Re: STARTING POINT
Hi Bob, I confirm the others' suggestions for an approximate ISO speed for B&W papers. Working a lot with pinhole cameras (including very large formats) and often teaching pinhole workshops, i generally use an approximate 6 ISO basis for VC papers but as Barry suggested, this Iso speed has to be used with a lot of flexibility depending on the nature of light (tungsten, sun, cloudy sky, etc.). I sometimes use some pieces of MG filters but more often , I like to use "over -diluted" paper developer to tame the risks of excessive contrast. The advantage is that it gives some margin , playing with development time, to control contrast of the final negative paper, depending on various shooting conditions (especially very useful when teaching workshops where students take pictures in very distinct lighting conditions). By the way, negatives on paper have a real beauty of their own and I often prefer the negative version to the positive one (especially on very large formats) ! Cheers from france, Jean ----- Original Message ----- From: "BOB KISS" <bobkiss@caribsurf.com> To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca> Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 12:04 AM Subject: RE: STARTING POINT DEAR BARRY, Thanks for the additional tips! And thanks for letting me know that someone enjoyed my reminiscences. CHEERS! BOB -----Original Message----- From: Barry Singer [mailto:bsinger@sasktel.net] Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 4:45 PM To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: Re: STARTING POINT I have used various photo papers in film holders, in pin hole cameras and in my 4x5. I use an ISO of about 5 -10. One thing to remember is that the range of paper is not the same as film, in that certain colors register differently.(otherwise you couldn't use a safelight). This is of course especially fun with a multigrade paper. Because different colors seem to register different ways I use different ISO's for indoor tungsten light (5) and outdoor solar light (10). Also , I have noticed that the negative is a lot more contrasty when I use it indoors than outdoors. I don't know why. By the way, I have always enjoyed your comments from your days as a photographer in New York. Barry
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