Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 15 of 15

Thread: flashing paper

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    California
    Posts
    3,908

    Re: flashing paper

    Quote Originally Posted by Louie Powell View Post
    David Vestal called it 'The Art of Darkroom Photography' for a reason - there are many techniques that can be used to fine tune the final contrast in a print. Flashing is one of them. Flashing can be applied either before or after the base exposure although the results may be slightly different.

    In classic flashing, you first remove the negative from the carrier, and then close the lens aperture to reduce the light that is then flashed onto the print. This is a big hassle. An alternate trick is to use a flashing card. A flashing card is simply a sheet of cardboard with a large, rectangular hole in the middle, and a layer of thin (relatively translucent) drawing paper (which is probably hard to find these days) glued over the hole. With a flashing card, you leave the negative in the carrier and you don't change the aperture - but you do move the card during the flashing exposure just in case the drawing paper has a texture that you don't want transferred to the print. The length of the flashing exposure is the one remaining variable.

    Obviously, dodging and burning are options, as well as bleaching, rubbing highlights with your finger to cause friction that raises the local temperature and increase localized developer action, water bath development, diluted developers, etc. If you go back to some of the older books, you can read about penciling (using a pencil to carefully add a thin layer of charcoal to increase negative density), or dye-dodging where a tinted dye is applied to the back of the negative to increase local density. These techniques are especially useful with sheet film.

    But as David would have noted - these are all experimental techniques. Experienced darkroom workers understand them can use them effectively, but each use involves some degree of trial and error, and it is necessary to keep careful notes if you want to be able to repeat the technique and get similar results in the future.
    If a printer doesn't have Vestal's book :The Art of Darkroom Photography" they are (pardon the pun) working in the dark.

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Czech Republic
    Posts
    836

    Re: flashing paper

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Noel View Post
    If a printer doesn't have Vestal's book :The Art of Darkroom Photography" they are (pardon the pun) working in the dark.
    Jim, being something of a book nerd, always looking at different / better ways how to do things, I have looked around, but have only found his "Craft of Photography" and "Art of Black and White Enlarging". Any idea about those books?
    Website of sorts, as well as flickr thing.

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Czech Republic
    Posts
    836

    Re: flashing paper

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Olson View Post
    Hi Doremus ... yes, great getting multiple grades from Adox Lupex. The gels did not affect contrast with Ilford Galerie or Bromportrait, two other papers I use for contact printing.
    Rick, having just bought some Lupex to try out (since Foma is no longer producing Fomalux), I am wondering about these filters - are these just any green / blue filters or some specific ones?
    Thank you-
    Website of sorts, as well as flickr thing.

  4. #14
    Rick Olson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pacific Northwest-United States
    Posts
    163

    Re: flashing paper

    Hello NormaN and Andreios,

    The resolution and sharpness of Adox Lupex is unlike anything I have used before. Exceptional paper, but the contrast was too high for me also based on my current film development times. Since all of my large format (5 x 7 and ULF) is contact printed, I revised my negative development process and reduced my times to better fit the contrast of Lupex paper (I primarily use Kodak TMY/Tmax400). To fine tune (reduce) the Lupex paper contrast, I will flash first, then if needed, will go to the green 389 gel. My older negatives developed for Kodak AZO and Lodima are too dense for Lupex and might need flashing then exposure through the green 389 gel. For the rare times I need more contrast, then I will print through the blue gel. These contact printing adjustment hacks have helped greatly to allow more flexibility with this paper.

    To increase Lupex contrast - Blue Gel: Rosco Roscolux # 83 Medium Blue Lighting Gel Filter
    To reduce Lupex contrast - Green Gel: Rosco Roscolux # 389 Chroma Key Green Lighting Gel Filter

    I purchased these in the US at Barn Door Film and Video Lighting:
    https://www.filmandvideolighting.com/roro83meblge.html
    https://www.filmandvideolighting.com...gel-sheet.html

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0994.jpg 
Views:	20 
Size:	53.6 KB 
ID:	220906

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Posts
    90

    Re: flashing paper

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Olson View Post
    Hello NormaN and Andreios,

    The resolution and sharpness of Adox Lupex is unlike anything I have used before. Exceptional paper, but the contrast was too high for me also based on my current film development times. Since all of my large format (5 x 7 and ULF) is contact printed, I revised my negative development process and reduced my times to better fit the contrast of Lupex paper (I primarily use Kodak TMY/Tmax400). To fine tune (reduce) the Lupex paper contrast, I will flash first, then if needed, will go to the green 389 gel. My older negatives developed for Kodak AZO and Lodima are too dense for Lupex and might need flashing then exposure through the green 389 gel. For the rare times I need more contrast, then I will print through the blue gel. These contact printing adjustment hacks have helped greatly to allow more flexibility with this paper.

    To increase Lupex contrast - Blue Gel: Rosco Roscolux # 83 Medium Blue Lighting Gel Filter
    To reduce Lupex contrast - Green Gel: Rosco Roscolux # 389 Chroma Key Green Lighting Gel Filter

    I purchased these in the US at Barn Door Film and Video Lighting:
    https://www.filmandvideolighting.com/roro83meblge.html
    https://www.filmandvideolighting.com...gel-sheet.html

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0994.jpg 
Views:	20 
Size:	53.6 KB 
ID:	220906
    Hi Rick
    Ordered the filters last week! I am curious about the result ...
    NormaN

Similar Threads

  1. Pre Flashing Film - Anyone Do It?
    By Colorado CJ in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 5-Dec-2015, 11:57
  2. flashing impossible 8x10 2.0
    By brighamr in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 15-Sep-2015, 21:27
  3. Flashing paper for color printing?
    By Serge J-F. Levy in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 28-May-2006, 06:24
  4. flashing paper for printing b+w
    By Serge J-F. Levy in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 3-Mar-2006, 18:57
  5. Flashing a B&W Print
    By Robert Ruderman in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 27-Dec-2000, 16:45

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •