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  1. #1

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    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.

  2. #2

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    Re: Hair on negative

    Retouch the negative.
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  3. #3
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Hair on 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.

    -----
    ♫ ♪ “We wear short, shorts...” ♪ ♫

  4. #4
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Hair on negative

    Quote Originally Posted by IHS View Post
    This hair will print black on this printed white highlight.
    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.

  5. #5

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    Re: Hair on negative

    Quote Originally Posted by ic-racer View Post
    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.
    Are you kidding? Or is retouching a lost skill??
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  6. #6
    jp's Avatar
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    Re: Hair on negative

    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.

  7. #7

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    Re: Hair on negative

    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.

  8. #8
    Jon Shiu's Avatar
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    Re: Hair on negative

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

    Jon
    my black and white photos of the Mendocino Coast: jonshiu.zenfolio.com

  9. #9

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    Re: Hair on negative

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Shiu View Post
    One traditional way is to scratch the negative with a needle. Requires a steady hand, I think.

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

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

  10. #10
    God loves a tryer Scotty230358's Avatar
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    Re: Hair on negative

    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.

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