Re: My first attempt - digital negatives.

Ehud wrote:

>Hi everyone,
>
>I have been trying to make digital negatives for silver printing, while I am
>learning photography and until I can move to alt-processes.
>
>I have been using Pictorico High Gloss White and the Dan Burkholder Inkjet
>Companion template with an Epson 1280 printer and stock inks. So far I have
>made 4 negatives and yesterday I got to try to print one during my basic
>darkroom class.
>
>I have not yet made a final print due to the end of class but I was up to 5
>minutes and 20 seconds with 70 magenta in the colour head of the enlarger at
>f4 and 50 mm lens. The enlarger height was set to 70 and the light was
>focussed through an empty 35 mm film holder.
>
>My question, is this length of time unusual? I think I still need to add
>about 20 % more time to get some separation between the 0 and 5 % on the
>included step wedge.
>
>Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted as I have limited darkroom time
>as I still need to do assignments to complete the course.
>
>Ehud
>
>PS: Yesterday I learned to dodge and burn for the first time. It was
>actually quite wonderful to make some fine changes to a photograph. That is
>to say, to have some - limited, control. I still felt like I was all
>thumbs.
>
>__________
>Ehud Yaniv
>Still Light Photography
>www.still-light.com

Ehud,

OPHG is capable of sharper results than the regular clear Pictorico
but printing times are much longer (loss of about three or four stops
compared to the clear material), maybe too long if using the light of
an enlarger. If your printing times are in the 5 minute plus range
using the enlarger you might want to consider installing a a R40
flood of 40-60 watts in your darkroom and printing with it. This
source would print much too fast with clear negatives on regular
silver gelatin papers, but the times might be about right if using
the more opaque OPHG material.

Sandy
Received on Fri Feb 11 07:46:07 2005