Show me your latest darkroom prints

[Melancholy]

Ilford Ilfobrom B1 24x30 cm expired in the 1980´s, negative shot on HB 500 cm and trix. I dont have an easel that size, so I had to print straight on the paper geting a fat frame.

Agfa Brovira BW1 30x40 cm expired many, many years ago. Got more of this paper so I just made a test to check the paper, exposed it with a difficult negative.
Small prints are Ilford Multigrade IV RC, cropped 6x6 negatives

 

[jbrianfoto]

I like this shot a lot, looks like you did a great job of printing it despite not having an easel. Nice shot 🙂

 

[Melancholy]

Thank you jbrian, I´m happy with the result too.

 

[bence8810]

@Melancholy

What negative carrier do you use to get that thick black border around the photo?
I can get it with 135 frames as my negative carrier is for 6x9 originally so I do get blacks around the frame. however, with 6x6 I could only get the black border on two sides, the top and bottom won't allow any extra space.
Did you file your carrier out by any chance?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Melancholy]

Nice lith print Vnukov!

@Melancholy

What negative carrier do you use to get that thick black border around the photo?
I can get it with 135 frames as my negative carrier is for 6x9 originally so I do get blacks around the frame. however, with 6x6 I could only get the black border on two sides, the top and bottom won't allow any extra space.
Did you file your carrier out by any chance?

Thanks,
Ben

Ben, I have an old enlarger, Meopta Opemus with original 6x6 negative carrier, looks like this:

I usually use the easel to choose the thickness of the black border, without an easel it looks like the print i posted here earlier. The smaller prints/portraits I posted here are 6x6 negatives that I cropped with the easel to fill the paper, so no black frames there.

I guess you can file your carrier a bit so you get black frames, if you also have an easel, there wont be any problem if you later on want to print a picture without a black frame.

 

[bence8810]

Ben, I have an old enlarger, Meopta Opemus with original 6x6 negative carrier, looks like this: I usually use the easel to choose the thickness of the black border, without an easel it looks like the print i posted here earlier. The smaller prints/portraits I posted here are 6x6 negatives that I cropped with the easel to fill the paper, so no black frames there. I guess you can file your carrier a bit so you get black frames, if you also have an easel, there wont be any problem if you later on want to print a picture without a black frame.

Thanks for this! I wish my carrier was like yours. Mine - on my Lucky 90M-D is a 6x9 glass carrier that is exactly 6x9. With 135 I can do nearly anything but 6x6 I can only leave the border on the sides.

I otherwise use a 4 bladed easel that works really well so I can leave or remove the black part which is very convenient.

Thanks again for the example and the explanation!
Ben

 

[bence8810]

These 3 are from an annual summer festival that happens all throughout Japan called "Awa Odori". It is held in August and I attend it ever year as there is one right by our area.

Film: Kodak TMAX100
Paper: Forte Bromofort BSP-4 5x7

Ben

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

still learning darkroom printing

still learning darkroom printing

still learning darkroom printing.

currently still figuring out exposure

 

[bence8810]

still learning darkroom printing.

currently still figuring out exposure

Like earlier said - a very strong start. Like your print a lot.
What are the notes on the top right? You say base 4sec and then some split grading or the whole thing was 4sec?

What aperture and lens did you use in the enlarger?

Keep up the good work!
Ben

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

bence8810: tks for kind words.

grade 0 was 4s + 1 1/4f and grade 5 was 4s + 2 1/4f.

the leitz v.35 requires longer exposure as a diffusion type enlarger, even at f5.6 aperture.

tks

raytoei

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Printed this yesterday. Still experimenting. Still learning.

Working Print. “Dubai 2012″

Today I received the Vario-Contrast module for my enlarger, and I was itching to test it out This is different from a CMY color module as it only deals with B&W and has a single knob for contrast 0 to 5. This makes it easier than trying to remember Contrast 0 is 105Y and 12M and Contrast 5 is 0Y and 200M.

The picture was taken on a Leica M2 with 35f2 Summicron. And the film was Polypan F rated between 50 and 100.
I did a test strip (left) at contrast 0 with base of 8seconds in -1f, -3/4f. -1/2f … to +¼. Decided that enlarge lens was too bright even at an Lens aperture of 5.6f. Chose -1f as the time, ie. 4 seconds for grade 0.
DId the middle strip at Grade 0 of 4 seconds and did several exposures at Grade 5 from -1 to +1/4f time. Decided to use -1f time also for grade 5, ie. 4seconds.
Did a test print (right) at grade 0:4s, grade 5:4s. Image was a shade too dark.
Decided to change grade 5 to 4s -1/2f. (or 2.8seconds). Decided that this would be a good Working Print.

The other areas to start working (if I ever get around to it) would be to crop the left side of the building and perhaps dodge the man’s face for a bit more shadow details.
FIN.

 

[bence8810]

Nice one again! Can totally relate to the scene, lived in Dubai for 3 years between 2008 and 2011. It is in front of the JBR by the beach.

I still don't follow 100% how you describe the way you do your test but I think I got it finally just takes me time to process the information.

So far from people I worked with always spoke like:

f11 8sec @ 3C (this is just an example)
in your case it would be f5.6 4/5/6/7/8/10 sec 0C I believe. Or i might be totally wrong in which case please ignore me 🙂

Regardless the language, very nice work! Enjoy your posts, keep them coming!
Ben

 

[bence8810]

A picture of my niece while I was visiting my family back in Hungary this past May.

I made two prints to compare some ancient paper I got while there.

1. Forte Bromofort BSP-4
This one is holding up real nice despite the age. The paper is from the late 80's or early 90's.

2. Orwo Bromofort WN 121
This one is really yellowed and feels quite fragile to the touch when removed from the pack, sort of like a dried up leaf - It feels like if I bend it too hard it might break in half. I do like the look though so I am thinking now what to use it for, have about 50 sheets of 8x10 left......
The paper is from the late 70's

 

[JoeV]

This "darkroom" print was exposed in my home made 8x10 box camera using Harman DPP. An old Chevy parked along Hwy 14 in Madrid, NM.

~Joe


Madrid001a by Joe Van Cleave, on Flickr

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Learning to use the Ilford EM10 enlarger light meter,
i can sort of get a working but not final print in two prints.

 

[bence8810]

Stornoway Summer on Flickr

really nice print. How did you tone it? Selenium?

Learning to use the Ilford EM10 enlarger light meter

How do you like the Meter? I had one on loan for a period but I didn't even try it. Wish I did, maybe you can tell me how it works for you?
Is it better than doing test strips?

One thing that turned me off was the fact that I could only go 1 stop at a time with it as you trigger the meter with changing aperture. Is this correct? Again - never tried just read parts of the manual.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Schlapp]

Sepia tone bence8810

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Ben,

i am still figuring it out. i made it all the more complicated because i did two baseline numbers, one for highlight details at grade 0 (number 80 on the meter), and one for shadow details at grade 5 (number 40 on the meter).

So, for the above picture, i turned to grade 0 on the enlarger, turned to number 80 on the meter, pointed the meter to an area where it is white with some details, then turned the enlarger aperture until the light turned green, which in this case was f8. I exposed for 8seconds since this exposure time is the baseline for grade 0 (80 on the meter, 8 seconds exposure). I did the same for grade 5, and got f8 as well, i exposed with a pre-determined baseline of 8 seconds. I did only 3 prints for the above, first print was too light, open up the aperture to f5.6 for grade 0, grade 5 was the same as before. I did one more print to try burning in the navel part of the robot.

yes. i stopped using strips, not still experimenting since i have only done 3 to 4 prints with the em10. but it looks promising as i can get to a working print in 2 prints.

raytoei

 

[bence8810]

Sepia tone bence8810

What product do you use and how do you tone it? If you can let me know - dilution - time - washing etc.
I am about to start toning so anything helps!

Thanks,
Ben

 

[bence8810]

Ben,

i am still figuring it out. i made it all the more complicated because i did two baseline numbers, one for highlight details at grade 0 (number 80 on the meter), and one for shadow details at grade 5 (number 40 on the meter).

So, for the above picture, i turned to grade 0 on the enlarger, turned to number 80 on the meter, pointed the meter to an area where it is white with some details, then turned the enlarger aperture until the light turned green, which in this case was f8. I exposed for 8seconds since this exposure time is the baseline for grade 0 (80 on the meter, 8 seconds exposure). I did the same for grade 5, and got f8 as well, i exposed with a pre-determined baseline of 8 seconds. I did only 3 prints for the above, first print was too light, open up the aperture to f5.6 for grade 0, grade 5 was the same as before. I did one more print to try burning in the navel part of the robot.

yes. i stopped using strips, not still experimenting since i have only done 3 to 4 prints with the em10. but it looks promising as i can get to a working print in 2 prints.

raytoei

That sounds very promising! I'll look into it, thanks for explaining!

Ben