From: Christina Z. Anderson (tracez@mcn.net)
Date: 03/13/01-02:45:12 PM Z
> I have noticed that many of my negatives (especially the ones with a lot
of pyro stain) print very flat with no filter and often need a number 4 or
higher filter to print well, even though the negative looks very contrasty.
The grade 5 filter produces an EXTREMELY contrasty print.
> - I have prints that seem to need more contrast than the 4.5 filter, but
the 5 causes a HUGE increase in contrast (I assume the pyro stain lowers the
contrast grade of the fiter, until I reach the top end) I'm going to try
exposing for half the time through the 4.5 and the remaining time through
the 5, to see if I can get an intermediate grade. Anyone tried this?
> - I have heard the the pyro stain should interact with the VC paper to
produce great prints without much dodging or burning. I assume this would
work best without a printing filter?
> - If so, I may need negatives with less stain, since my current negatives
print very flat w/o a fiter. Any comments?
> - Can anyone recommend a film that works well for pt and silver printing,
using pyro. Right now, I'm using HP5+ and PMK pyro.
> Bill
Bill,
First of all, since my email program is having fits, you probably have
already received answers to this (even tho I haven't yet received them--I'm
taking a day to get emails back), and second, I may not be the most
knowledgeable about pyro but I do use it exclusively.
My negatives look punchy green, except for any of the tgrain films
which are grayer green. The Ilford films panF hp5 andfp4 are wonderful with
pyro. Stain incredibly well. I ALWAYS print with a filter, using Forte
Polywarmtone Museum Weight semi matte (I handcolor). There is no reason not
to use a filter with VC papers, because if you aren't using a filter and you
get a print that is not the right contrast, you have to then figure out a
whole new set of printing times by inserting a filter. It is much easier to
get your base time with a filter in place, usually a 2. With Forte paper,
to go from no filter to a filter is about 1.7 times my printing time with no
filter; double that for a 4 or 5.
The only time I have encountered flat prints was when I had a set of
Delta 3200 negs that I underexposed. Ugh. They were still ugly with a 4 or
5 filter. Otherwise, I highly recommend the Book of Pyro by Hutchings, with
his EI's for each film and his development times. You should not be
printing with a 4 or 5 filter on a regular basis. Generally, to increase
contrast, increase development time and perhaps agitation, if you are not
properly agitating.
If your negatives appear dense, then you need to underexpose and
overdevelop to expand your contrast. How much is a guess--try 1/2 to 1 stop
and 25%-50% development increase respectively, especially with the old tech
films (NOT Tmax! or tgrain films!)
If your negatives are thin, then give more exposure, first, and then
more development if this does not do the trick.
If your negs are fine, then just increase your development and make
sure to give it violent agitation two inverts (hard) every 15 seconds.
Basically you are agitating more or less continuously, making sure to wing
the film tank upside down twice with a kind of jerk, not continually moving
the fluid in a circle--if that makes sense.
IF you are using Ilford MGIV matte, it dries very flat. Try another
paper in combination with the pyro negs. Pyro negs are fine for palladium,
as Bob Herbst wrote in his article to View Camera Mag back in 1997, i think.
I'm rushing these notes out, so hopefully (unedited) they make sense.
You can write me off list with other questions altho I know there are other
pyro enthusiasts who know way more than me on this list.
Chris
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : 04/02/01-09:55:26 AM Z CST