Split contrast printing

[Allen]

Does anyone split contrast print?
Multigrade papers have two emulsions. One is high contrast the other low contrast, and one of which is sensitive to yellow light and the other magenta.

I think I'm finding that I get my best range of tones by printing to each emulsion. I'll make a test strip with the filter set at grade 0 and find my best time for the highlight details. I'll then roll the filter to grade 5 and find the first moment of d-max. I'll then make the print with X amount of time with a 0 filter and Y amount of time with a 5. I've been finding that more often than not the times will be the same (ex. 5 seconds at grade 0 and 5 at grade 5).

Anyone else approach multigrade papers this way?

 

[ann]

Split printing has been around for awhile, and for some it is the "holy grail".

I still print on graded papers for my personal work, but on occassion I suggest this to my students who have a high contrast negative, but the times have never been the same. Has worked out to be about 1/3 for one and 2/3 for the other, which is which depends on the contrast .

 

[Allen]

Have you ever noticed if it matters which grade is printed first?

 

[ann]

No, we have done it both ways. It seems if i am remembering correctly the grade 5 always took longer, which makes some sense as the negative is so much more dense; however, if you start with the zero grade you have already laid down some exposure on the entire paper which will influence the over all amount at grade 5.

Have you tried pre-flashing for these type of negatives, or are you using split printing for everything?

 

[Paul Ron]

I do this all teh time to get the highlight details back in my prints using the #1 filter and for contrast I use the #4 for that extra kick in the blacks n whites.

The VC papers are sensative to a range of colors and each color behaving differently which makes it possable to select what you need to boost or hold back. It's especially useful on cold light heads, which is what I use on my 23C.

 

[djacobox372]

I do it all the time.

 

[Allen]

No, we have done it both ways. It seems if i am remembering correctly the grade 5 always took longer, which makes some sense as the negative is so much more dense; however, if you start with the zero grade you have already laid down some exposure on the entire paper which will influence the over all amount at grade 5.

Have you tried pre-flashing for these type of negatives, or are you using split printing for everything?

I've used pre-flashing but not in some time.

 

[orlovphoto]

I do both split printing and pre-flashing, but only on rare occasions when I want to print a particularly hard negative, otherwise with a normal neg I find that with a good paper and developer combination I can usually get a print where the advantages possibly gained by split printing it would be not worth the extra time. Pre-flashing for me is only for those negatives that are bullet-proof to begin with.

 

[white]

I do it for prints I care about. Like you I start with a 0 filter and make a "soft" test strip, and then do the same thing with a 5 -- make a "hard" test strip, then I'll take another strip and print the image on the entire strip with the soft time, and then do a 2-3 second test strip over that by re-exposing the paper with the 5 filter to find the tones that I want.

Additionally, I've found by burning with the 5 filter in, you're just burning the shadows, and with the 0, you're really only hitting the highlights / midtones (I think).