halo around edges of 11x14 print?

[kimboclifford10]

i'm new to medium format photography, and i'm working on a project for my high school black and white film photography class. i've been having difficultly with my prints, which have been turning out with a halo around the edges of the print. there is no evidence of the halo on any of my negatives, and i tape down the edges of my paper before exposing it. please help with any ideas you may have regarding a possible mistake i'm making! thank you!

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

Is your enlarger lens the right one for your negative size? Do you use the correct condenser at the right distance ?

[kimboclifford10]

how do you tell if it is the correct size?

[dsphotog]

Sounds like the enlarging lens isn't covering the 120 neg, what lens -enlarger are you using? It should be a 75 or 80 mm lens. It could also be the enlargers condensers are not covering the 120 neg.

[Tom Monego]

Yes the lens should be 75mm or longer. But it does sound like the condenser, some enlargers have variable condensers, some have interchangeable condensers, some are 35mm only. What enlarger are you using? If yours doesn't have variable condensers check with your teacher, they are probably in a cabinet some where. You should also look for a Saunders 11x14 4 blade easel, lot easier than taping down paper.

Tom

[sepiareverb]

Condenser woe or enlarger lens. If this is a Beseler 23C that knob up high on the right side will adjust the condenser- just line up the arrow with the format size. Then get the right lens on there:

35mm: 45, 50 or 63mm
6x6: 75, 80 or 90mm

[CG]

Is the halo you mention a vignetting that cuts into your image and turns the corners of your image white, or is there a dark edge all round beyond the image from your camera?