Did Edward Weston tone his prints?

[Merg Ross]

Most welcome, Chester.

Have fun with your search into the present state of chloride papers and contact printing. Cole had to give-up contact printing Edward's negatives on chloride paper and used various projection papers. He favored Ilford offerings.

Best,
Merg

[tundra]

Most welcome, Chester.

Have fun with your search into the present state of chloride papers and contact printing. Cole had to give-up contact printing Edward's negatives on chloride paper and used various projection papers. He favored Ilford offerings.

Best,
Merg

Dunno if this is still relevant, but these folks bought up as much AZO as they could and then, when it was no longer available, they did this:

http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/newpaper.html

[Mark Sampson]

Two possibly good effects of trying to replicate Weston's 'look' with today's materials;
1) you'll become a better printer just through the practice, and
2) you may find your own answer to that age-old question "what should my prints look like?"
Best of luck!

[Drew Wiley]

tundra - Michael passed away in 2018. I don't know if any of their Lupex paper is still around. I just use regular papers for contact printing, especially MGWT. I like the way it tones. But the old chloride contact papers had their own look. What that look exactly was, in EW's case, varied quite a bit, depending on when they were printed, and by whom.

Michael also stocked up as much classic ole Super-XX film as he could. Bergger 200 was a reasonable substitute; but he couldn't plus develop it to the high degree he sometimes needed. Certain other films he tried, he had some strong expletives about. He was kinda stuck in a Grade 2 standardization contact paper mentality, which has quite low contrast; so he needed especially contrasty negatives of exceptional linear scale, like Super-XX was capable of. He was certainly passionate about his craft.

[Merg Ross]

tundra - Michael passed away in 2018. I don't know if any of their Lupex paper is still around. He was certainly passionate about his craft.

Passionate indeed, and I miss him. Whenever Michael came by with Paula, our three hour lunches were special!

Back on topic, last time I checked, Paula still had #4 Lodima for sale, sold out of #2&#3.

[jnantz]

Passionate indeed, and I miss him. Whenever Michael came by with Paula, our three hour lunches were special!

Back on topic, last time I checked, Paula still had #4 Lodima for sale, sold out of #2.

hi merg

I hadn't checked in a while too ...
https://www.lodima.org/photographic-paper

it depends on the size 11x14 and 8x10 completely out of stock of everything ...
other sizes have a varying degree ov available-ness

[Merg Ross]

hi merg

I hadn't checked in a while too ...
https://www.lodima.org/photographic-paper

it depends on the size 11x14 and 8x10 completely out of stock of everything ...
other sizes have a varying degree ov available-ness

Hi John,

Thanks for the updated list, good to know.

[phdgent]

He had different styles and used different papers over his career. Merg Ross, of this forum, would probably know. Lots of his earlier work was conspicuously warm-toned.
Later things took on that Azo and amidol f/64-ish cold tone look, but I don't know the specifics. I have seen a lot of his prints up close, and his full range of textual content isn't all that hard to replicate. One doesn't typically notice the lack of detail in the shadows in little contact prints anyway. He son, Brett, of course, exploited bold blank blacks for graphic effect in actual enlargements - an entirely different style.

Gold toner could lend an annoying overtly bluish-black to Azo images. I've never seen that effect in EW prints. And I wonder if he could even afford gold toner. I routinely use it, but at much greater dilution than most of the formulas call for, which seem to waste gold chloride like crazy.

Why do you use Gold Toner "at a much greater dilution..."?
I have never used it and I am interested in trying it (on Fomabrom FB III paper developed in a Eco-Dektol).
Should I combine it with Selenium toning, if it is appropriate, as I usually do this for intensifying the d max?

Just curious as I want to know more about it before 'spilling' the gold...

[peter schrager]

Freestyle has Adox Lupex which is based on the Lodima formula...currently available

[tundra]

tundra - Michael passed away in 2018. I don't know if any of their Lupex paper is still around. I just use regular papers for contact printing, especially MGWT. I like the way it tones. But the old chloride contact papers had their own look. What that look exactly was, in EW's case, varied quite a bit, depending on when they were printed, and by whom.

Michael also stocked up as much classic ole Super-XX film as he could. Bergger 200 was a reasonable substitute; but he couldn't plus develop it to the high degree he sometimes needed. Certain other films he tried, he had some strong expletives about. He was kinda stuck in a Grade 2 standardization contact paper mentality, which has quite low contrast; so he needed especially contrasty negatives of exceptional linear scale, like Super-XX was capable of. He was certainly passionate about his craft.

Yes, I was aware that he'd passed, and I actually chatted with Paula via email a year or so ago, having just purchased some of the Brett Weston portfolios. I was under the impression that there was still some paper stock for sale, but that may be incorrect.