[alt-photo] Re: Ziatype questions (update)

[Vedos]

Marek,
Thanks for the tip, I must give it a try!

I do the "steam development" because I can make the last slight changes in contrast and darkness. But I must take care not to over expose... if I do I can't back off. I sometimes tend to dry the paper a bit too much (just to be sure not to ruin my negative), I notice this after the exposure: the print will be a little bit too light (uneven too) after the exposure. My exposures are constant pretty much, so I know if the print comes out too light, I can steam develop it to completeness.

I steam the print over a small humidifier from the back, it slowly and evenly darkens. Usually I need two or three steps darkening on the Stouffer 21 tablet (I expose a Stouffer with my tests AND prints). I can do more steps than that, but the image will lose contrast and Dmax, also tone will shift warmer.

About the citric acid, it is not a developer actually, but the first clearing bath (after running water and followed by sodium sulfite or EDTA)...


-- If you only look at what is, you might never attain what could be --

V E D O S
Alternative Photographic Processes
Satakunta University of Applied Sciences
vedos at samk.fi
http://vedos.samk.fi
http://www.samk.fi
________________________________________
From: alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org [alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org] On Behalf Of Marek Matusz [marekmatusz at hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 8:11 PM
To: alt photo
Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Ziatype questions (update)

Jalo,
I never liked steaming the paper (means lterally hot steam). Placing the exposed print at the bottom of deep tray (clean and dry)and covering the tray with wet towell provided good humidification. Just make sure that the towel is not dripping wet as a drop of water would ruin the print.
Time and temperature of himidification are likely to be related, at my conditions I would leave the exposed print for about 30 minutes. You can take a peak and see how highlights appear as the humidification progresses.
I also noticed that you are using dilute citric acid developer, while I aways used plain water. I am not sure if it makes any difference and what the "common" practive would be.
I am impressed with the number of test strips that you printed.
Marek

> From: vedos at samk.fi
> To: alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org
> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:21:43 +0300
> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Ziatype questions (update)
>
> Thanks Dick, a good thing to bear in mind!
> I'm gradually gaining some success and confidence in the process... :)
>
> -Jalo
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org [alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org] On Behalf Of Richard Sullivan [richsul at earthlink.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 2:41 AM
> To: 'The alternative photographic processes mailing list'
> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Ziatype questions (update)
>
> Jalo,
>
> You mention curves. Be aware that it is a printing out process and does not
> behave at all like developing out processes when it comes to sensitometry
> and step wedges. The image builds from the blacks up so an underexposed
> print make only have the lower zone blacks and no mid tones or highs which
> may be shown, though very pale in a DOP process. It will look like a very
> overly contrasty print. Early POP papers came in only one contrast grade and
> to some extent contrast could be controlled by exposure.
>
> --Dick
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org
> [mailto:alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org] On Behalf Of
> Vedos
> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 4:44 PM
> To: The alternative photographic processes mailing list
> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Ziatype questions (update)
>
> Hi all,
>
> Many thanks to Loris, Marek and all who advised me on the ziatype... here's
> a little update.
>
> I had certain issues with papers and chemistry - they largely turned out to
> be due to my inexperience in ziatype. I've been printing dozens of small
> step tablet tests now, and gradually learned how humidity in the paper
> should look and feel (don't need the acetate mylars any more). I also
> learned "steam development" for papers that were exposed too dry. I mix
> "creatively" the zia's different ingredients and am building curves for the
> different emulsion mixes. But I still have a feeling about something being
> wrong with my chemistry; I have some strange looking correction curves for
> negatives...
>
> Anyway, on my blog you can see what I been doing lately. It may be boring
> stuff though... all that playing with gray charts and such... ;)
>
> - Jalo
>
>
> -- If you only look at what is, you might never attain what could be --
>
> V E D O S
> Alternative Photographic Processes
> Satakunta University of Applied Sciences
> vedos at samk.fi
> http://vedos.samk.fi
> http://www.samk.fi
> _______________________________________________
> Alt-photo-process-list | http://altphotolist.org/listinfo
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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