From: Joe Portale (jportale@gci-net.com)
Date: 02/21/01-08:06:43 AM Z
Hello Lukas,
Sorry for the late chime in. Everyone's comments are on the mark. But let
me see if I can add to them.
> What are the tonal values of the process? I know long-scale negativs are
needed, but what about the mid-tones? How does >the process fare in relation
to, say, platinum?
The scale of a salted paper print is very long. You must use a negative
that has a contrast index of 2.7 - 3.0. This is about twice as hard as you
would use with platinum or palladium. You can add a couple of drops of a 1%
potassium dichromate solution to help with a softer negative. But you loose
about on stop of speen for ever "grade" contrast increase you get. The other
problem with dichromate is that after about 11/2 grade increase, the
shadows and highlights really start to compress.
> What I really mean is probably: is the process really worth the effort, or
is the main attraction its antiquity? I would be >grateful for any input.
Yes, salted prints can be simply a historical curiosity. A well exicuted
salted print can be as beautiful, and in some regards even more so, than a
pt/pd print. The colors that can be obtained with salt run from a deep
brown to a light purple. The color of the final print is effected by the
length of time in the fixer and which toner you choose to use.
> Second, is sodium chloride okay for salting (as said in "spirits of
salts")?
Yes, plain sodium chloride is appropriate. Most of the more "modern"
formulas use sodium citrate and aluminum chlroide. If you decide to use the
citrate/chloride route, keep them in the same proportions.
Good luck,
Joe Portale
Tucson, AZ
> Lukas
>
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