Developed paper yellow

[Henk]

Hello All,

I am new to LFF, so Hi !

Yesterday I developed some prints that have a strong yellow cast.
I suspect my developer, which is PQ universal 4 years old which was very brown

Does an expired developer does indeed give "yellow" prints ? Or do I have another problem ?

I tested on (new) Ilfobrom grade 3 and on (1 year old) Ilford MG IV Fiber.

Thanks !

[Jim Noel]

Try some fresh developer. Also, use fresh fixer fo adequate time.

[koraks]

An old developer may indeed give excessively warm tones, associated with very long development times and low contrast. A PQ developer concentrate should be colorless to light yellow. Brown is not good; it means particularly the hydroquinone has partly oxidized.

Fresh fixer as Jim says is a good idea; problems with fixer mostly manifest themselves in the final wash or after drying; initially the print looks fine but a yellow or pink cast appears as the print is exposed to normal light. Developer-related "toning" is immediately visible as you flip on the lights after fix or stop.

[Henk]

Ok, thanks. I hope this is indeed the issue.
I need to print more...
The past few years I did a lot of hybrid workflow (scan 4x5 and print on inkjet) which yields also very good results and "easier" editing of the prints.
But I like darkroom work and I am going to learn to print on graded paper.
The new PQ universal is ordered and on its way...

[Doremus Scudder]

Henk,

If the image itself (not the paper base) is yellow, then it's your developer. If the paper base has yellowed it's likely due to insufficient fixing (i.e., you fixer is dead).

You'll find it more economical in the long run to work with fresh chemicals... really saves on wasted paper.

Best,

Doremus

[Henk]

Thanks Doremus,
Yesterday I did a quick test with fresh HC110 dil A and fresh fixer.
Everything is ok. Print came out very nice. Tomorrow I will have my new PQ, so I
can start. Even with the HC 110, print was very smooth, I am already liking the Ilfobrom.
It will be a lot more work and thinking ahead to control the contrast, but I like that.

[Doremus Scudder]

Thanks Doremus,
Yesterday I did a quick test with fresh HC110 dil A and fresh fixer...

You'll get a better print using a print developer... but I guess HC110 will work in a pinch, just not very economical.

Glad you fixed your problem.

Best,

Doremus

[Henk]

PQ has arrived.

For "contrast control" with graded paper I intend to use following tools :
- use of red filter when exposing negative, when appropriate
- use of reciprocity of film
- Selenium toning negative
- Negative development (N, N-1, N+1,.... compensating development)
- Dilution of paper developer (PQ at 1+4 for higher contrast)
- Flash highlight areas of paper (tame extreme highlights)
- burning, dodging

Does that seem about right ?
Thanks

[koraks]

Not all of it. But first, why would you prefer graded paper? Variable contrast papers are much easier to get and they are very good indeed. Why make things unnecessarily complicated?

[Henk]

The only reason nowadays is that I like working in the darkroom and I also use MG paper.
I do also hybrid workflow and my personal vision is that with modern inkjet baryta papers, printers, inks and scanners I get results that rival and surpass silverhalide prints.
In my case, I use kodak 4x5 320TXP film, developed in HC110, Ilford gallery baryta gloss and silk paper, epson surecolor p600 printer with epson ultrachrome inks and an epson V850 flatbed scanner and full "color" management
I can now make prints from negatives that are better than my silvehalide prints of them because I have way much more control editing and that I am not all a master printer darkroomwise.
I am also going to send some files for lightjet printing on silverhalide baryta paper and see what that gives.
But as I said, I just like darkroom work a lot !

@koraks : could you specify which of the above techniques are not correct for contrast control, thanks.