Jeffrey D. Mathias (jeffrey.d.mathias@worldnet.att.net)
Fri, 02 Apr 1999 14:55:04 -0500
DanPhoto@aol.com wrote:
> ... I'm always cautious about the
> "Magic Bullet" approach to photography. Whereas the semi-point source may
> have very real advantages for a select group of specialized printers,
> it's all too common for less experienced users to read something like
> this and declare "So that's the solution! If I get a point light source
> I'll finally be able to make wonderful, exciting prints." They spend
> their money, install the equipment, and usually have the same
> frustrations as before....
So true, so true. And this is why we must all be carefull to qualify
and carefully explain our solutions and answers to problems and
questions.
Anyway, Dan you also wrote:
> ...
> Fluorescent bank sources are less expensive and quiet, but give you the
> pizza-oven experience in contact printing. It's just much less exacting
> to perform burns and dodges when you are reduced to placing little bits
> of paper on the frame glass and relying on the soft-edged shadow (from
> the omnidirectional light) to feather your effects. I know many excellent
> printers do a terrific job with light banks. I'm just trying to point out
> the honest virtues of each system for those trying to decide which way to
> go....
When I set up my fluorescent bank light source, I designed it to have a
distance of at least 12 inches between the lights and the printing
frame. This allows ample room for dodging and burning in the
conventional manner. Although it may get lengthy at times (12 minute;
20 minute burns aren't much fun, but an extra couple minutes is no
problem). (And similar to your anticipation of responses, I wear UV
blocking glacier glasses, long sleeves, and gloves, and have most of the
access opening at the front of my printer covered with a light blocking
cloth. The only problem I have is that the printer is in the darkroom
meaning that no other material can be out or processing.) It is
interesting to note that the stick of dodging tools wont leave a mark
with a minimum of effort thanks to the diffused light. Oh, and my
exposure times are generally 4 to 5 minutes (Pt/Pd)(info on bulbs and
their configuation is on my web site). This is about 25% longer than
using the Phoenix, Arizona sun.
Usually I only perform slight dodging or burning during the print
exposure. If I have a negative which requires a lot of manipulation, I
will build a new negative (positive, negative, and masks) doing the
corrections to the film. I find it more precise and controllable to
spend the extra time and effort to do this.
-- Jeffrey D. Mathias http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Oct 28 1999 - 21:39:29