Vandykes Different Temperatures

[Sarah Hawkins]

I've searched all over the internet and can't seem to find the answer, or maybe I'm just not wording it correctly. I'm not sure what all information I need to share, so please let me know if I have not given enough.

The alternative process photography class I'm in right now is working on vandykes. Some people are having prints turn out a very cool brown as opposed to a warmer brown. The only reason we have narrowed it down to is that the UV box has to warm up and it's the first prints that are exposed while it is warming up that has this cool brown.

Our Washing Process:
We wash the prints first in distilled water with a little citric acid, then a tap water bath with some citric acid, a fix bath, and then a continuous water bath, then dry.

Has anyone else experienced this temperature change in their browns?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

 

[pschwart]

The only reason we have narrowed it down to is that the UV box has to warm up

What is your light source? This isn't likely if you are using fluorescent tubes. I have been using T5 tubes with electronic ballast for many years, they are instant on and require zero warm up.

I've searched all over the internet and can't seem to find the answer, or maybe I'm just not wording it correctly. I'm not sure what all information I need to share, so please let me know if I have not given enough.

The alternative process photography class I'm in right now is working on vandykes. Some people are having prints turn out a very cool brown as opposed to a warmer brown. The only reason we have narrowed it down to is that the UV box has to warm up and it's the first prints that are exposed while it is warming up that has this cool brown.

Our Washing Process:
We wash the prints first in distilled water with a little citric acid, then a tap water bath with some citric acid, a fix bath, and then a continuous water bath, then dry.

Has anyone else experienced this temperature change in their browns?

- what is the light source?
- is everyone using the same batch of sensitizer and the same drop count?
- is everyone using the same technique for applying the sensitizer? (rod? brush? double coating?)
- is everyone using the same batch of paper? Have all the papers gotten an acid presoak?
- are all sensitized papers dried the same way for exactly the same amount of time before exposure?
- are prints being toned?

Fluorescent tubes generally don't need a warm up. Small differences in workflow can produce visually different prints.