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my first salt prints
I'm hoping to get some suggestion of why my first salt print today was a
failure. I'll outline the method I used which was taken from
"Alternative Photographic Processes" by Randall Webb and Martin Reed
(I've noticed Mr. Webb's postings on this list occasionally). 5x6 inch
BKF Rives was salted with 2% ammonium chloride, the paper was dunked for
about five minutes. After drying, I applied 5 ml of the silver nitrate
solution. (50 ml of dist. h2o + 12 g of silver nitrate) + (50 ml of
dist. water + 6 g of citric acid). The citric acid is just a
preservative supposedly. I spread a ribbon of the solution and used a
rod to draw it across the paper. I drew it back twice more. I brought
the contact frame into the full sun of the afternoon and in a moment the
silver nitrate turned dark (along with my hands!) within 5 minutes i
was checking it and finding a very dark muddy print that looks negative
not positive. I left it out for 15 more minutes and the let it rest
inside while I ran some errands. I fixed the print in hypo for 5
minutes and the purple color turned a deep red. That's where I am now.
I would love some of your opinions. Some errata: my silver nitrate
solution has pebbles floating in the bottom after only a week. Also my
negative had a dmax of 1.6 and dmin of .17.
Nicolas Block
Putney, Vermont