Recommendations for Darkroom Books

[brian steinberger]

Anyone have any good recommendations for darkroom books dealing with the technical side of darkroom work? Something that goes in depth about all the procedures for processing and printing. A modern book. Not anything old. Thanks

[Ed Richards]

Way Beyond Monochrome: by Ralph W. Lambrecht, Chris Woodhouse.

Wonderful modern book on black and white. As technical as it gets, but also readable for a novice.

[Bill_1856]

Photoshop for Photographers

[Matthew Cordery]

Another vote for Way Beyond Monochrome. I just wish my darkroom didn't make me think about how bad I think I am right now. :-P

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

By far the best darkroom book is "The Master printers course" by doctor Tim Ruddman. You will see you dont need photoshop......

[David Karp]

Ansel's "The Print" is still a very good source. Ctein's "Post Exposure" would be a good addition to your library, but not as the only volume on darkroom work. The late Barry Thornton's "The Edge of Darkness" is not solely about darkroom work, but is an excellent reference with valuable information on darkroom work.

If any beginners read this thread, I have not seen a better introductory darkroom book than Carson Graves's "The Elements of Black and White Printing."

[Joseph O'Neil]

I've not ever seen the book Way Beyond Monochrome. Sounds interesting. So I look it up on amazon.com, and here's what I find:

Price: $25.17 and this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

I figure cool. But here in Canada, we have Amazon.ca, and I have to order through them, and here's what I find:

Our Price: CDN$ 64.10 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Depending on the exchange rate, that's roughly $52 to $55 US.
*sigh*

Ah well, just another excuse to take a day trip Stateside for some more shopping (about an hours drive away). At least guys like Badger Graphic don't have a problem mail ordering up here. :)
joe

[Kevin M Bourque]

"The Darkroom Cookbook" and "The Film Developing Cookbook" are great if you want learn more about alternative formulas and mixing your own stuff. "The Book of Pyro" falls into the same category.

Warning: home brew chemistry is a real candy shop (if you're of that mindset), and you can spend huge amounts of time playing with chemicals instead of taking pictures.

[Alec Jones]

Fred Picker's Zone VI Workshop is the best basic B&W technique book I've ever seen. I highly recommend it. Age is not a factor when it comes to the basics. Some chemistry may change, but not the basic ideas.

[Bill_1856]

"Lootens on Photographic Enlarging and Print Quality" has been the standard for longer that I've been into photography (55 years). Yes, it's old but it's still available, and was revised in the '90s. You could do a lot worse.

[Bruce Barlow]

I recommend the video "Printing with Fred Picker" usually available on eBay. It's a good demonstration of how a good printer got good prints, and seeing is believing. Produced in 1989, it's still valid, even though it could be updated to cover variable contrast paper and filtration (but won't be, Freddie's dead, as the old song says).

His assistant is pretty cool, too. Although older now, and bulkier.

[Ralph Barker]

" . . . A modern book. Not anything old. Thanks"

You may be limiting yourself by looking solely for "modern" books, Brian. There are plenty of pearls of wisdom in older texts - particularly if one remembers that basic processes haven't changed much in decades, only the availability of specific products.

I concur with Jorge's endorsement of Ruddman's "Master Printers Course" book. While it doesn't give a full exploration of general darkroom techniques and processes, it does a nice job of dealing with printing techniques.

[David Mark]

I can recommend two books by the English photographer Eddie Ephraums: "Creative Elements: Darkroom Techniques For Landscape Photography," and "Gradient Light - The Art And Craft Of Using Variable Contrast Paper." Mr. Ephraums uses a 35 mm camera, but his advice on printing is equally applicable, of course, to printing with a big negative. Ephraums writes a lot about toning, if that is of particular interest to you. The books were published by Amphoto in the mid 90's. I am not sure whether they are still in print.

I am not aware of any other books on printing that are as in-depth on how to get the most out of variable contrast paper.

[David Mark]

And I second Bruce Barlow's recommendation of the video Printing with Fred Picker. I found that I learned things from watching a master printer work, even on video, that I could not get from a book.

[David Swinnard]

Also check David Vestal's two books, Book of Craft and the Art of Black and White Enlarging (IIRC). Both out of print, but both worth a look. (check the local library...)

Dave

[Donald Brewster]

Vestal and Picker are quite good. I'll second Dave's suggestion of the fabulous Ctein book:

POST EXPOSURE - Advanced Techniques for the Photographic Printer
2nd Edition
by Ctein
Published 2000 by Focal Press, an imprint of Butterworth Heinemann
208 pp. paperback ISBN 0-240-80437-6

[Eric Woodbury]

The Print, AA, and Way Beyond Monochrome, which is more up todate with modern techniques. The only thing I don't like about WBM is that it is so heavy. Is there lead in the paper?

[Mark Sawyer]

If you're considering the Ansel Adams guides, also consider John Schaefer's update/rewrite, done at Adams' suggestion. Done in two volumes, I think it should be considered a standard modern reference for serious photographers. Schaefer is a former chemistry professor and long-time large format photographer, and as President of the University of Arizona, he and Adams founded the Center for Creative Photography, so he has a reasonable background.

Bruce Barnbaum's "Art of Photography, an Approach to Personal Expression" is also a great technical resource, and has some good aesthetic discussions as well.

[Bob._3483]

Not sure if it is still available, but Larry Bartlett's "Black and White Photographic Printing Workshop" is full of worked examples with printing plans etc. Another vote each for "Way Beyond Monochrome" (which is by far the most technical I think) and anything by Tim Rudman. Also a vote for Les McLean's "Creative Black & White Photography" which is about 75% darkroom - the rest being film, and one digital printing chapter.

[Ed Richards]

> The only thing I don't like about WBM is that it is so heavy. Is there lead in the paper?

Silver, perhaps, from the look of the prints. Do not get put off by the technical stuff - they include a lot of common sense as well.