How many paper sheets do you "destroy" before you make one decent print?

[valdas]

As I am back to darkroom and start printing again I would appreciate if someone could share the experience - are you so good that one test strip is enough to make a decent print? How much time do you spend playing with contrast filters and exposure before you are happy with your result? I am really frustrated that I need to waist so much paper and time before I print something I like. I get the exposure right, but then I realize the contrast is not what I like. I change contrast, then I need to adjust exposure again. Then when I print I notice a dust spot that went unnoticed before and so on... And then some prints need to go to trash bin when they dry... So how many prints do you usually make during one "session"? Any useful tips regarding the workflow that can minimize time/paper waste?

 

[wafflecakee]

Typically I cut up one sheet into strips, using one strip I can typically narrow down my exposure. Then I do a test diagonally across a whole sheet to further narrow down. One full print. Then one with a bit of burning/dodging.

4 minimum.

 

[sem]

Hi,

I print with a colour head. That helps a lot. Split the hole time for one paper in two parts.
Starting the first half with a 100% yellow filter. Split with the second light with a 100% red filter, take a bit more time, because it is more intense.
You get a 10% dry down effect so don´t print to dark.
Hope it helps a bit.
Best

 

[kanzlr]

I waste 1 to 2 prints usually since I started using a Jobo Comperator 2.
you calibrate the thing for your paper and then you can pretty much nail the first print already, I usually just print another one in a different gradiation, or one stop off, or dodge/burn things on the second or third print. Rather straight forward. Oftentimes I like the first print already.

 

[--s]

I repeat here what I´ve written in other threads:

The Aquisition of a Heiland Splitgrade System will drastically reduce your waste of time, chemistry and paper.

Usually I make four sheets of fb paper 12 x 16 per session, and it takes me 9-10 sheets to get 8 prints I´m satisfied with. No test stripes!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Varies. Sometimes one test strip is enough. Sometimes you need five or more full size test prints. Anyone who says otherwise is either not a very good printer or not very critical. Frances reckons on average, with familiar paper and developer 3 test strips and one test print before the final print.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Further comments from Frances:

1 Test strips and test prints are not wasted. They're a part of the process.

2 (Quoting the late Bob Carlos Clarke, a brilliant printer): "You just go on re-making the same print until the print you've just made isn't as good as the one before."

Cheers,

R.

 

[FrankS]

Further comments from Frances:

1 Test strips and test prints are not wasted. They're a part of the process.

2 (Quoting the late Bob Carlos Clarke, a brilliant printer): "You just go on re-making the same print until the print you've just made isn't as good as the one before."

Cheers,

R.

Roger (and Frances) beat me to it. Paper is not wasted or destroyed when it brings you to how you want the final print to look.

With practice and experience, you will become more efficient in getting there.

 

[Jan Pedersen]

For me it depends a lot on the exposure and the complexity of the image.
I use as most test strips to get to the right basic exposure time and contrast.
Then make the first print to determine what needs to be dodged and burned and depending on the negative that can take anywhere from just one additional sheet to 10 sheets of paper before i am happy.
Not many negatives takes up to 10 sheets but i have had a few. In the end when the final print is acceptable it was worth the cost.

 

[valdas]

Further comments from Frances:

1 Test strips and test prints are not wasted. They're a part of the process.

2 (Quoting the late Bob Carlos Clarke, a brilliant printer): "You just go on re-making the same print until the print you've just made isn't as good as the one before."

Cheers,

R.

Very good points, especially the first one... Still, my goal is to get to the final stage of the process (final print) without submerging too much into the pleasure of the middle stage...

BTW - anybody finds that using the density meter might help the process?

 

[--s]

Anyone who says otherwise is either not a very good printer or not very critical.

Cheers,

R.

This is an attitude of the last millennium. Obviously you don´t know the heiland splitgrade controller and just cannot imagine it´s practical worth.

I admit I´m no fine printer. I never got it what was so desirable about working out all the subtleties a negative can deliver. Instead I´m always searching for the mood of a caption, and in most cases, according to my taste, this leads me to a higher gradation and more light on the paper as would be considered "perfect" in the zone system world. I know my stuff, and from looking at the negative I can in most cases successfully decide what to do with the fine tuning to give me a print I can live with.

And, yes, waste are things you throw away, no matter if you consider them part of the process or not, and so you waste lots of paper on your way to the print. Given the exorbitantly risen prices for paper, this is the more unnecessary.

 

[Photo_Smith]

This is an attitude of the last millennium. Obviously you don´t know the heiland splitgrade controller and just cannot imagine it´s practical worth.
.

I can imagine it's practical worth, won't be buying one though as I don't need gadget to tell me how to map a film curve to a paper curve.

I guess years of plotting quadrant diagrams have negated the usefulness of such a gadget.

 

[Jan Pedersen]

And, looking at it from a different perspective it doesn't do much to keep the few remaining paper manufacturers in business 😉

 

[slidesandthecity]

Four test prints and the fifth one is usually satisfying.

 

[hidejoshi]

Three. I. soft gradation test to lights
II. hard gradation test to dark areas
III. FCK, I forget change apperture by soft filter

 

[DominikDUK]

2 to max 5 Test prints not strips. I believe the simple strip doesn't tell the whole story about the overall correct exposure and necessary dodging burning or bleaching as well as split grade printing. Regardind the Heiland split grade and such they can be of great help and of great dishelp if not used correctly just like camera meters they can miss the correct exposure entirely.

 

[Moto-Uno]

Let's just say I've learned to readjust my expectations ! It's more fun now. Peter

ps: it's only a waste if you repeat your mistakes.

 

[bcli]

Let's just say I've learned to readjust my expectations ! It's more fun now. Peter

ps: it's only a waste if you repeat your mistakes.

+1 Moto-Uno! For me two test strips with split contrast printing has worked well, especially combining the second strip with what I've found on the first (this thread describes it nicely: http://www.filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=4854.0)

 

[shadowfox]

I'll add this:
It's only a waste if you don't write down your exposure, time, and dodging/burning strategy.

I can pick up any of my negatives I printed before and refer to how I print it last, not because I have an extensive system, it's a notebook and a pen 😀

I also found that the more I spend time examining the negative and comparing it with the ones I use as reference, the quicker I can come up with the initial exposure (or exposures) and the timing.

 

[Godfrey]

As I am back to darkroom and start printing again I would appreciate if someone could share the experience - are you so good that one test strip is enough to make a decent print? ...

Even with a carefully calibrated and profiled digital printing setup, it sometimes takes several attempts to dial in a particular photo's print. Last night I printed one photo six times before I had what I wanted. At $4 per sheet, that gets pricey...

G