in-camera negatives for Salt Printing?

[Vaughn]

Terry King was mentioned above. He recommended FP4 developed in Ilford's PQ Universal developer for platinum prints (I vaguely remember something about the midtones expanding nicely along with the higher values) and I have used it for negatives to be used for platinum and for carbon processes. Alas, I believe the formula has changed in the last few years. I have also used Dektol successfully to significantly increase the contrast of negatives taken of low-contrast scenes.

I have used HP5, but find that it does not respond to increased development as much as FP4. Best of luck in finding a good combination!

[paulbarden]

Terry King was mentioned above. He recommended FP4 developed in Ilford's PQ Universal developer for platinum prints (I vaguely remember something about the midtones expanding nicely along with the higher values) and I have used it for negatives to be used for platinum and for carbon processes. Alas, I believe the formula has changed in the last few years. I have also used Dektol successfully to significantly increase the contrast of negatives taken of low-contrast scenes.

I have used HP5, but find that it does not respond to increased development as much as FP4. Best of luck in finding a good combination!

Thank you Vaughn. I had considered doing some tests with Dektol to make an appropriate negative, so I will add that to the list of things to try. And I will look up Terry King's writings on the subject, thanks.

I won't be using HP5 for any of the salt print tests. My experience with HP5 has left me cold - it lacks "sparkle" in the upper values; its a useful quality for portraiture (smoothing out pale skin tones) but for what I do, its nowhere near as good as FP4 (Or Delta 100, for that matter). HP5 is a fine emulsion, but it doesn't get me where I want to go, so its going to be FP4 and/or Delta 100.

[Jim Noel]

Thanks for that Jim. I'm currently using the recipes/process as outlined in Quinn Jacobson's 2019 edition of Chemical Pictures, and it seems to work quite well. Where can I see Fox-Talbot's original writings on the subject?

This morning I printed a home made dry plate negative from last July, made with the Foma Liquid Emulsion. It seems to be an excellent match for salt printing, in regard to contrast. This is a 5x7 glass neg, contact printed on 8x10 Bergger Cot 160:
Attachment 221864

Here it is cropped closer:
Attachment 221865

To find Fox-Talbot's original notes you will have to do as I did, spend time searching through texts in England written by him. Ii did this so many years ago I have forgotten the sources. I took copious notes at the time and these are what i went by. Now this is committed to memory, not computer notes.

[paulbarden]

Today I made some test prints using a 5x7 wet plate collodion negative I made specifically for this process, to see how much density/contrast is needed.



Printed on Bergger COT 320 paper, and gold toned.

[paulbarden]

Please see the attached link below. The recommended film and developer combination is Ilford FP4+ and PMK Pyro.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/15614798.pdf

Gary Samson

Gary, I have to say - this paper has provided heaps of excellent information, and I am grateful to you for posting the link. Thank you!

I see that Ellie subsequently published a book on Salt Printing - anyone have the book and know whether it contains more information than the paper linked to here? I'd gladly buy a copy, but would be disappointed to discover its the same content as in the PDF.