Altview@aol.com
Wed, 17 Mar 1999 19:12:27 -0500 (EST)
attached mail follows:
Now on to processing. Since film in the formats I work with is limited almost
exclusively to HP-5, this is what all of my negatives are shot on. I work
exclusively with Tri-X in 8 X 10. I rate the film at 160 for platinum and
process in HC-110 with replenisher. I presoak all film for 3 minutes. I place
all film emulsion down. I have always followed Kodak's advice and use 1 ounce
of developer of stock solution for 80 square inches of film. I mix up a
solution either in Dilution B (one to seven) or when it is colder, Dilution E
(one to eleven). This allows a more reasonable time for contractions. I use 16
X 20 trays and process all sizes down to 8 X 10 and use them flat on the
counter top. I preset my old Gra-Lab to the time desired plus 3 minutes for
presoak plus another 30 seconds extra for the developer to replace the water
presoak. I continuously agitate pulling the print from the bottom with one
hand, then with two hands, lay the film gently flat back on top of the stack.
With the film facing down, the notches are of course now in the upper right
hand side corner with the film placed lengthways to me. The last piece of film
is rotated 180 degress so the notch is in the lower left side. This is how I
tell when I have gone through a sequence and is also useful if one or two
sheets need less or more development. The trick to not scratching the film,
especially on big sheets, is to never pull the film diagonally out from the
bottom. This causes the sharp edges of the film on top to gouge diagonal
scatches on the film. I alternate pulling the film from the right, the top,
and then the left, sometimes varying the pattern. I get absolutely perfect
negatives each time with no mottling, streaking, or bromide drags. When the
time is up, I make sure the left notch is on top, and then pull from the
bottom again to place the negatives in my stop bath. I leaf through one
rotation, then into the Kodak Rapid fix for three minutes then into the wash
and Hypo clear. The film is then placed into a drying cabinet of my own design
and construction (which doubles as a paper dryer for platinum coatings) to dry
with some photoflow. While the film is washing, I replenish the developer with
the recommended amount of solution and go into my next batch. When this batch
is finished, the one washing is ready to hang up. I feel that film 8 X 10 or
larger is better suited to tray processing then the more convenient Jobo
system. If you only produce a couple of sheets of film at a time, this will
probably work fine for most people. But sometimes, in the effort to save time
and make things easier, the best procedure is overlooked. I am a product of a
very ingrained German work ethic and saving time or cutting cormers is not
part of how I work. To me it is all part of the craft, from the cameras I
meticuously restore or make, to processing, to hand coating, to making all of
my matts and frames from scratch. When my work hangs in a gallery, it gives me
great pleasure to know that everything before me has been done by my hand.
Patrick Alt
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