Selenium Toning Suggestions

[James Hughes]

Hi all, I'm a mathematician taking a photography class at the school I work at. This is my first semester shooting 4x5 and printing in a darkroom. As the semester winds down, the photography professor and I want to explore toning.

Our goal is to show toning to the students in the class. I'm particularly interested in selenium toning, but that's many because I've read Ansel Adams' Camera/Negative/Print series.

I'm wondering what advice folks have to make an effective demonstration of toning. The biggest concern I have is which paper to use. We have three VC papers: Ilford MG IV RC paper in Pearl and Glossy finish and some Ilford FB Warmtone paper with glossy finish.

I've read conflicting reports about toning VC papers. Any positive reports or suggestions about those papers? Also, if you had to show off selenium toning, is there a particular paper you would suggest?

Thanks in advance!

[Mark Sampson]

Ilford's fiber-base Multigrade shows deeper blacks, but almost no color change in KRST @ 1:20 (how I use it). Warmtone FB shows a color change more readily. A good test would be three different dilutions for a variety of toning times. I can't advise about RC papers but they shouldn't be very different than fiber-base.

[Szaller]

I would go for ANY FB paper if I wanted to demonstrate selenium toning. FB papers react much faster to selenium toning and tend to give more "obvious" results than RC papers. FB papers are "easier" to tone. I don´t think VC papers would give you any problems...(anyone can correct me on that one if I´m wrong).

[ROL]

I think an instructive "test" might be something like using examples of different papers, RC and fiber, VC and graded, pulling at three times each:

1. untoned
2. toning without without color shift
3. toning for color shift
4. toning to completion (unconcerned with color shift – full archival "advantage")

Then perhaps exploring a few specific toning techniques (like split toning, see Tim Rudman's Toning Book) on selected papers.

[Vaughn]

Try sepia toning some images (using different bleaching times, too), wash them, and then selenium tone them.

One nice way is to take an 11x14 or 16x20 print, rip or cut it into 4 pieces, and tone each section differently -- put the print back together to see the differences.

Vaughn

[MumbleyJoe]

I have almost no toning experience, but I did just recently do my first test (and I was giddy over the beautiful results).

I toned 4 4x5 contact prints and left a 5th untoned. I used Kodak Rapid Seleium Toner 1:9 (100ml, diluted to 1L). I toned for 2, 4, 6 and 9 minutes.

2 min showed a nice deepening of the blacks, no visible color shift.
4 min showed deeper blacks, and a faint purplish color shift (I think 3 min would be perfect).
6 min showed more density than I wanted, pulling down midtones too.
9 min showed a very clear color shift and the deepest tones.

I used Ilford MGIV RC (Satin). I've not yet done any FB prints, and just had the RC prints to work with. I prepared the contact prints in advance, so they were dry. I pre-soaked them for a minute or two, then toned, then washed. Being RC prints they were quick to process.

So, for an intro to toning, my personal quick experiment was an eye-opener for me and worked basically exactly as I hoped. I have very little darkroom experience, but wanted a quick taste of what toning would accomplish. I'm no expert now either, but my quick and simple experiment was a good introduction to the possibilities.

[Michael Clark]

Selennium toning is a slow process in the tray and hard to see any density or color change with out an non toned print setting right next to it, even then its hard to judge results tell after the print has dried.Vaughn's and MuumbleyJoe's idea of displaying the end results would be easy for the students to see.
Mike

[dasBlute]

another twist is to selenium tone first, to 'protect' the darks and then sepia tone...

try cutting an image into say, 5 pieces and vary the ratio
selenium -vs- sepia [in secs] something like. For me the
longer the selenium, the more purple, but there is
a crossover where the tones balance quite nicely.

sel : sep [in secs]
----------
015 - 240
030 - 120
060 - 060
120 - 030
240 - 015

[James Hughes]

Thanks all! I appreciate all the suggestions. I'm liking the idea of toning various papers for different times to show the difference in papers and toning times. By the way, my professor ordered Berg selenium toner.

As a further question, If I were to order a graded paper to throw into the mix, does anyone have suggestions for what would make an interesting addition? No one seemed to jump on the coating (glossy/pearl), so at the minute, it sounds like I've got glossy RC and Warmtone FB.

[Michael Clark]

Neutral to cold tone Bromide fiber papers gain the most density with Selenium toner, all though they start to turn a purple color if left in the toner for longer periods of time. I like glossy with most fiber papers, Illford warm tone papers looks good in semi mat with the right subject matter,its all up to your own personal taste.

Don't think there would be much of a difference in toning VC or graded papers.