Retouching a Pinhole

[Peter Lewin]

I have a tiny pinhole smack in the middle of a negative I would like to print. While it is easy to retouch out in Photoshop, I want to make a silver print from the negative (I still enjoy my darkroom). I know from prior experience that removing a black spot from a print is no fun - normally requires bleaching out, then retouching, and in my experience the bleaching is hard to control. I also found a small jar of Kodak Opaque Black on a shelf (I must have either known how to use this long ago, or bought it "just in case"). Anyway, I'm looking for recommendations. Would it be better to try and use the opaque black on the negative (I guess put it on a light table, use the smallest retouching brush I own, and try to cover the pinhole, presumably on the non-emulsion side?) Or should I try to bleach out the dot on the print? I haven't done either approach in at least 20 years!

[N Dhananjay]

I would definitely suggest retouching the negative. A good light table and a fine brush will do the trick. I know there used to be Spot pens which were a very fine point as well - I do not know if these are still made. Cheers, DJ

[Doremus Scudder]

Yep, retouch the neg. Try to keep the opaque spot as small as possible. Use a magnifier and good lighting and a very fine brush. Practice on a scrap neg first to get a feel for the materials.

After retouching, you'll get a white spot on your print, which you will have to spot in with Spotone or the like.

The other alternative is etching the print itself. I do this for very small black spots. I use 10x magnification and a #00 surgeons scalpel. Ideally, one can just carefully scrape the dark spot and reduce the density enough by abrasion so that it is unnoticeable. More often, one needs to remove emulsion down to the baryta layer, which leaves a white spot. These can be spotted back up with a mix of Spotone and gum Arabic (for gloss and fill) to be completely undetectable, but it takes practice and skill.

For a larger pinhole/black spot on the print, I prefer to deal with the negative.

Best,

Doremus

[Jac@stafford.net]

:) I still have a negative retouching machine. It employs a platform with a palm rest, and a negative stage that vibrates in subtle degrees, light source and magnifier. Retouching was done with graphite pencil for dark areas and with a couple different dental instruments to lighten areas.

Pencil still works well.

[Harold_4074]

The classic solution to this is to use a needle point to scratch the film base behind the pinhole. Light scattering during printing then results in a white (or lighter) area which may need further work on the print. I've done it; it works---but I wouldn't recommend trying it for the first time on an irreplaceable negative. It would work better with a condenser enlarger than a diffusion one, and do remember not to scratch the emulsion side by mistake.

[Kirk Gittings]

How big is this pinhole? If it is tiny try this.

Alternative opinion-but long a technique amongst good silver printers. I never do anything to my negatives. EVER. I etch out the black spot carefully ON A WET PRINT with a new X-Acto #11 blade. When the print dries the edges shrink back so all that is left is a tiny dimple which is now white paper base. I then spot this when the print is dry to make is disappear tonally.

[Doremus Scudder]

How big is this pinhole? If it is tiny try this. ... etch out the black spot carefully ON A WET PRINT ... when the print dries the edges shrink back so all that is left is a tiny dimple which is now white paper base. I then spot this when the print is dry to make is disappear tonally.

Kirk,

I've been etching prints for 30+ years, but never tried this! I'm eager to give it a try next time I need to.

Thanks for the tip.

Doremus

[patrickjames]

I use a Sakura pigment pen, the same one I use to number negs, and place the smallest dot I can on the non-emulsion side. Then I retouch the print.

I haven't tried etching a wet print either. Might have to give that a go sometime.