RE: "New" Paper for Pt/Pd (and other iron processes, too)
I see. Agree with you on the fact that making identical looking prints with POP version (at least Ziatype) can be hard... But, that shouldn't that much hard to you? I mean you have a lightsource with integrator, you can control humidity and temperature in your working area, you're accustomed to be consistent in coating + drying the paper (in fact, you're a master carbon printer!). Do you still find hard to get consistent / close results? About compression in the shadows: I cheat, I artificially increase contrast in the shadows. When you have problems - even if you have a perfect calibration - some extra contrast boost in the shadows (it should look almost weird on your screen) will do good in that aspect... The more texture you have in the shadows, the less you have this "looks dull" problem. Low key images with delicate tonal transitions make another problem - I think Pt/Pd (or any other process which results a matte print) is not the best choice for this type of imagery... Carbon is, in my understanding. Regards, Loris. -----Original Message----- From: Sandy King [mailto:sanking@clemson.edu] Sent: 29 Kasım 2006 Çarşamba 18:16 To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: RE: "New" Paper for Pt/Pd (and other iron processes, too) What I meant by hard to beat is the consistency of DOP, i.e. the capability of making multiple prints, all with the same density and color, without worrying about changes in exposure. FAO with the ammonium salt gives beautiful chocolate colors, if printing at low humidity. But you need some type of contrast control if working with negatives of DR of 1.8 or so intended for DOP palladium. You can actually get it by adding a few drops of dichromate to the sensitizer, as you do with ziatype. There is no down side to this as far as I can see, and the ability to control contrast this way makes the Ware/Malde process quite flexible. FAO with the lithium salt (ziatype) also works well, though I have only made a few prints with it. But for persons who like nice neutral black prints this is the way to go with palladium. But printing with Pt./Pd. drives me crazy at times. The prints always have this glorious look when they are washing, and when you hang them up to dry. Then you come back the next morning when they are dry and they look dull. By contrast, carbon prints improve in look as they dry. I do find that a couple of coats of some kind of clear gloss lacquer or varnish recovers some of the wet look, but not all of it. Sandy
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