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
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).
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.
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.
Thanks for all the info, this should help. Richard
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.
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/su...sgmeasured.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 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
Cleveland, Ohio USA
What draws you to split printing?
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
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