What does soft-working mean?

albada · Nov 21, 2020

I've seen the phrase "soft-working" in various places when discussing developers, but what does it mean? If it means low contrast, doesn't that imply underdevelopment? If it means highlight-compression (long shoulder), isn't that the same as "compensating"? Or does "soft-working" mean poor sharpness?
I've experimented much with developers, so you would think I would know this...
Mark Overton

koraks · Nov 21, 2020

albada said:
If it means low contrast, doesn't that imply underdevelopment?

Depends on how you define it exactly, but there are two interpretations I can think of 'soft working':
* Slow development action, i.e. developer of low activity
* Development resulting in a low gradient (contrast) while maintaining sufficient development in low densities, in other words high densities receiving proportionally less development than low densities, i.e. compensating developer.

removed account4 · Nov 21, 2020

just to add to what koraks said, I always look at soft working to be the exact opposite of what I see in the photo lab index as being "crisp" I don't think im much help in deciphering terminology from the 40s but that's my take on it... portrait photographer I worked for back in the day would sometimes have me develop prints that needed less of an edge in selector(soft) instead of dektol... even after using a sheet of crinkly plastic to soften the light...

BradS · Nov 21, 2020

koraks said:
....
* Development resulting in a low gradient (contrast) while maintaining sufficient development in low densities, in other words high densities receiving proportionally less development than low densities, i.e. compensating developer.

I’m no expert but this is what I’ve always understood it to mean.

albada · Nov 22, 2020

Okay, I'll go with compensating then.
And I just thought: the opposite of soft-working is hard-working, implying that soft-working is... lazy?
Mark Overton

Rudeofus · Nov 22, 2020

I would like to add another interpretation, especially for paper developers, for which I read the term "soft working" most often: "create a fully developed image with lower gradation".

If I develop a sheet of photographic paper, it starts developing very unevenly, until eventually a full image appears at some gradation. With earlier papers, this gradation could be somewhat influenced by developer choice, and soft working developers would create uniformly developed images with one half or one full grade less contrast than "hard working developers".

albada · Nov 24, 2020

And now I have no idea what "soft working" meant to the authors who use that term. Sigh...

mshchem · Nov 24, 2020

Kodak sold Dektol, Selectol and Selectol Soft. These could be used in combination, Kodak marketed the idea of having a tray of Dektol sitting next to a tray of Selectol. The printer could go part way with Dektol then toss it into Selectol. I'm not sure how well it worked. Selectol soft was often used as a additive to Dektol to give it some magical property. I used to do it. But the keeping properties of Selectol Soft are terrible.
I solved the problem by using Ilford's Bromophen, I love it.
Different developers can effect toning.
I am a believer in split grade printing, but it's not needed for every print.

Rudeofus · Nov 24, 2020

albada said:
And now I have no idea what "soft working" meant to the authors who use that term. Sigh...

I general idea is always the same: a "soft working developer" is a developer, which yields acceptable results at lower than normal contrast. I have seen this term mostly for print developers, but you can easily picture how this could apply to a film developer.

Bill Burk · Nov 25, 2020

The opposite would be infectious. Like a laugh.

What does soft-working mean?

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