Re: Negative help, please

Hamish Stewart (hamish@s054.aone.net.au)
Sun, 16 Nov 1997 22:35:20 +0100

>Subject: Negative help, please
>Sent: 11/11/97 0:15
>Received: 11/11/97 20:07
>From: rdalrymple, dalrymple@truelink.net
>To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
>
>I want my large format negatives to have more contrast, yet maintain as
>much tonal range as possible. Not achieving the contrast I want I am
>going to try using a two developers on each negative--the two developers
>
My suggestion may not be appropriate as I don't work with large format
negs, but I do regularly make enlarged negs of my 120 images. If you are
having problems getting the right balance for negs for both alternative
processes, plus gelatin silver, making an enlarged copy of your existing
negs (developed for gelatin silver) may be the best approach. It offers
several advantages
You have a copy of the orginal neg, and if you are going to use it for
alternative processes you won't worry so much about the damage that it
may incur through the physical handling, and contact with emulsions.
Also the enlarging process can assist you to make many adjustments to the
contrast balance of the final neg.
This procedure involves firstly making a positive of the neg (the
positive should be a little darker and flatter than what you think would
be right), and then copying this onto another piece of film for the
negative. Best to enlarge onto 4x5 and then enlarge the 4x5 positive onto
the final negative size.
There are several films that can be used - Kodak have two commercial
films 4127 and 4126 which work well. You can use either Dektol or D-19.
Varying the dilutions allows you to adjust contrast easily.
By approaching your negative making in this way you can end up with the
best of both worlds - the ideal neg for both silver printing, and
alternative processes.
Hope this of use to you
Cheers
Hamish

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"We have no theology, we have no dogma, we just dance"

Hamish Stewart

Astrologer Taroist
Photographer Part time ritualist
And bush lover
Check out my home page at -
http://www.vrx.net.au/ad163/artists/hamishstewart.html

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