How did you take your printing "to the next level"?

[chassis]

I'm wondering what epiphany, technique or thought process has taken your enlarging/printing to a new level. For a long time I enjoyed creating a large number of images (35mm and 120), and got alot of satisfaction from processing film. My printing, however, was pretty utilitarian. It consisted of basic contact prints, and 1 out of 100 enlargements exceeded the "OK" level.

Now I am working with 4x5, which has helped my image taking (composition) process, and I'm trying to get more "wazoo" into my images before tripping the shutter. Processing film is very enjoyable for me with 4x5, as it has been in the past with smaller formats.

On to the improvements. Firstly, my printing has improved to my eyes because I now print with a VC filter-always. Experience, combined with postings on this site, has influenced me in this direction. Secondly, I am more patient when making work prints, or prints for gifts. This means putting more time into each print to get the right exposure and contrast. The result of these two adjustments has been better tonality and emotional impact in the final print.

What aspects of your printing journey have made noticeable improvements?

[ROL]

Exposure/Printing? –> The Zone System.

Image/Composing? –> Art/Drawing Classes.

(But I'm not saying I've ever attained any specific level )

[Brian Ellis]

George deWolfe's five-day workshop at the Palm Beach Photographic Workshops on printing black and white digitally was a huge help for me. Only one other person signed up for the course so with just two students it was like have a private class for five days. I took four weeks worth of John Sexton's darkroom workshops and they were also a leap forward for darkroom printing and much of what I learned in them remains useful in printing digitally.

[Vaughn]

Looking at prints of master printers. Knowing what is possible helps a lot.

Looking at my own prints. Really looking.

Working slow. Back in my 16x20 silver print days (from 4x5), I would take 10 hours or so (single printing session) to make a print using perhaps 7 to 10 pieces of paper. A lot of time spent judging each print before moving on to the next piece of paper.

But I learned carbon printing without ever seeing a carbon print, which strangely enough helped me to find my own printing style. I was free to take it any direction without being influenced by what others have done with the process.

[jp]

Experience in the darkroom will help you understand what a tiny adjustment in contrast or exposure is going to look like. Over time you'll become more comfortable and then creative with the materials.

Upgrading to LF isnt' necessary of course, but it does make you want to get the best out of the better negative, and that's sometimes part of the reason for using LF over rollfilm. Upgrading to include LF has improved actual darkroom quality in one visible way for sure though; cleanliness. I never had to worry about dust handing film as rollfilm stays clean in the rolls and loaders, etc... Keeping the darkroom clean, lenses clean, work spaces clean is what separates good private darkrooms from grimy shared high school darkrooms.

I've found sticking with certain materials helps me get great results too. If you're buying something to try or because something was on sale, expect a variation in results if it's a different product than what you are accustomed to. Do change if you're not using compatible products, but don't just because the grass is greener on the other side. There may be different materials though that provide a certain look, and you should be willing to try them. I've tried a bunch of papers and settled on a couple.

Some inspiration is helpful too. Images on this site are creative inspiration, but don't show actual print quality. Go to some museums, galleries, shows, etc... See some of the historical favorites from the f64 and pictorialist famous dead guys. See some Karsh portraits, Find a gallery that's not entirely inkjet & c-prints.

[RichardRitter]

Contact prints. Which needs a bigger camera depending on the finished size print you want.

[Kevin M Bourque]

I attended a Howard Bond workshop. There's nothing like watching someone who knows what they're doing, and being able to ask questions.

[kev curry]

Reading ''Photographic Printing'' by Gene Nocon. Learning f/stop printing and buying a ''Stop clock Pro'' enlarging timer.

[jnantz]

printing things that aren't made by a camera ..
anything from flexible collodion with ink to plastic to melting wax on a slide, to ...

[Sirius Glass]

I had no problem with composing great photographs because my parents took me to all the art museums in Washington DC, Baltimore and New York many times when I was growing up. [Met the woman who was the little girl in http://www.nga.gov/collection/galler...g83-46681.html when she was in her sixties or seventies, but that is a story for later].

However to go to the next step, putting "pop" and sizzle into the print and handling challenging spotting and dodging I took a one on one all day class with Per Volquartz. It was worth much more than the money. I still go back to my notes to that class when I am in the darkroom. While Per has passed, one can still find highly skilled masters who are willing to teach one on one. When you take a class like that, forget about the cost, one day screwing up 11"x16" or 16"x20" paper is less than the cost of the class.

My only regret is that I was still working on incorporating what I had learned from Per so that I did not take another class with him. Those who knew him know what I am talking about.

Steve