why did my brown/copper toned prints turn pink?

[djkloss]

Greetings all,

I searched the forums but couldn't come up with anything. I was so excited about finally getting around to trying this stuff (Berg Brown/Copper). I did a test strip just like it said in the instructions - 30 secs; 2 min; 5 min etc., etc. It looked promising at first...I liked the 30 second one the best. There was just enough black left in it to make it look like chocolate brown.

........then to my dismay..........everything turned pink! and the green solution got muddy. I gave up....reversed everything and threw out the chemicals. No wonder so many people have gone digital.

What went wrong? Does temperature have anything to do with it?

 

[Mark Layne]

Firstly I use and like Berg Copper toner, although it is one of the more subtle copper toners and is especially successful on RC prints which I really don't like

It does give a pink tint in the highlights and I now use it more diluted than the instructions recommend.

The pink stain may be eliminated by adding more Potassium Citrate to the mix.

To everyone who wants to use these toners I recommend Tim Rudman's book
Mark

 

[jim appleyard]

Greetings all,

I searched the forums but couldn't come up with anything. I was so excited about finally getting around to trying this stuff (Berg Brown/Copper). I did a test strip just like it said in the instructions - 30 secs; 2 min; 5 min etc., etc. It looked promising at first...I liked the 30 second one the best. There was just enough black left in it to make it look like chocolate brown.

........then to my dismay..........everything turned pink! and the green solution got muddy. I gave up....reversed everything and threw out the chemicals. No wonder so many people have gone digital.

What went wrong? Does temperature have anything to do with it?

Digital has its own set of problems. Which ones would you like?

 

[noseoil]

Which paper did you use? tim

 

[djkloss]

Which paper did you use? tim

Hi Tim,
I used Ilford's MG Fiber - Glossy developed in Dektol

Thanks - Dorothy

 

[Lee Shively]

This sounds normal to me. I experimented with several toners last spring and I have the results hanging on the walls of my office. The flower that turned pink is Ilford MG WT toned in Formulary copper toner.

Toners can turn all kinds of colors depending on all kinds of factors. Gold is blue, selenium is purple, copper is pink. Or not. I recommend Rudman's book on toning. Even with this reference, be ready for surprises in what happens. It's part of the enjoyment of "real" photography.

 

[joefreeman]

Hi djkloss,
With brown toner and polytoner (a mix of brown and selenium) it is a good idea to use a 10% solution of sodium sulfite as a sort of "stop bath" after toning. Prints toned in these toners will continue to tone in the wash... and then turn somewhat pink with some papers; actually they will tone more actively in the wash... go figure.
Brown and Poly tone more when the dilution is increased!... just read it the other day, and I find that it is true.
Kodak really should mention the sulfite solution on the bottles... I'm very confident that if you put your prints in the solution for a few minutes after rinsing the toner off, they will come out exactly as you wish.