I have decided that.........

[480sparky]

......... I'm totally in love with shooting 4x5..................... loaded with black & white film...................... souping the film..................... and then............... *gasp!*.......................making wet prints.

Just stepped out of the darkroom with my latest project: Printing a neg I shot a couple weeks ago of an exceedingly high-contrast scene: Looking straight up into the state capital dome.

Although I was more than satisfied with the way the digital scan came out, I was just flat-out schnizzled when I hung up the old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness, this IS your father's photograph, print.

Due to the high contrast, I went with a split filter process, exposing the shadows for 2 seconds w/#5 filter. I then changed the contrast filter to the #00, and exposed the paper for 40 seconds, dodging the shadows for 15 seconds of it. I then reset the timer to 20 seconds and added 15 of it to the 'sunstreams' that were striking the dome from the windows.

The print is still hanging up to dry. I made a graphic example of the exposure process:

 

[timor]

Bravo !
Now it is time to make FB print.

 

[limr]

Excellent!

 

[oldhippy]

very impressive work

 

[PixelRabbit]

Damn!

 

[timor]

OK. Now when you got your prises let make some analysis. First, what was the purpose of exposing the shadows, I understand, that you doged the highlights from it, with #5 ? Did you checked ? Did you develop a sheet after that exposure to see the effect ? If so, was there anything, any trace of the image on the paper ?

 

[jcdeboever]

Sweet!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[480sparky]

OK. Now when you got your prises let make some analysis.

What are prises?

First, what was the purpose of exposing the shadows, I understand, that you doged the highlights from it, with #5 ?

This is a split-filter print. I used the #5 filter to expose for the shadows, then switched to a #00 to expose for the highlights.

Did you checked ?

?????

Did you develop a sheet after that exposure to see the effect ?

Two test strips are needed at a minimum. I put in the #5 and did a test strip for the shadows. That ended up being 2 seconds.. anything longer would turn it all pure black. I then swap the #5 for the #00, and do test strips for the highlights. In this case, 40 seconds. Anything less blows out too many highlights Then, to make a test print, I do both on one sheet of paper.... 2 seconds with the #5 filter, and 40 seconds after installing the #00 filter. After developing, I make adjustments for dodging & burning.

If so, was there anything, any trace of the image on the paper ?

?????

 

[tirediron]

Outstanding work!

 

[timor]

Prises: excellent, sweet, impressive, even damn and outstanding.
Well, I try to understand your process. So, more than 2 sec. with 5 would turn shadows completely black. And then you added 25 sec. to the shadows with 00 ? I understand, that you dodged shadows for 15 sec. ? Right ?

 

[timor]

Forgive me my confusion but filter 00 to my knowledge let 5x more light then filter 5. So 25 sec with 00 should make the shadows black instantly.

 

[480sparky]

The filters are different colors, and control the two different colors that the VC paper is sensitive to.

 

[annamaria]

Nice work!! I enjoy ur shots

 

[timor]

I know that, but it doesn't mean, that 00 is not sending any light to shadows. System of having different filter for every zone while printing would be awesome. I am just a bit stunned with the amount of time needed for the highlights. I did some splits in extreme situations, mostly as a rescue, and from well made negs it shouldn't be needed, however some say prints look better. Well.
Honestly, how dense is the negative ?

 

[vintagesnaps]

Beautiful photo.