The Darkroom Workshop

Sep

2020

DON’T THROW OUT OLD PHOTO PAPER

There seems to be a lot of people interested in the traditional wet darkroom these days. As many abandon their darkrooms, others are just getting started. I have seen numerous transfers of darkroom materials, chemicals and hardware to newcomers interested in the wet darkroom. . . a lot of times for FREE. There is a lot of old printing paper coming out of storage and being either tossed in the garbage or passed on (without any guarantee what so ever) to those that are just starting out. Certainly a lot of this old paper is fogged to some extent. . . but all may not be lost. If you find yourself in possession of several thousand sheets of a really great paper, depending on the amount of fog, you just may be able to make excellent prints, despite a little general degradation.

Paper fog, as a rule shows up as a general darkening of the processed paper, thus making pure white in the print an impossibility. You can easily test for paper fog. . . see my previous article, “MEASURING PAPER FOG” for my method for testing paper.

Success is very dependent on the image you are printing, but in most cases, fog can be eliminated in the highlights and whites of the print by simply doing a little selective bleaching. Even deep shadows can be livened up with a little work with a bleaching mixture and a brush. Selective bleaching is not difficult and here is more info from a previous post titled, “A LITTLE SELECTIVE BLEACHING.”

If the whole print requires overall livening up, you can bleach the entire print in a tray. Look up the formula for Farmer’s Reducer. You may find that you have to over-print the image (print a little too dark) and then bleach it back upward (lightening the image) to restore the image sparkle. You will just have to experiment and find what works best for each print.

Realize that if the paper has severe fog or a mottled, spotty fog, this method will not be of much help. Also keep in mind that even severely fogged paper can sometimes be fixed out and used for other processes. Many carbon transfer printers used old, fixed out paper for their finished images. Old, fogged paper should not be thrown out without first, at the very least, trying to find if it is in some way useable. You never know. . . that free, old out-of-date paper may be a really good deal after all!

4×5 Contact Print on vintage Velox paper, expiration date of 1958

If you have a lot of fogged paper that you paid little to nothing for, why not give bleaching a try. I have successfully pumped life back into paper that had expiration dates on the box that make it nearly as old as me!

JB

Jun

2018

FILM; STILL ALIVE AND KICKING!

And they said it wouldn’t last! Hmm. . . seems that has been said before. What am I talking about? Well. . . FILM of course! It’s amazing to see the resurgence in the interest in and the use of the worn out old technology of photographic film. Sort of like vinyl records, tube amplifiers, buggy whips and saddles. What becomes old is new again. I honestly had this feeling something like 15-20 years ago when that tired old chant started; Film Is Dead. I didn’t believe it then and now it looks like I was correct in my assessment. I didn’t fall for the sell your film gear now while you can still get something for it. Truth is, we bought even more film gear. And what is happening now? The prices of film photographic equipment is once again rising. All of the manufacturers closed up shop and went chasing after high-tech gizmos. And now, suddenly there is a growing market with a finite supply of hardware. You have to choose what you can find used or refurbished. How could that happen? What is going on in the world of photography?

It’s all because of young people. They grew up with all that techno stuff and one day someone, like me, showed them there is something else. Something different. . . Wow! A different way of seeing, creating, photographing. . . making your artistic statement. The key word is different. Fred Picker used to say, “different is not the same!”

I hear all kinds of comments. Look at the size of that camera! You can still get film for that? You can get film that big? Oh, you make prints? And the look of them! That seems to be something else that is new to the younger generation. I grew up looking at photo albums put together by my family. You didn’t have a little screen to view your snapshots instantly as you made them. You had to send the film off and wait! And those prints you got back in that envelope had value. You didn’t make a thousand snaps and pick one to look at once and then discard. You kept real printed photographs and looked at them over and over. And if one was really special, you had an enlargement made!

Yes the story of film and film cameras has come full circle, just as I had predicted way back in the Film Is Dead days. I said there would be a mass exodus by film and film camera manufacturers. But I also said that film would not go away. There would always be someone out there that would keep making it. Because there are those of us that are not willing to give it up. I predicted there would be someone to fill the niche market. I also predicted the price of film would go up. . . and it has. But, what is the cost of what you love? How can you put a price on that which you have spent most of your life learning, exploring, refining and experimenting with?

Another thing I feel strongly about is knowledge and passing it on to future generations. I feel it is near a responsibility to preserve what you have spent a lifetime learning. This commitment led to the four book series that Susan and I put together and self-published 20 years ago. Those books have been revised and are now available in e-book format. Through our web site and this Blog we have further endeavored to highlight what we do and how we approach photography as an art form.

It’s been an interesting and fulfilling journey to this point and that journey is just beginning. I feel I can now say with confidence, FILM IS NOT DEAD!

JB

May

2018

PYRO DEVELOPERS; SUBTLE YET DIFFERENT

When you go into your darkroom year after year and print your negatives, you slowly become acutely aware of the most minute changes in image quality. It’s this intimate contact with your craft and subject that allows you to see the minute changes that the materials and process make. The prints you made in years past may now seem to be lacking. Even those negatives you were never quite able to interpret into a suitable finished image may somehow come alive when you apply new wisdom and technique. Everything in the chain of events, from the camera to the finished photograph can and will make a difference. Some can make a vast amount of difference; others can be very small. Yet they all add together in the finished print.

When we first started working with Pyro developers it took some time to realize exactly how the different look and feel of the film would translate into the finished print. There are those that say there is no difference between different film developers. They may also say there is no difference in the film you choose. That is like saying there is no difference between Ford and Chevy; no difference between red or white wine. Maybe for some this may be the case. But for those that take the time to really look and absorb the image, there is always a difference. Fred Picker said, “different is not the same!”

Never let the opinion of someone else dictate your choices; either in life or photographically. You need to prove all things for yourself. Never fall prey to hearsay. Test everything for yourself. If you feel the need to explore Pyro developers, by all means take the time to do your own testing. To really know, you have to find the answers for yourself. A quick dabble will not do. You need to establish your personal film speed and developing time. Then go out and make photographs in the real world. And not just a few photographs, but a lot; over time; test; adjust as needed. Give yourself at least a years worth of real photography. Then you will have enough experience to make a really personal and informed decision.

Is there a real difference in a Pyro film developer? This is a question you will have to answer for yourself. Just do not fall into the trap of depending on someone else to make the decision for you. Pyro was good enough for Edward Weston, Morley Baer and many others. If we could only ask them their opinion.

Over the past 20 or so years Pyro film developers have again become popular, with modern reformulations for modern film. John Wimberley, Gordon Hutchings, Sandy King, Jay DeFehr, among others, have done a lot of research and have formulated numerous reincarnations of Pyro film developers, specifically designed for use with modern film. Steve Sherman, Bob Herbst, Michael A. Smith and Steve Simmons have written extensively about Pyro developers and their unique qualities. Susan and I have made our choice based on our own real world experiences. We join with the many others that are also Pyro developer users.

Sep

2012

A LITTLE SELECTIVE BLEACHING

Selective bleaching is a technique that uses a very dilute solution of Potassium Ferricyanide, which is brushed on specific areas of a print to lighten the tone and increase contrast. It must be done very judiciously and anyone practicing this technique must be prepared to ruin a few prints. But, with a little patience and practice, bleaching is a powerful tool in the darkroom. Selective bleaching can open up an entirely new avenue of expression. Here is an example from a recent printing session.

First, here is the subject; a blind cave between two large sandstone fins in Arches National Park.

Next, the printing session; the negative printed quite easily, without any manipulation. It is quite interesting, but lacked depth and was somewhat depressed, especially at the bottom. Also the wood and cracked mud needed to be lighter to draw the eye and enhance the feeling of depth. Here is a side by side comparison of two prints, one before, the other after selective bleaching. . . (this is a quick snapshot of the wet prints on the viewing stand before toning)

Finally, the finished print; we selenium tone every print we make, not only for permanence, but for the slight tonal shift and deepening of the contrast of the image. Here is the finished dry print. Note the change in color and contrast after selenium toning.

I will not get into the technique employed, since selective bleaching is deceptively simple and is beyond the scope of this short article to adequately explain. As I said before, be prepared to ruin a few prints. This is another tool you can add to your arsenal of darkroom techniques. . . remember, it is always about the finished print.

JB

Aug

2010

PRINTING NOTES & CATALOG

In the last entry I talked about making film notes in the field. That is the first step in the process of record keeping. I didn’t mention the last step which is negative storage. Each negative is marked on one edge with a unique number, then inserted into a clear sleeve then into an archival envelope. Each envelope has the negative number written on the upper edge. The envelopes are then placed into archival boxes, which are labeled with the contents. Also, the smaller film is proofed on our standard paper. These proof sheets are punched, and filed in binders. That pretty much sums up the negative end of the process.

The next step is printing, and yes, we keep notes on the printing process. As each print is worked out in the darkroom, we have printed sheets that we use to record the process. We make our own print planner sheets using the computer to document every step in the darkroom. Our print planner sheets have spaces to record all pertinent information for the creation of a finished print. It includes the negative number and date, along with the print date, printing paper, developer, enlarger settings and such. The print planner sheet also has a series of boxes to record exposure manipulations. . . burning and dodging. That way if we ever need to go back and reprint, we have a record of exactly how we made the first prints. These sheets are filed in a three ring binder and labeled for future reference if needed.

We also keep a computer database which contains our catalog of available photographs. This database contains all of the information from the film and printing notes. The master catalog database also contains information on the number of prints available, price, and exhibition information.

I am sure this all sounds extremely complicated, and I have to admit that if you ever get behind on the record keeping, it would be near impossible to ever catch up. The secret is to continually and consistently keep the records up to date. When we are on the road, the first order of business in the evening, after dinner, is to update the day’s notes and log. Once we get home, the next order of business is to get the film notes done. This has to be done in order to sort the film before development. Our catalog database allows us to keep track of what we have in the way of photographs and serves as a place to search for information when needed.

If you continually keep up with your film notes and records you will always have a way to see where you have been and maybe an aid to where you go next. Is it worth it? We would not do it if we thought otherwise!