In my move to DAS instead of dichromate for sensitizing carbon tissues, I ran into a highlight retention problem. Thin gelatin layers (highlights and upper mid-tones) would slide off the temporary support material during warm water development. In testing, I identified exposure unit wavelength as a critical factor. However, the problem persisted especially in very high-contrast tissues. It seems I have now identified another part of the solution: a different way of subbing the intermediate support.
Continue reading “Subtleties – Subbing intermediate supports for DAS carbon transfer and a note on pigment prep”Balancing act – A brief look at ECN2 vs. C41 colors
When ‘Cinestill’ film came around, I just had to try it – although I have mostly used the original Kodak Vision3 stock instead of the remjet-less Cinestill variants. Frankly, I didn’t get along with it, and I’ve been quite vocal about it on the forums, too. But a couple of years after my initial bout of experimentation, I felt it was time for a re-assessment. Here’s a brief reflection on color balance of Kodak Vision3 250D film. After all, color balance is perhaps the most pressing matter when it comes to using Vision3 films for still photography.
Continue reading “Balancing act – A brief look at ECN2 vs. C41 colors”Puzzling paper problem – A carbon transfer print surface anomaly
There has been this tiny problem bugging me for a couple of months. It popped up when I moved to DAS sensitized tissue for my carbon transfer prints. Some sort of micro-scale unevenness in tone. It reminded me a little bit of some form of reticulation – but not quite. But I think I’ve cracked this nut now, and it’s actually much more obvious and benign than I had imagined it to be.
Continue reading “Puzzling paper problem – A carbon transfer print surface anomaly”Creative possibilities in RA4 printing
Sometimes I read comments on RA4 printing like “it doesn’t allow for much creativity given the required tight process controls”. Well, I don’t agree. Recently, when I read a comment along these lines, it triggered me to list the more creative ways RA4 printing can be done. Here’s that list, with a brief explanation to go with each entry.
Continue reading “Creative possibilities in RA4 printing”Collimated vs. diffuse light – a cyanotype example
On a forum, someone asked how to get their cyanotypes made with 3D objects instead of a negative crisper. The fundamental issue at work here is how collimated or diffuse the light source is. Here’s a quick example of the difference between both.
Continue reading “Collimated vs. diffuse light – a cyanotype example”Kind of blue – A test with UV LEDs for DAS carbon transfer
So the 400nm LEDs I had been using since October or so worked really nice for dichromate carbon transfer, but I ran into trouble with DAS carbon with them. Some further testing with my bank of trusted Philips BL tubes and a little theoretical exercise suggested that at least some 365nm exposure is needed to get DAS carbon to harden reliably especially in the highlights. So I’ve been testing a bit with 365nm LED options – two in particular that seemed attractive. This is a small report on these tests.
Continue reading “Kind of blue – A test with UV LEDs for DAS carbon transfer”Creative RA4 – Bleach and redevelop
Straight printing on RA4 paper is great fun and it’s what I do most of the time when I print color in the darkroom. But the RA4 process has several tricks up its sleeve. The other day I decided to revisit one of those tricks I had played with briefly some years ago: bleach and redevelop. Here’s an example of what it does and how it’s a useful took in boosting print contrast without saturation going overboard.
Continue reading “Creative RA4 – Bleach and redevelop”A round roll in a square box – Cutting RA4 color paper sheets from roll
When I started out color printing on RA4 paper, I bought a couple of boxes of paper from a retailer that offered a cut-sheet option. But sadly, they didn’t offer the papers I really wanted to try, and I also found that buying rolls of paper is far more economical. The only thing is – I had to figure out a way to cut sheets from a roll of paper. In the dark. Turns out it’s not that difficult at all!
Continue reading “A round roll in a square box – Cutting RA4 color paper sheets from roll”Fixing Sekonic L-358 and NP spot meter wrong readings
Years ago I picked up a second-hand Sekonic L-358 and have used it ever since with great pleasure. One of those things you just turn on and it works – provided you feed it a new battery once every few years or so. Recently, I got a 5 degree ‘NP Finder’ for it, which turns this incident light meter into a proper spot meter. However, today I ran into a disconcerting problem: totally wrong meter readings. What’s up with that? And can it be fixed?
Continue reading “Fixing Sekonic L-358 and NP spot meter wrong readings”Composition target practice
Despite all the technical stuff I write on this blog, my interest remains mostly in photography, and by extension, printing. I don’t often show what I make, but I’m going to try to break that pattern. This entry will be about composition – a subject that’s evidently important, but I admit having difficulty dealing with it much of the time. Practice hopefully helps, at least in part.
Continue reading “Composition target practice”