What is your printing process?

[Pawlowski6132]

So, I'm asking about wet, silver, enlarging. I'm sure everyone uses their own variation. Below is mine. I'm sure it's not perfect and hope to learn something as a result of this thread.

Once I have the negative I want to use...

1. Create two test prints. I use the the three second burst method. My "banding" method is to make sure I can evaluate the highlights of the print. If my proof sheet looks good at Grade 2, the second print will be a grade 3. If the proof looks too contrasty, my second will be grade 1.

2. I will then pick the exposure time that both prints exhibit the "best" highlight (making sure it is at least 20 seconds, if not stop down and re-do)

3. I will then create two full pilot prints on each grade at the "best" time

4. I will then pick the ideal grade based on over all feel

5. I will then create a couple of bracket prints at, say 10% and 20% more exposure

6. I will then evaluate each print and evaluate the remaining non-highlight parts of the image.

7. I will then create a dodge/burn strategy if necessary

8. Create the final print 3x

9. HCA, Selenium, good wash

[Jim collum]

platinum/palladium ziatype

1. scan the negative, or start with a digital file.

2. prepare it in Photoshop the way I want the print to look (monitor's calibrated for this0

3. print the negative (have already done a lot of calibration here as well), usually a 4x5" print

4. Print.

5. Evaluate print.. 9 times out of ten, nothing necessary, although sometimes a slight curve adjustment to fine tune it

6. Print larger negative (8" or 14" on long side)

7. clear print, dry, sometime a coat of Renaissance wax, mount, mat

[Jim Noel]

So, I'm asking about wet, silver, enlarging. I'm sure everyone uses their own variation. Below is mine. I'm sure it's not perfect and hope to learn something as a result of this thread.

Once I have the negative I want to use...

1. Create two test prints. I use the the three second burst method. My "banding" method is to make sure I can evaluate the highlights of the print. If my proof sheet looks good at Grade 2, the second print will be a grade 3. If the proof looks too contrasty, my second will be grade 1.

2. I will then pick the exposure time that both prints exhibit the "best" highlight (making sure it is at least 20 seconds, if not stop down and re-do)

3. I will then create two full pilot prints on each grade at the "best" time

4. I will then pick the ideal grade based on over all feel

5. I will then create a couple of bracket prints at, say 10% and 20% more exposure

6. I will then evaluate each print and evaluate the remaining non-highlight parts of the image.

7. I will then create a dodge/burn strategy if necessary

8. Create the final print 3x

9. HCA, Selenium, good wash

Your step number 3 is wasting an awful lot of time and paper.

[Vaughn]

Have not done much silver gelatin in the last 10+ years, but this was my average routine:

Pick a good negative (4x5, B&W).

Pick a paper (neutral Gallerie glossy, or warm Portriga Rapid III, both grade 3), 16x20

Test strip (about 1/3 sheet), 5 sec intervals (10sec to 30sec), about 3 stops from wide open -- pick time, usually around 20 seconds.

Make work print -- spend 10 of 15 minutes looking at work print to determine any changes in time or contrast (via Selectol-soft), and determine initial burning plan.

Next 6 pieces of paper I work on the burning pattern. Again, usually spending 5 to 15 minutes looking at each print in a well-lit room (prints complete fixed first).

Make 3 final copies if I feel the image is worth it. (A total of ten sheets of paper -- one pack.)

Complete fixing and washing.

After several printing sessions, pick prints to selenium tone. Soak prints, tone and wash.

I tended to print light, and then burn down to what I wanted (I rarely dodged). The best way to describe the way I worked was to consider the paper as a piece of stone and I would use light as chisels to dig away to the darker rock below.

Technical stuff...Dektol 1:3, 3 minutes -- Indicator Stop Bath, 30 sec -- two rapid fix baths. 3 min each (.5 oz Part B instead of 2oz) -- rinse, 1 min -- HCA, 3 min -- wash, long. Dry-down was intuitively taken into account, as was changes due to toning. Toning -- Kodak Selenium Toner at 1:16 (with HCA), 100 to 110F. Toning time: 45 seconds, 15 sec dripping time, rinse, tray of HCA, 40 min wash.

[Pawlowski6132]

Your step number 3 is wasting an awful lot of time and paper.

Not really. I will only spend about 30 extra seconds in exposing ONE sheet of paper.

In the end, I'd rather be sure to have the best print I want and not be too cheap or lazy to get it.

[Heroique]

My enlarger darkroom is down the hall from my processing darkroom.

So I have to make the journey w/ my Premier Paper Safe – a key step in my process.

Actually, it's about 20 steps!

[Jim collum]

whoops.. sorry. i missed the silver specific.. disregard!

[Bill Burk]

1. Feel compulsion to print a photograph from a particular occasion.
2. Look through negatives from that occasion, using light table and microscope to verify negative is suitable for printing.
3. Spot negative if necessary.
4. Set everything up for printing, make sure negative is free of dust as much as possible.
5. Pick grade (it's either 2 or 3, not too difficult a decision).
6. Try one test strip with third-f/stop times, max time longer than what I know is needed.
7. If first test strip is a failure, correct f/stop or time and make another test strip.
8. Review test strip for base time and choose potential dodge/burns based on where things look right on the test compared to the base time I chose.
9. Print with dodge and burns as planned
10. Make another print if a mistake needs correcting.

My method is exceedingly conservative of materials... I am very decisive when printing, so it either works... or it doesn't and I move on.

[Bruce Barlow]

Your step number 3 is wasting an awful lot of time and paper.

No, it doesn't, because you have to see the whole print on each paper grade to evaluate them and choose the right one. Remember, the test strip chosen is only for the highlights, and you don't really know what all the midtones and low tones look like. Test strips being not always in the right place, you're not even sure of the high values. Without the complete print, your odds of getting the wrong paper grade, and even the wrong exposure, are significantly higher than zero.

I will admit to doing it on the cheap before, wrestling with a print for an hour to get all the manipulations right, making the final print, and not liking it because it was too harsh or too soft, which I could have avoided by making two prints and looking at them side-by-side. My fault - wasting a number of sheets of paper and all that time. 2 sheets and 5 minutes is a bargain. From time-to-time I relearn that lesson the hard way.

With my LPL Saunders variable head, it's even worse. I have made two prints 1/4 of a paper grade apart, seen the difference, and chosen one over the other because it was right, and the other was wrong. I had gotten to 1/4 grade via multiple pilot prints - so several sheets, but it was worth it. It was one damn fine print.

This complete sequence is pretty much what I do, too. I'd only mention that I reduce the exposure by my tested dry-down percentage for the paper I'm using. I dial it in on my Zone VI dry-down timer. I keep a chart on the wall with the percentages for the papers I have. If you don't know, use 10%, unless it's Ilford Galerie, which is 7% for me. If you don't have a dry-down timer, take the percentage off the base exposure, and just dodge and burn.

Paper is cheap, the opportunity and time is dear. If it takes me 7-15 sheets of paper to get the best print I can make, what's 2 more?

[jp]

1. Pick an image from proof contact sheets (printed at grade 2) and study the contrast in it and from eyeballing the negative so as to make a guestimate for the contrast grade.

2. determine final print size, paper choice, etc.. Some images don't look good on warm paper or creamy paper, some soft focus stuff doesn't like to get enlarged much beyond 8x10. Setup and focus and stop down.

3. Determine an area of the baseboard/easel where I can toss a test strip and get most of the important tones. Guess an exposure and process it. Test strip will be 1/6 to 1/4 of a sheet of paper.

4. Do a second test strip to fine tuned guessed exposure. ( I used to have a meter for this but found it unnecessary after a while)

5. Dry the test strip and view in normal light outside the darkroom if I'm using a paper with noticeable drydown. This verifies exposure and contrast choices. Make adjustments and repeat if needed. Two test strips is usually sufficient for normal negatives.

6. Make a full sized print. If I'm happy with it, good, If I'm not, change what needs to be changed and make another print. This may include some minor changes to exposure or contrast and in some cases a little manual dodging.

I'm interested mostly in saving time, but am glad to conserve paper given the opportunity.

[bob carnie]

I set up two enlargers all the time with a third for flashing if required.

I usually print series so I will set up each enlarger with common style negatives. I also make three prints for every image required and I will make slight adjustments.

I spend the first hour testing each negative with various split filter methods, I always use full sheets when I am close so I can see the whole image.

This first hour is most important as it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I am very willing to extend this to two hours if needed to get my LOOK right.

After I have a fininshed print on each enlarger I will set up two more negatives, I try to match negatives to the enlargers.

Second set of prints go a bit faster as I have pretty much established the contrast density and manipulation palette for this series of negatives.

I will finish each negative and then once again move to the next set of negatives and try to be very careful in matching the negs to enlarger.



After about 6 hours of printing I am finished and I take all the prints from the wash and tone, hypo clear and final wash.. If I am going to sepia tone then I do this the next day and do not selenium.

This takes me about 8 hours in total and the prints are airdried overnight and the next day I could just repeat the above with fresh chemicals.

I also try to print what I think are the easiest negatives first to get in a groove.

[ROL]

Too easy (e.g., few forum pixels have been harmed in the production of this response):

Making a Proof (http://www.rangeoflightphotography.com/pages/making-a-proof)
Making a Fine Art Print (http://www.rangeoflightphotography.com/pages/making-a-fine-art-print)

[Doremus Scudder]

I'll try to keep this short (background whispering "Yeah, sure".... "Good luck..." "Ha, ha..." etc.).

1. Make proofs. Making good proofs is a huge time saver. I proof everything at the minimum time it takes for the clear negative border to reach max black under "gallery" lighting. I proof everything on grade 2 (my target grade for 75% of my work). Evaluating the proof for everything from cropping to which paper grade to start with saves time setting up.

1A. Have a clear idea of the image you want to achieve. (I added this as an afterthought, since it is self-understood for me from the beginning of the process; and because this post was too short...) Sure there are fortuitous surprises from time to time, but having a clear goal helps recognize these as well.

2. Make test strips on target paper grade. I've decided on which paper grade to start with from the proof (and experience). I'll make one test strip of a key area of the image in 20% increments. I evaluate the highlights. If there is no too-dark and too-light strip, I'll usually make a second test strip. I evaluate the test strip for overall contrast as well. Often I'll change contrast grades and make another test strip before making a pilot print. Only after I have highlight values and contrast I think will be a good starting point do I move to the next step.

3. Make a full-size print on the desired paper grade at the test-strip exposure. I used to always make this a "straight print," i.e., no dodging or burning, but with the years I have come to have a better idea right off of what things I need to do, and I'll often incorporate a "manipulation scheme" into this first print.

4. Determine if a significant change in contrast is needed. If so, choose the new grade are start over from step 2.

5. Take time and evaluate the print. Once the print contrast is close, I'll dry it, tack it up on the white board and sit and evaluate for a while. Motto: "Waste time, not paper." Only if the print is really off will I just start over without "feeling" the print and "listening" to it tell me what it wants.

6. Develop a "manipulation scheme." I take notes while evaluating the print of what changes I will apply to the next. These include: exposure adjustment, slight contrast adjustments (e.g., +10M, usually coupled with a corresponding exposure tweak), development time adjustment (and deciding on developer additives like BZT and/or carbonate). plus the dodging and burning scheme. I note all these in graphic form and in percentages of the base exposure. I'll also decide if I wish to bleach areas of the print at this time. At the end of this, I have a concrete and recorded plan of alterations to the pilot print to try. Don't discard the pilot print! Save it for comparisons.

7. Make the next print. This one with the manipulations. Dry it, hang it up next to the previous print(s) and...

8. Repeat steps 5-7 till you are satisfied. Sometimes I'm not satisfied, so I'll give up. Other times I'll anticipate the effect of toning and give myself a few possibilities. I'll usually toss the rejects after toning. Sometimes I'll keep a range of prints that are not identical; rather different and satisfying performances of the same negative.

Once I have what I want, I'll make a total of 3-5 fine prints (more if the print was difficult). I'll enter all the information in my print exposure record for future use.

There, that wasn't too bad, was it :)

Best,

Doremus

[tgtaylor]

Recently I have switched from Fred Pickers method to the split contrast method which is:

1. Make a test strip with a 00 filter (199 Yellow) at 3-second intervals to determine the exposure for the whites.

2. Make a test strip with the 5 filter ((199 Magenta) for the blacks.

Once the above exposure are determined make the print. My last print a couple days back required 18 seconds with the 00 and 16.5 seconds with the 5. I continue to use Pickers 3-second burst as it provided for a finer mesh. Both methods are comparable as Picker starts with a grade 2 setting and looks for the exposure that gives him a good white and then tweaks the contrast for the blacks.

Thomas

[Erik Larsen]

Interesting read of other folks methods, here's my approach for variable contrast papers with pyro negs.

1. Make a test strip at 1/2 stop intervals on f stop timer with 25Y dialed in (approximate grade 1 1/2) to find a hint of tone in the highlights. I find going any lower in contrast with my pyro negs on this step makes the print a little muddier than I like.

2. Expose another test strip with the highlight exposure determined in strip one. Then on top of that exposure do a test strip at 1/2 strip intervals at 170M (my highest contrast setting) looking for the lower mid tones to be how I want them.

3. Do a full print at the determined low and high contrast exposures and check out if I have to dodge/burn anywhere. I almost always have to dodge something on the high contrast exposure. If there's sky in the photo I'll usually burn at the high contrast exposure as well. Rarely do I dodge/ burn at the low contrast setting as it muddies up my prints more than I prefer unless I have grossly overdeveloped a negative. I then pop the print in the microwave and study the print for a while. I usually have to tweak the exposure up or down a bit to get what I want for the final print and then do few prints that vary a bit.

4. Put all prints that have been in a holding tray through a second fix and then selenium tone to taste and into the versalab then onto the drying racks. I wake up the next morning and look at the finished prints and wonder what the hell I was thinking:)

[Kevin J. Kolosky]

I don't think anyone else can tell you how to make the right print for you.