Hair on negative

So I have this problem which I think I know the answer to but just wanted to make sure.

I recently developed a negative, and in a section which will print white there is a hair. This hair will print black on this printed white highlight. The hair is fairly small but since it will be sitting on a white area it is very easily picked out. Also it is to far up the negative, so cropping it out is not an option.

Are there any techniques out there for removing, or masking this hair on the negative? Could I plausibly dodge it to the correct tone as the white? Or is that nearly impossible? Is there any way I can save this negative, and print it?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Retouch the negative.

Nair!

;^)

I’d be tempted to simply re-photo-flo the sheet to see if it floats off w/ a some gentle coaxing, but you’ll still have a (clear) hairline to treat if the culprit was there before exposure. And treating it may be difficult if you used a hardener during development. Maybe it comes down to whether a white line or a black line is best for your image. If you’re working traditionally, you can spot white lines in the print, or etch-out (be careful!) black ones. Let us know what you decide and your results.

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♫ ♪ “We wear short, shorts...” ♪ ♫

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Originally Posted by IHS

This hair will print black on this printed white highlight.

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Reads like you have the "shadow" of a hair that was there when you exposed the negative. I suspect the hair is long gone. That is a difficult problem. No good solution.

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Originally Posted by ic-racer

Reads like you have the "shadow" of a hair that was there when you exposed the negative. I suspect the hair is long gone. That is a difficult problem. No good solution.

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Are you kidding? Or is retouching a lost skill??

If it's just a shadow of a hair and can't be cleaned off, retouch it with a sharpy; it's not permanent as you should be able to remove it with alcohol if it doesn't fix it.

You may try to bleach it off the print with a tiny amount of bleach on a toothpick and retouch the then white line afterward. I have done this on a RC print where using a sharpy is no option. Even on relatively large areas the retouching is invisible when done carefully. I have used spotone. It does not show up on the surface.

One traditional way is to scratch the negative with a needle. Requires a steady hand, I think.

Jon

Another technique is to use photo opaque and a 000 size sable brush. Apply this to the negative and your hair will come out white on the print. Photo opaque is water soluble so if you get it wrong a rinse in running water should remove it. Windsor and Newton make photo opaque and it can be ordered through major artists' supply shops. A small jar lasts a very long time.

I'm saving up a bunch of negs with similar issues that I will be scanning and contact printing. Sometimes that's the only real option.

I wouldn't recommend trying to scratch the neg since the slightest mistake will only cause a new black line on your print. Attempting to block it out on the neg is the better approach. You can then fill in the resultant white line with a soft pencil or spotting ink.

Sorry, a clarification, yes the hair was there during the exposure.

So some are saying to use a sharpie, and just fill it in, therefore it will theoretically print white? How successful is something like this?


I am also interested in retouching, how do I go about doing that?

Thanks for all the responses.

"I am also interested in retouching, how do I go about doing that?"

Talk to me fool

As for retouching, I don't know of any links. There must be some though. Basically you will need to make the area covered by the hair as opaque as the area surrounding it. Spotone, sharpie, soft pencil, india ink, all will work. It takes practice - a retouching stand helps too. Practice on junk negs, it isn't hard once you get the hang of it. Most good books on photography had sections on it.

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Originally Posted by Jon Shiu

One traditional way is to scratch the negative with a needle. Requires a steady hand, I think.

Jon

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If anything, wouldn't you want to scratch the print?

Seems to me, scratching emulsion away will only make the dark hair bigger.

We make the print, our retoucher then bleach spots the print so the black hair' spot , lugie, goes away, we re fix the print, then selenium tone and the retoucher then spots back the white hair with spottone.
Rose Scheler in Toronto is the best I know, who will still do this type of work, she also was Ed Burtynsky's main colour retoucher before he went all digital Chromira prints.

For scratching, you scratch the base side, not emulsion. There used to be specialists that would do this for $5 or $10. Don't think it's a viable business any more.

I have used the Spot Off A/B pen set for bleaching dark spots in the print, which does work, but I don't know if it is available any more.

Jon

Thanks Hoegh, I'll look into retouching, as I am sure it is a vital skill, and I will encounter this situation many times later in life also.

Kyle. First of all I never see you as, you are too busy with your 'art' and stuff, and secondly, you don't know the first thing about photography.

Haha touche, mon bon homme

but seriously, I have all the stuff you will need for retouching

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Originally Posted by IHS

Thanks Hoegh, I'll look into retouching, as I am sure it is a vital skill, and I will encounter this situation many times later in life also.

Kyle. First of all I never see you as, you are too busy with your 'art' and stuff, and secondly, you don't know the first thing about photography.

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It's a good skill to acquire, that's for sure. Google around, I bet you'll find some helpful links. Try searching this site as well. If you experiment on some junk negs, I think you'll be surprised how easy it is to pick up.

Thanks guys, I look forward to this new adventure!

You can use white titanium gouache and a #000 Windsor Newton No. 7 fine sable brush. Use the back of a piece of resin coated paper as a mixing pallet and mix enough water so that you can get a smooth stroke on the neg. You might need a shot of good whiskey first.

Left out part 2: use the same brush to spot the gaping white area resulting from the first step. Similar process, mix your Spotone on the back of a piece of RC paper to match the tone of your paper, then re-recreate the grain pattern to match adjacent areas. I always had the best luck with a semi-dry brush - pull the brush along the pallet until most of the liquid is gone, turning the tip.

Now the saving grace in all this is you say that the hair is in an area that will print white. Therefore, if you retouch the neg (on the base not the emulsion) with a water-based opaque, chances are you won't even see the touch-up on the print when you are done.

Plan to do a little spotting on the print where you overshoot with white.

And if you don't like the result of the exercise, then spit on a cotton ball and wipe it off and try again.

When it happens in the grays or the skies is when you need more retouching skills.

This might be a good beginner's retouching project.

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Originally Posted by KyledeC

"I am also interested in retouching, how do I go about doing that?"

Talk to me fool

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Here is a link to Kodak PDF "Retouching B&W Film and Prints." However only a few paragraphs about getting rid of dust and hair microphotograms.

http://www.apug.org/forums/viewpost.php?p=1123334

Veronica Cass Retouching from Start to Finish is also frequently mentioned but I have never seen the text.

Volume VIII of the "Complete Self-Instructing Library of Practical Photography" is available on line and chapter XLI deals with "Spotting Negatives and Prints." However, it indicates prevention is the key and there is no easy cure for dust specs.

Also, you can internet search on "Adams Retouching Machine"