with high contrast negatives.

Negative contrast does not take of care of Dmax - for example outside the negative where there is no negative but the density is very high. That density is more related to your process, paper etc.

Anyway, that's OK.

Three down, two to go

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