What paper for this negative?

[Rhodes]

The question I ask maybe one of those that have several answers and/or fall in the matter of personal taste or subjectivity.
I have this photo, taken in a overcast day, with adox cms 20 at iso 20 and develop in rodinal 1:200 or 1:300 (can not remember) 18m. After scan, I decided to play a bit with the contrast and boost it, in Lightroom.



A couple friend of mine saw this and quite like it, saying that would love to have it in the wall. Since I'm in the verge of beginning printing in home, I decided that would be a good Xmas gift a home made print. But I am very green on it, besides knowing some basics.
So I ask what kind/brand of paper to get this same result. The negative is not so hard/contrasted and on my humble knowledge I think that I have to use a grade 4 or 5 paper (or corresponded grade filters on various contrast paper) and possible cold tone paper/developer. Or a neutral tone paper but a cold tone developer or vice-versa, right?

 

[jp498]

I think it would be an excellent learning experience to use some variable contrast paper and filters to see what you can do with it.

I like Ilford and Foma papers; Ilford has less drydown which is advantageous (drydown causes print gets darker as it dries). I think blacks are a little heavier hitting with fiber paper than RC paper, but for 90% of things, either paper will do. fiber paper will just require more washing and drying time. Get the horizon level when you print it too.

 

[Oscar Carlsson]

I would recommend any multi-contrast paper and a standard developer. That's the last thing you should worry about, really. Also, be generous with your fixer. It's cheap and it's the last thing to try to save some nickels on.

I'd recommend that you buy a smaller paper and practice making the print, and once you have the procedure, replicate it on a large paper and finally frame it.

Good luck!

 

[MattKing]

I'd lean toward a warm tone paper with a very slight texture - glossy fibre paper air dried.

 

[Rhodes]

Thank you!
Just one question, be generous with the fixer is use only fresh solution and not re-use it several times as with film, yes?

 

[MattKing]

Thank you!
Just one question, be generous with the fixer is use only fresh solution and not re-use it several times as with film, yes?

I only re-use fixer for printing if I do a few prints in one evening and then want to do a few more the next day.

If you use two-bath fixing, re-use becomes more practical.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I'd lean toward a warm tone paper with a very slight texture - glossy fibre paper air dried.

+1

Jeff

 

[Oscar Carlsson]

Thank you!
Just one question, be generous with the fixer is use only fresh solution and not re-use it several times as with film, yes?

I reuse mine, but I keep track of how many sheets I've fixed and discard it after that. I use A and B baths, and promote my B to A after discarding my current A.

As for paper type, try RC before fiber. RC is much easier to process and handle. Seriously. Try RC.

 

[rcmartins]

While I also prefer fiber paper, and Adox glossy fiber paper for that matter, I would advise against it if just starting to print. It is much more laborious and requires much more time than RC at every stage. Also, RC papers do not require double fix baths. A single 2 min. bath is more than enough. I would print that photograph in Fomaspeed Variant 311. It's a glossy RC paper with good tonal range, at least to my taste and printing procedure, and it has a nice price tag.
Regarding fixer, I reuse mine all the time both for films and prints. For films I use the same 800 ml dilution for 15 rolls of 120 (or 135). For 4x5 sheets I used the same 1650 ml dilution for 120 sheets. With papers the efficiency is lower mainly because the contamination between stop bath and fixer is much higher. Also, if one does not use a stop bath before the fixing and just uses water, the fixer lasts much less.
raul

 

[Rhodes]

Thank you for the replies.
In terms of practicing, I have few boxes of old paper, that I get when the photo lab of my course department was deactivated and the boxes have the corresponding paper and also several sheets of other kind of paper (or of the same kind but different size, ex: one Ilforbrom 8x10box has 5x7 paper stored also), but I think that all are FB.

 

[removed account4]

hi rhodes

while i am a big fan of using old paper, keep in mind as photo paper ages
it can lose contrast and activity and not be very good for some situations.
while you have armloads of old paper, since you are starting out ...
you might get some FRESH / NEW photo paper so contrast and inactivity won't be an issue
it will make life much easier on you if you aren't stressed about .. " is the print grey because of my paper, my developer my filtration ..
or because it is OLDE "

have fun !
john

 

[Simon R Galley]

ILFOBROM is indeed FB paper but over 30 years old and is sadly unlikely to be any good, but do give it a go just to make sure.

If its ILFOBROM Galerie Paper then it is likely to be much younger and usable and actually the best paper we make ( IMHO ) but it is graded paper not variable contrast.

Since you are a new printer PM me your home address and I will send you the ILFORD Multigrade Printing Guide FOC it should save a few sheets !

Simon : ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

 

[Rhodes]

Yes, new paper is going to be bought. But at least I have old one to practice and do experiments on it and save money. Even if the result is completely bad.

@Simon, when was the last time Ilfobrom was available? I ask just for curiosity and do to thinking that the paper was purchased during the 90's. The box only says the brand (Ilfobrom), 3.24K, double carton^; semi-matt and the grade: 3!
In curiosity, I also have a box of Kodak Bromesko grade 3, from the same place, that by the looks of the box is quite old and if the paper inside corresponds to the box, some one (possible the photographer) cut the paper in small pieces, almost 4x5, or one of the sizes below. Manage to get a contact print with this paper, very warm tone (very brown).
About your proposal, do you send overseas? If so yes, of course!