[alt-photo] Re: salt printing

[Darryl Baird]

Chris, I spent a good portion of this year working on getting salt
printing "down" and I've discovered there isn't a single formula
published that works completely as "advertised" in any of the sources
you've just cited. Young's work is, by far, the most complete, yet there
are gaps or things a little glossed over. I revised Young's formula
(using Potassium Chloride) with a couple of additives in the sizing, and
a minor modification in the hypo stage. I was happy... notice the past
tense. 

Young published her research as a dissertation first, then
revised it into the pdf "manual." I have both if you'd like a copy of
the former. 

One of the latest finds (for me) is a statement by Reilly
about the color also being determined by the amount of silver used
(retained in the paper) in making any image. It made perfect sense that
the final amount of silver within the image being toned would have an
affect on the final color. This one little "detail" sent me over the top
considering I want EVERY print I produce in a portfolio to match in
color. So, my next challenge is to manage a method to estimate the
amount of total silver present and adjust either my toning time or
volume for each image. PITA I'd already resorted to a single-shot
solution for each step, never reusing chemistry in order to narrow or
eliminate the color variables from each. 

>From Reilly, Chapter 8:
Toning 
"Among the factors which influence the outcome of the toning
operation are the pH of the binder (gelatin, arrowroot, albumen, etc.)
materials used, the pH of the silver solution, **the amount of silver
deposited to form the image,** the thoroughness of the initial wash in
processing, the pH of the toning solution, the presence of other
substances in the toning solution, the strength of the gold solution,
its temperature, its age, and the time of immersion of the print."


Steve Achell has some helpful advice in this document... it was
helpful in some of my formula
changes.
http://steveanchell.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34%3Asalted-paper&catid=15%3Aoutput-darkroom-and-lightroom&Itemid=39


and


http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/pop-printing-out-process/printing-out-processes


I'm also going to start a new printing test using fumed silica.


Darryl 

On 2012-08-23 09:50, Christina Anderson wrote: 

> Dear
All,
> 
> I have been reading through Ellie Young's salt printing manual
and am very impressed with the testing she has completed. The usual
expert document is quoted as Reilly's and to read both of them together
is a good thing, because Young has some visual proof where Reilly's text
may be incorrect. Wish I would have read Young back in 2006.
> 
> In
researching salt for a revision of my salt chapter, I am amazed at how
at every step in the process there is conflicting advice, whether
something is warmer or cooler using this or that substance, how strong a
bath to use for fixing or washing or whatnot...
> 
> In searching the
list archives, there is actually very little on salted paper compared to
other processes, but the main continual issue that cropped up was
staining and fading of prints, and Ellie's manual addresses the whys of
this.
> 
> I noticed last night when googling it that it is available on
Amazon here and also on the alternativephotography.com website here:
>
http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/saltprints/the-salt-print-manual
>
http://www.amazon.com/Salt-Print-Manual-Ellie-Young/dp/144528328X
> 
>
For some reason, and don't know how long I have had it, I have a PDF of
it from the web, so at one point it was free. In any case, I want to
give credit to her for her research and did buy the book (I can't stand
reading PDFs).
> 
> It seems between Reilly, James' chapter on salt in
his book, and Young's book there isn't too much other current literature
on the process, unless it is just lumped under albumen which is quite
popular. OH and Ed Buffaloe's article on unblinkingeye.com which BTW
includes a CASEIN sizing for the salt print I am dying to experiment
with, because it would be matte like casein is, and like Reilly talks
about in his book with matte albumen. And alternativephotography.com
here:
http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/saltprints/a-dash-of-salt
>

> Happy fall to everyone!
> 
> Chris
> 
> Christina Z. Anderson
>
christinaZanderson.com
> 
>
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