Split Printing on VC paper

[Richard Rees]

Thanks for all the help, I was trying split printing and thought that I was missing something, and now I think it was the mid tones, will go back to my old ways. Thanks Again, Richard

[Brian Ellis]

Different people use the term "split printing" in different ways. Some use it to mean making two exposures, one with a high contrast filter and another with a low contrast. That appears to be what you're talking about and that's how I use the term. Phil Davis wrote an article for Photo Techniques magazine years ago that made a convincing case for his belief that exposing that way doesn't accomplish anything that can't be accomplished with a single exposure.

The other way the term is used is making a single exposure at one contrast and then adjusting local contrast by burning in an area or areas with a filter different from the one used to make the basic global exposure. That's an extremely useful method of adjusting local contrast and IMHO is the best reason for using VC paper rather than graded (if graded is even made any more). I don't think I ever made a darkroom print that didn't involve the use of at least two filters, one for the basic exposure and another to make some adjustment to local contrast somewhere in the print.

[Ed Pierce]

Different people use the term "split printing" in different ways. Some use it to mean making two exposures, one with a high contrast filter and another with a low contrast. That appears to be what you're talking about and that's how I use the term. Phil Davis wrote an article for Photo Techniques magazine years ago that made a convincing case for his belief that exposing that way doesn't accomplish anything that can't be accomplished with a single exposure.

The other way the term is used is making a single exposure at one contrast and then adjusting local contrast by burning in an area or areas with a filter different from the one used to make the basic global exposure. That's an extremely useful method of adjusting local contrast and IMHO is the best reason for using VC paper rather than graded (if graded is even made any more). I don't think I ever made a darkroom print that didn't involve the use of at least two filters, one for the basic exposure and another to make some adjustment to local contrast somewhere in the print.

Same here Brian. I find it easier to establish a main exposure/grade, then burn from there with a different setting.

Yes you can still get graded paper lol, and I still actually use it with certain negatives. My experience is that graded papers have a longer toe, giving more useable detail in the low values. The prices of graded vs vc have flip-flopped in recent years, now the graded is more expensive. These days I try and keep some #3 on hand for those images which have a lot of important shadow detail.