Front-to-front or back-to-back...

[Steve Goldstein]

... but never back to front.

This very strong recommendation for handling prints during selenium toning is in the Darkroom Cookbook 3rd edition. I've never seen this point mentioned anywhere else, or at least it has never registered in my enfeebled cranium. KRST 1+9 has worked just fine for me in violation of this rule. Does anyone know why Anchell states this?

[Vlad Soare]

I don't know. I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I've always handled prints in selenium toner just as I used to handle them in developer. That is, fully immerse the sheet then agitate the tray by slightly raising one of the corners. No problem whatsoever.
Granted, I'm using Rollei's selenium toner, not Kodak's, but I doubt they're so very much different.

What does Anchell mean by "front to front" and "back to back", anyway? :confused:

Later edit: oh, you mean toning two sheets at the same time? I did that when I was in a hurry, but I usually try to avoid it because I like to see the evolution of the toning effect in every print. I used to set them back to back. I would be reluctant to set them front to front, as I think the flow of toner over their surfaces might be affected.

[Allen in Montreal]

...
Front-to-front or back-to-back...
but never back to front........


Steve,
That rule was once preached for all prints in all chemical stages.

I don't know when where or how this fell by the wayside, but as a kid in the darkroom with my dad and his colleagues etc,
It was always, face to face, back to back.

[Gem Singer]

When toning two of the same size prints at a time, when they are placed in the KRST solution back to back, the agitation pattern is: lift by two corners and flip them over together.

This way, you can watch as the toning progresses, but you can only see the image on one sheet at a time time until you flip them over again.

If they were front to back, the emulsion side of one of the sheets would not be visible. Nor would it be freely bathed in the KRST solution.

[Vlad Soare]

Nor would it be freely bathed in the KRST solution.
Yup. That's what I'm afraid of, too. And I guess the front-to-front setting would have the same problem...

[Robert Hughes]

Oh, this is about photography? I thought this had something to do with bedroom manners...

[Steve Goldstein]

Typically I tone several (3-6) prints at a time. I keep them all face-up and shuffle them through, like developing sheet film, and keep count so I know which one was first in and should thus be first out. This allows me to see them all. About every third time through I rotate them 180 degrees so I'm not always picking them up by the same corner.

I do like Gene's procedure for two prints at a time, though. It's easier than sliding one off the bottom. Thanks for the tip.

[Renato Tonelli]

Oh, this is about photography? I thought this had something to do with bedroom manners...

Did you drop in on the wrong forum?:confused: :D

[AF-ULF]

Typically I tone several (3-6) prints at a time. I keep them all face-up and shuffle them through, like developing sheet film, and keep count so I know which one was first in and should thus be first out. This allows me to see them all. About every third time through I rotate them 180 degrees so I'm not always picking them up by the same corner.

I do like Gene's procedure for two prints at a time, though. It's easier than sliding one off the bottom. Thanks for the tip.

I follow this basic procedure when toning multiple prints. I put all prints in the tray with the emulsion side facing up. The only difference is that I put the first print in the tray rotated 180 degrees from the rest of the prints. That way I don't have to keep track when flipping through the prints, and possibly losing count. The print that is up side down was the first to go into the toner.

[Steve Goldstein]

I follow this basic procedure when toning multiple prints. I put all prints in the tray with the emulsion side facing up. The only difference is that I put the first print in the tray rotated 180 degrees from the rest of the prints. That way I don't have to keep track when flipping through the prints, and possibly losing count. The print that is up side down was the first to go into the toner.

Brilliant. Thanks!

[Kirk Gittings]

Oh, this is about photography? I thought this had something to do with bedroom manners...

That made my evening.