Re: Contrasty Cyanotypes

Ronald Connelly (ronconn@u.washington.edu)
Mon, 24 Feb 1997 16:19:43 -0800 (PST)

Terry, Per, and James, I really appreciate your responses.

I just found out this afternoon, that I do indeed have access to a
densitometer. I'll take some reading of my negatives. They *look* ok, but
then as an alt-photo beginner, I'm not a good judge.

However, even if my negative isn't quite right, shouldn't I be getting
more steps to expose through the step tablet?

> Ron
>
> > I get about 7 steps of a Stouffer 21 step to print.
>
> Yes but from what kind of negative ? I find that if I use a good
> continuous tone negative with a D Max of 1.4 and expose it so that the low
> mid tones and the shadows reverse and the highlights and the high mid tones
> turn dark blue and only the whites are left greeny yellow, you will get a
> cyanotype with good tonal range and beautiful gradation. They will look so
> good that everybody else will think that you have been cheating.