Darkroom printing

[truls]

After more than 23 years I have started doing darkroom printing again. After some fumbling about getting paper on the wrong side etc, things started to go in the right direction.



So, here are my first prints, drying. Since I never have used Foma products for printing before, I was happy with both paper and developer. The scan had visible grain from Fomapan 400, but the print is sharp and grainless. The tonal range was high, details in both highlights and shadows. Paper used, Fomabrom baryta variocontrast, +M10 adjustment for grade 2 (color head).

Did not expect the major difference in quality scan/print. I thougth maybe Fomapan film are grainy, but it is not on a 10x7 print (24x18 cm). The paper give the prints an old classic look.

[Deleted]

Learned to develop and print in my dad's darkroom when I was a kid. Later I spent three years working in a darkroom as a full-time newspaper photographer. Inhaling the chemical fumes messed up my middle ear and I had balance and nausea problems for several years. Since the appearance of decent printers and computers I have had absolutely no inclination to set up a darkroom (I have occasionally developed black and white film using a changing bag). One part of film photography I do not miss.

W.

[philbirch]

I miss printing. I develop b&w film when I need to but no room for printing any more.
Great effort.

[dps3006]

I have all the equipment to print but am only doing film right now. When I retire in a few years the enlarger is coming out of hiding. I haven't used it in 43 years.

[truls]

Aug 24, 2014 11:13:54 GMT -5 wayne said:

Learned to develop and print in my dad's darkroom when I was a kid. Later I spent three years working in a darkroom as a full-time newspaper photographer. Inhaling the chemical fumes messed up my middle ear and I had balance and nausea problems for several years. Since the appearance of decent printers and computers I have had absolutely no inclination to set up a darkroom (I have occasionally developed black and white film using a changing bag). One part of film photography I do not miss.

W.

You really have long experience with developing and printing. What kind of chemicals was in use when you worked? There was some warning on my Fomatol P paper developer not to get in the eyes and not inhaling etc. I do not plan to live in the darkroom, only occasionally printing.

If you have some secret darkroom information, I am very interested.

[philbirch]

Aug 25, 2014 18:11:27 GMT -5 dps3006 said:

I have all the equipment to print but am only doing film right now. When I retire in a few years the enlarger is coming out of hiding. I haven't used it in 43 years.

I got mine out when my wife was in Poland for a week, set it up in the kitchen then found the power supply was kaput. Nothing else would work. so no printing.

I plan to use my pinhole camera with paper so I at least will get to print something!

[mickeyobe]

Hey! I have a pin.

You may have it gratis.

Just pay the postage.

Mickey

[philbirch]

Mickey, you crack me up!! Heres £20, send what you can:

Phil Birch
Cheshire
England

[Stephen]

Couple of tips, never under develop the paper, always allow full time in developer. As long as fully processed the paper will reveal any problems better than pulling it short......And do test strips for exposure.

Once developed, the paper will not alter further, if it goes darker with time it indicates over exposure, or a faulty safe light.

Pulling short may sometimes work, but means unpredictability and flatter contrast results, adjust the paper grade, not the time for contrast.

Check the safelight!! lay a strip for 5 minutes in the light at working distance and slowly move a shading black paper along and check if any grey at all after development. (or lay a line of coins on the paper and remove every 15 secs.)

Even if it passes, it is good practice to place the light away behind a board to stop direct light hitting the paper, as it can alter the contrast range. You can also use a cover over the tray whilst developing to minimise any light altering things.

Stephen

[mickeyobe]

Aug 28, 2014 7:22:31 GMT -5 philbirch said:

Mickey, you crack me up!! Heres £20, send what you can:

Phil Birch
Cheshire
England

Oh. Yuk!

It looks like you got a greasy finger print on it.
It would not pass as legal tender in The Toronto Dominion Bank or The Bank of Nova Scotia or even a Piggy Bank.
Wadday think - we're a bunch of colonials or something?

Mickey

[truls]

Aug 28, 2014 11:59:13 GMT -5 Stephen said:

Couple of tips, never under develop the paper, always allow full time in developer. As long as fully processed the paper will reveal any problems better than pulling it short......And do test strips for exposure.

Once developed, the paper will not alter further, if it goes darker with time it indicates over exposure, or a faulty safe light.

Pulling short may sometimes work, but means unpredictability and flatter contrast results, adjust the paper grade, not the time for contrast.

Check the safelight!! lay a strip for 5 minutes in the light at working distance and slowly move a shading black paper along and check if any grey at all after development. (or lay a line of coins on the paper and remove every 15 secs.)

Even if it passes, it is good practice to place the light away behind a board to stop direct light hitting the paper, as it can alter the contrast range. You can also use a cover over the tray whilst developing to minimise any light altering things.

Stephen

Very useful information. I might have done underdeveloping of prints, due to instructions on the package, e.g. develop 60-90 sek, I have done something in the middle. I will now develop full time, as it seems to do only good.

For the lightning I am almost hiding the safelight (behind a small wall), nothing get any direct light. I know from film handling this is important, but I also nearly work in almost dark when handling paper. I use a wasted paper to set sharpness, then take out real paper, and make a test exposure, before the print is made.

Thanks for valuable tips!