Film & Developer combo for Salt Prints

[Greg]

Was wondering what others are using for shooting and processing for Salt prints. I'm about to start a large project come summer, but before I do would like to try out maybe 2 other developers to compare my current negatives with. Currently am using Ilford FP-4 PLUS (ISO 100) and processing in Rodinal 1:25 for 15 minutes at 68 degrees in a constantly rotating JOBO drum. Prefer to keep using FP4 PLUS but would like to try 2 other developers to compare my results with.

[robshepherd]

I'm using FP4 rated at 64 and processed in D-76 1:1 for 12-14 minutes for negatives printed with salt or kallitype. Works well for me.

[koraks]

I generally use Fomapan (usually 100 or 200) for salted paper prints, developed in either instant mytol (xtol clone) or Pyrocat HD. Rated at box speed and developed twice as long as the charts indicate for normal silver gelatin printing. But really, just about any combination can be made to work, within reasonable bounds. Don't try TMAX100 as it's hard to print through it with UV; you'll lose about 2.5 stops, which is annoying with salted paper printing. Otherwise any film will work, with especially slower films usually being easier to coax into giving the required contrast range of 2.2-2.4logD

[Gary Samson]

The combination that has worked out the best for me is Ilford FP4+ and PMK Pyro. Rate the film at ISO 125 and develop for 12 minutes at 72f with constant agitation. The developer should be diluted 2:4:100. This combination should produce a negative that will print a full tonal range image. A great resource is The Salt Print Manual by Ellie Young, there is a free PDF version available for download, I will try to find the link.

[Gary Samson]

Here is the link:

https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:7850/Young.pdf

[Greg]

The combination that has worked out the best for me is Ilford FP4+ and PMK Pyro. Rate the film at ISO 125 and develop for 12 minutes at 72f with constant agitation. The developer should be diluted 2:4:100. This combination should produce a negative that will print a full tonal range image. A great resource is The Salt Print Manual by Ellie Young, there is a free PDF version available for download, I will try to find the link.

Thanks... Just received The Salt Print Manual by Ellie Young, haven't had time to open it up and read it yet. Also last year got some PYROCAT-HD in Glycol from Photographers' Formulary still unopened sitting on a darkroom shelf... definitely will try this combo out as per your suggestion in the coming weeks.

[Jim Noel]

I used to use FP4+ developed in Pyrocat HD.
I have found that Carestream EB/RA X-ray film developed in the same Pyrocat HD gives me a superior negative for this process.

[Vaughn]

A non-staining developer with FP4+ I have used for pt/pd printing and for carbon printing is Ilford Universal PD developer. For scenes of normal SBR, I use it at paper-strength (1:9), and I'll dilute closer to normal film strength (1:19) for high contrast scenes. The negatives I am aiming for might have a higher DR than you want, though (>2.5).

[bob carnie]

Here is the link:

https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:7850/Young.pdf

Gary - thank you so much for that link,, I am a member here now for over 16 years and this is exactly the reason I am still participating, this is a great resource... I am about to do a rather large personal project of colour over Salt Prints and this will be helpful, I am going to try to reference the look of the early Japanese hand colour prints of that era using multiple tonal separation with pigment in gum. I am looking for all references to this process.

[Gary Samson]

Gary - thank you so much for that link,, I am a member here now for over 16 years and this is exactly the reason I am still participating, this is a great resource... I am about to do a rather large personal project of colour over Salt Prints and this will be helpful, I am going to try to reference the look of the early Japanese hand colour prints of that era using multiple tonal separation with pigment in gum. I am looking for all references to this process.
Bob, you are very welcome! As a photography educator for forty years, sharing information has been vital to helping my peers and students to achieve their artistic vision and I have benefited greatly from many other photographers’ generous knowledge over the decades.

[Willie]

Is it true the prints of images taken in the Mountains come out a lot better if one uses Pink Himalayan Salt?

[koraks]

Is it true the prints of images taken in the Mountains come out a lot better if one uses Pink Himalayan Salt?

Yeah, and images taken on the seaside should be made using seawater for the salting solution :p

Seriously - no.

[Tin Can]

Thank you Gary Samson and Jim Noel

[Jim Noel]

Yeah, and images taken on the seaside should be made using seawater for the salting solution :p

Seriously - no.

Don't make light of this technique until you've tried it. There was a period of 3-4 years during which ALL of my salt print were made with sea water from the Pacific. The trace elements found in this water ad something special but beyond description.

[koraks]

Oh, don't get me wrong; there can be merit in experimenting with the salts. I never noticed improvements over Cl when using Br or I, but I never tested more complex mixes, let alone uncontrolled ones like seawater.
My argument was that a certain subject matter (and a very unspecific one at that) shouldn't be translated 1:1 into chemistry choices. Maybe with a little more nuance involving brightness ranges, contrast, desired tonality and image tone, there would be some sense to it.