Split Printing on VC paper

[Richard Rees]

Does anyone use the split printing method for VC paper, if so I would like a little insight how you do it,ie shadows first or highlights first or any other thoughts. I have read Steve Anghell book, The Variable Contrast Printing Manual. Thanks Richard

[jeroldharter]

That book is very good. That is how I started VC printing. I think most people like to start by setting the highlights with the soft filter and then polishing off the blacks with the hard filter. I most often do it the other way around. You need to experiment and find which may is more intuitive to you and which scenes lend themselves to each sequence.

I think split filter printing is a great and almost foolproof way to start printing. Don't be stingy with paper. I use full sheet test sheets most of the time unless I am printing a series of similar negatives.

Always make a "straight print" without any dodging, burning, or other manipulations. Then work off of that to get a final print.

Don't ignore drydown.

I think an F-Stop timer is even more useful in split printing than regular printing so buy one if you can (RH Designs or Darkroom Automation).

[percepts]

http://www.lesmcleanphotography.com/articles.php?page=full&article=21

http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=967

[Drew Wiley]

It's quite easy to do. With a colorhead you use strong magenta filtration for high contrast, then yellow for low contrast. Yellow is a much more transparent filter, so
exposes more quickly. With a blue-green coldlight, however, I use a 47 blue glass filter
over the lens for high contrast, and a green 58 for low contrast. Much more often,
however, I print the VC paper just like a graded paper, with plain light, then burn in
afterwards if needed with the low-contast filter to add more detail into the bright areas, or conversely, with the blue filter to more dramatically increase shadow depth or overall contrast.

[Valerie]

Les McLean's book is very helpful.. Or better yet, take a workshop from him! He is a master at splitgrade printing. Also check out threads on apug on this topic... there are many there.

[Richard Rees]

Thanks for all the info, this should help. Richard

[BetterSense]

I do 00 first, and 5 second. Actually most of my stuff will print with grade 2, with mild burning possibly with other filters. Starting out with a split-grade technique is a more foolproof route to a good print, especially if I think the negative is going to be difficult.

[nolindan]

There is an application note on the Darkroom Automation web site that may be of some help. General information on how split grade works starts on page 3.

http://www.darkroomautomation.com/support/appnotesgmeasured.pdf

The question of order when making test prints always comes up, with half swearing by one way and half the other. Often the comment is made that some 'adjustment gained by experience' is needed when interpreting the test prints. Obviously neither way works all the time.

The truth is that you have to switch between the two methods depending on the print contrast:

When making a high contrast print the high contrast black point test strip should be made first;
When making a low contrast print the low contrast white point test strip should be made first.

People who swear by high contrast first tend to make mid-to-low contrast negatives; those who use the low contrast first prefer their negatives on the snappy side. You will have to pick your own preference.

The order in which you make the final print is not important.

A normal contrast print is one with equal low (yellow or green) and high (magenta or blue) exposures. This holds for prints made with standard under-lens filters. The 'normal' ratio may be different if you are using a color or VC head.

A pitfall of split grade printing is that it tends to produce prints with a white and a black point that encompass the range of the negative. This is often not the optimum contrast for an image. Workers experienced with this technique use the midtones, but the required skill and judgment to do so can only be acquired through much experience. This rather negates the appeal of split-grade printing: that if finds the best exposure and contrast with a purely 'automatic' procedure that can be carried out by a first time printer.

The book Way Beyond Monochrome (http://openlibrary.org/b/OL8312607M/Way_Beyond_Monochrome) has the best explanation and tutorial on split grade printing - by a large margin. The current edition is sold out though used copies do come on the market. A second edition is in the works.

==
Nicholas O. Lindan
Darkroom Automation (http://www.darkroomautomation.com/da-main.htm)
Cleveland, Ohio USA

[neil poulsen]

What draws you to split printing?

[Richard Rees]

Workers experienced with this technique use the midtones, but the required skill and judgment to do so can only be acquired through much experience. This rather negates the appeal of split-grade printing: that if finds the best exposure and contrast with a purely 'automatic' procedure that can be carried out by a first time printer. What draws me to split printing is, I have ZoneVI VCLH Head, which I can control the blue and green lamps independently. Thanks again for all the help. Great web site. Richard

[Gem Singer]

Richard,

An simpler way to print with the Zone VI VC head:

Turn the controls for the blue and green lamps and brightness to maximum.

Make a test strip.

Too much contrast?--- Turn down the intensity of the blue lamp.

Too little contrast?---Turn down the intensity of the green lamp.

Too much dry down?---Turn down the brightness control.

[ic-racer]

Richard,

An simpler way to print with the Zone VI VC head:

Turn the controls for the blue and green lamps and brightness to maximum.

Make a test strip.

Too much contrast?--- Turn down the intensity of the blue lamp.

Too little contrast?---Turn down the intensity of the green lamp.

Too much dry down?---Turn down the brightness control.

So, turn it into a subtractive system like a dichro head.

Turn down blue = dial in yellow
Turn down green = dial in magenta.

The problem I have with any of the 'split' approaches is that mid tones change too much with isolated changes in green/magenta and yelllow/blue.

To keep mids the same you really need to change both contrast colors at the same time, thus the advantage (to me) of the various mixed filtration aproaches (ie pre-packaged filters or mixed filtration look up charts).

[John Powers]

There is an instruction in the Saunders 4550XLG/VCCE enlarger manual that I found very interesting. They suggest that you make two test prints, one at full hard and one full soft, 5 and 00 or 5 and 0 depending on the brand of filter you are emulating, Ilford or Kodak. By doing this you see the full possibility in either direction. From there you can pick a number that fits your taste, you can combine different times at the extremes, or you can print a base exposure and modify through dodge and burn with other numbers.

I now use an 12x12 cold light head on a Durst 138 with two filter holders under the lens. I use this either to enlarge 8x10 negatives or as a light source for 7x17 contact printing. In most cases I use this method, print a base exposure and modify through dodge and burn with other numbers.

John

[Chuck P.]

What draws you to split printing?

I have used spit printing but went back to establishing the "global" contrast first with one filtration setting, then with any dodge and burn that can be accomplished, and further, if needed, by painting with any of the other filtration settings (I use a LPL 4550XLG). I don't know why, but I seem to enjoy the results better. Prehaps it's becuase I don't develop my negatives with a bit more contrast as Les McLean has indicated, IDK. All my negatives are developed to the same contrast range of 1.2 regardless of the development time and I feel I do have better control over the end results of the mid-tones.

[Ed Pierce]

Richard,

An simpler way to print with the Zone VI VC head:

Turn the controls for the blue and green lamps and brightness to maximum.

Make a test strip.

Too much contrast?--- Turn down the intensity of the blue lamp.

Too little contrast?---Turn down the intensity of the green lamp.

Too much dry down?---Turn down the brightness control.

This method works for me, except for the use of the brightness control. I have a zone vi compensating enlarging timer. In my case, turning down the brightness at the enlarger control panel has no effect on the exposure other than making it take longer, since the timer compensates for the dimmer light. This is good for slowing down for burning/dodging.

Running the green (soft) lamp on max before it's fully warmed up may cause the green indicator lamp to go out, meaning you're not getting a consistent exposure. By turning the brightness down to 7 or so you can avoid this problem. Once it's warm you can crank it up safely.

[matthew blais]

I have found that using multiple grade settings on VC paper is for me, the only way to print. I do not use the yellow and magenta only method.

I use a base exposure grade, then change to more contrast, maybe more again and always follow up with 100% magenta only for about 1/4 the initial base exposure to set the blacks. Since it's VC paper, to me that means it needs VC exposure.

Works for me

[Stephen Willard]

Has anyone ever considered what motivates split contrast printing in the first place? I can think of two reasons. The first is for artistic reasons. The second is because of the of the developer film combination which leads to uneven contrast development.

The latter will occur when the characteristic curve has pronounced heals and shoulders. As the slope of the characteristic curve changes so does the contrast. Thus, the contrast of curves with straight lines remains constant and unchanging while curves that are not straight lined and have pronounced heals and shoulders will exhibit different contrasts in the shadows, mid tones, and highlights and therefore require different printing requirements in each of those regions.

You can reduce the need to resort to complex split contrast printing by selecting a developer film combination that produces a straight line characteristic curve. Many years ago before I switched to color negative film, I found that using Tmax and the Tmax RS developer produced an almost perfect straight line curve. However, the problem with the Tmax RS developer at that time was it is was very sensitive to how you agitated the film during development. Getting repeatable results was only possible with a JOBO processor. I believe that John Sexton uses this developer combination with a JOBO cpp2.

Keep in mind that I have not worked with b&w for years, but I still have to deal with the same issue with color negative film. I have found a developer film combination that yields an almost perfect straight curve that produce stunning tones throughout the range of print values.

What are your thoughts on this?

[percepts]

with colour you want good colour which may or may not be dependant on straightline curve.
With black and white a toe and shoulder make subtle transitions from dark to light and soft highlights fading out to white gently.

All depends on what you think makes a fine print. A straight curve or the aesthetic of the actual print. Suggesting the best aesthetic is reliant on straight curve may be the case for you but I can guarantee you that it won't be for everyone.

[bob carnie]

I agree with Matthew on this one.
I use a low/mid filter for the base which I test full out to be slightly light and soft.
Once I have this set, I will add a % of grade 5 to taste. Depending on the look that I want to present will determine the % , for the fun of it I will always make 3 prints with various % to see which one I like best
One thing that I also have started doing is to use dodging and burning tools and let the 5grade come into the highlights more.
This is a trick I learned from Les McLean, it really helps with highlight detail by defining a good black within the highlight region.
Bob

I have found that using multiple grade settings on VC paper is for me, the only way to print. I do not use the yellow and magenta only method.

I use a base exposure grade, then change to more contrast, maybe more again and always follow up with 100% magenta only for about 1/4 the initial base exposure to set the blacks. Since it's VC paper, to me that means it needs VC exposure.

Works for me

[nolindan]

There is an application note on the Darkroom Automation web site on the characteristics of VC paper. The graph on page 6 of the app note shows the local gamma for VC paper at various contrast grades/filtrations. Highlight contrast does not change until you use a grade 5 filter - it is easy to see why burning in the highlights with a grade 5 filter is so often necessary with VC paper.

http://www.darkroomautomation.com/support/appnotevcworkings.pdf

==
Nicholas Lindan
Darkroom Automation (http://www.darkroomautomation.com/da-main.htm)

[Richard Rees]

Thanks for all the help, I was trying split printing and thought that I was missing something, and now I think it was the mid tones, will go back to my old ways. Thanks Again, Richard

[Brian Ellis]

Different people use the term "split printing" in different ways. Some use it to mean making two exposures, one with a high contrast filter and another with a low contrast. That appears to be what you're talking about and that's how I use the term. Phil Davis wrote an article for Photo Techniques magazine years ago that made a convincing case for his belief that exposing that way doesn't accomplish anything that can't be accomplished with a single exposure.

The other way the term is used is making a single exposure at one contrast and then adjusting local contrast by burning in an area or areas with a filter different from the one used to make the basic global exposure. That's an extremely useful method of adjusting local contrast and IMHO is the best reason for using VC paper rather than graded (if graded is even made any more). I don't think I ever made a darkroom print that didn't involve the use of at least two filters, one for the basic exposure and another to make some adjustment to local contrast somewhere in the print.

[Ed Pierce]

Different people use the term "split printing" in different ways. Some use it to mean making two exposures, one with a high contrast filter and another with a low contrast. That appears to be what you're talking about and that's how I use the term. Phil Davis wrote an article for Photo Techniques magazine years ago that made a convincing case for his belief that exposing that way doesn't accomplish anything that can't be accomplished with a single exposure.

The other way the term is used is making a single exposure at one contrast and then adjusting local contrast by burning in an area or areas with a filter different from the one used to make the basic global exposure. That's an extremely useful method of adjusting local contrast and IMHO is the best reason for using VC paper rather than graded (if graded is even made any more). I don't think I ever made a darkroom print that didn't involve the use of at least two filters, one for the basic exposure and another to make some adjustment to local contrast somewhere in the print.

Same here Brian. I find it easier to establish a main exposure/grade, then burn from there with a different setting.

Yes you can still get graded paper lol, and I still actually use it with certain negatives. My experience is that graded papers have a longer toe, giving more useable detail in the low values. The prices of graded vs vc have flip-flopped in recent years, now the graded is more expensive. These days I try and keep some #3 on hand for those images which have a lot of important shadow detail.