Re: making regular photo paper POP

On Thu, 1 Sep 2005, Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
>>
> Yes, Marek, I'm "in the know" with a few more details. I made sure to scour
> the book for info before returning it to the student, and this is what he
> shared (Burchfield), but funny enough, not any different than is what is in
> my Exp Workbook and stuff on this alt list! Do a search on POP somewhere
> between 2000 and 2001. That's why I find it so funny--but there is no
> denying that he has taken this process to a beautiful point, moreso than I or
> any of my students have. That is why it is so exciting to me to see this
> book because NOW the students will understand the beauty of this experimental
> process!

So interesting that it's Burchfield. He did a related process sometime I
think in the 1970s which I found in a book and used a lot... What you
might call a stop bath toner. That is,if your negative is REALLY
contrasty, you can expose/develop the available tones , then give a very
quick weak stop (possibly, I seem to recall, a well-used stop), then take
a 100-watt tungsten bulb and REALLY burn in the missing highlights (I was
doing this on the old Brovira #5, sometimes so hard that the "Mazda" on
the bulb imprinted on the paper). The result was tones in many beautiful
colors, as described in those photograms -- BUT, the tendency with most
papers was for most of the colors to fade a lot on fixing.

It's possible the alkaline fixer described works better (though I was told
it should be *acid* -- so go figure). I also assume different papers are
different. I found that to keep a strong pink, or even a greyish pink, I
had to have REALLY STRONG pink to start (with the Brovira most other color
was lost). Since this method also uses chemical developer, I think that
could be another variable.

The tone of course appeared mostly in sky areas, which were the "bullet
proof" parts of the negative. I'd guess the tones in the photograms appear
around the silhouettes of the shapes???

Judy

>
> I'll share my trade secrets and Burchfield's--you know I can't ever keep my
> mouth shut.
>
> First, he exposes for anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours, but he seems
> to mention the several hour bit the most. In the hot equatorial sun, mind
> you! Direct. On the top of his boat. Under glass or not under glass, taped
> down or not taped down. In rain or not.
>
> He uses outdated BW papers, 25 different kinds. I personally have tried
> about 8 and, like him, found some suitable and some not. I found the
> warmtones to produce lovely terra cottas and yellows and pinks and the
> cooltones to produce mauves and lavenders and yellows and pinks. Just don't
> throw out your paper anymore. I gave the student some outdated Luminos Linen
> that I have had for 5 years and I'll let you know how it looks--I may be
> kicking myself.
>
> He put them in a light tight box when finished, and fixed when he got home
> because he didn't have the chems with him in the Amazon. Hence, as I have
> always done, you do have to fix. The print will dramatically lighten and
> change color when it gets fixed, though, so what you see is not what you may
> end up with. To minimize this use an alkaline fix, a 10% sodium thiosulfate
> with 1% sodium carbonate (arm and hammer washing soda, if you are cheap).
>
> Now, where he and I differ in process is this: I have never just left an
> exposed print for a period of time before fixing. That could have some sort
> of effect (continuing action, perhaps??)
>
> One other thing he does differently than I have ever, aside from a delayed
> fix, is that he takes the paper out of the bag in full sunlight. I used to
> have students take it out in the darkroom, put it in the contact frame, and
> then proceed outside. Therefore, all parts of the paper have at least some
> exposure.
>
> This student will be working on this all semester and I will report back more
> results. What I am going to suggest she do is use some Kodak S2 and S30, if
> it is still available (I have a quart of both) and sprinkle it on here and
> there. That is what I use when I teach chromoskedasic sabattier in the
> darkroom, and it produces beautiful color as Ryuji was explaining, by the Mie
> thingy. I'm so scientific...Don't ask me how, I'm just going to wing it.
>
> The end.
> Chris
>
>
>
>
Received on Thu Sep 1 21:21:19 2005