Digital BW, The Print

Well, I guess it's old nostalgia week!  I read all of
the Zone VI Newsletters from Fred Picker and would
await each one anxiously with greed for more - even
when I disagreed with him - and that wasn't all that
rare about non-technical things - but I was always
inspired whether I agreed or not. I believe only
Edward Weston's "Daybooks" have had a greater word
based influence upon me as a photographer and then
there are Weston's photographs!!!. 

I too used HC110 (in a rotary tank) for my 8x10" Tri-X
Pro 320 negs.   Nothing can touch that combo in large
format - I know that's just an opinion - but, in this
case, we're right!

I also was very fond of FG7 but for thick emulsion
fine grained film (my favorite being Agfapan 25 - may
it RIP) for 120 negs ( for me 1st used in a Twin Lens
Rollei 6x6cm and then later a Pentax 6X7cm - I still
own both and my 13yo son has been using an old Rollei
I got for him on e-bay for practically nothing -
altho' a bit more than the Holgas he is also fond
of...)

To return to topic: Those 120 negs on Agfapan and Tech
Pan scan like a dream on my Nikon 9000.  I've still
not scanned any of my 8x10 negs as I always only
contact printed them - now that is quality to behold!
It was big and good enough for Weston - and usually
for me as well. We have an 8x10 enlarger in the wet
darkroom at our studio but I can't say it has tempted
me in the least now that I've tasted the digital
lightroom.  I have been considering the Epson 4990
scanner for the big negs - but have also considered
just paying someone to drum scan them right -  any
thoughts or advice there - or volunteers <g>?  Oh and
if it's not showing - yea I'll be 55 in April - so it
goes...Michael

--- Clayton Jones <cj@...> wrote:

> Hello Ginny,
> 
> >Why do you print on both sides? 
> 
> I'm not doing any double sided printing, but when
> I'm working on the
> last little tweaks for a first-time final print of a
> new image (or the
> first time on some paper) I often make some test
> prints.  All of these
> go back into the box and are reused for future test
> prints.  Also,
> with the 2400's ABW system I often make a lot of
> tests with a new
> image to determine the best color tone for it.  Over
> time this can all
> add up to a lot of paper, so a double sided paper
> does save some
> money.  Kayenta is also 2-sided.
> 
> 
> >I'm not sure what the Paper Chase article is.
> 
> Article #5 at the link below is called "The Great
> Paper Chase", and
> lists 26 matte papers and their attributes, such as
> weight, cotton
> content, OBA content, paper color, cold/warm tone
> (how it renders
> carbon inks), dmax, etc.  It's a good way to get a
> quick overview of
> the popular papers.
> 
> 
> >Yes. I remember the first time I tried TX. I used
> FG-7 as the
> >developer. Ugh! So much grain. 
> 
> I remember FG-7 <g>.  It made a pretty good two-bath
> developer, but it
> couldn't beat HC-110 for sheer beauty.
> 
> >>I then took a darkroom seminar with Fred Picker.
> He spoke about 
> >HC-110 (1:31) and the testing needed to find my own
> personal ASA 
> >valid for my shutter, and, also how to calculate
> the true develpment 
> >time for TX with my equipment. He said that Kodak
> was over-
> >developing the film to push the ASA up.  Well, the
> ASA I wound up 
> >using was 280 or so. And, the development time was
> a minute or 2 
> >less than what Kodak specified. (They were pushing
> the ASA by 
> >overdeveloping, hence, more grain) Viola! TX became
> a fine grain 
> >film! The difference was amazing, breathtaking!
> 
> Fred Picker's teachings had a huge effect on me (his
> practical
> approach to testing and simplification has been a
> direct influence on
> my path into digital printing).  I read his book and
> newsletters, and
> did all as you describe (also used his modified
> Pentax spotmeter, a
> great innovation).  I ended up using ASA 200 and
> HC-110 at 1:48 as I
> did mostly landscape and wanted to pull even more
> most of the time.
> Occasionally I would mark a roll for special
> treatment, but the dilute
> HC-110 gave a very nice long scale negative.  No
> other film/developer
> combination I tried came even close to what it would
> do (this
> conversation is making me nostalgic <g>.
> 
> 
> 
> >Hmmm....I could afford the 5D. But, what would a
> couple of basic
> >lenses cost me?
> 
> Well, mortgage your home, send your kids to work at
> Safeway...
> 
> 
> 
> >Is it just me or is it hard to find 11X14 paper
> nowadays? I really
> >like that size and would use it a lot more if I
> could find it! 
> 
> I've only seen one paper in that size (something
> from Epson in
> CompUSA), but I would use 13x19 anyway because I
> want some border
> paper around the image.  I no longer trim off the
> borders and dry
> mount.  These papers don't ripple like silver
> papers, and most don't
> curl either.  They can be held flat and smooth by
> the window mat.  I
> now hinge the top of the print to the back of the
> window mat, and
> hinge the top of the window mat to the backing
> board.  This speeds up
> the matting enormously.  The window is cut larger
> than the image just
> like with a mounted print, but the mat is now
> pressing down on the
> print's border paper, holding it flat.  It looks the
> same as a mounted
> print and the signature is now on the print instead
> of the backing
> board.  Dry mounting is one of the things I was
> happy to leave behind.  
> 
> 
> 
> >Can you recommend a good supplier?
> 
> Dourian and Aurora must be purchased from Red River,
> MerNat and MerSm
> from Hawk Mtn.  I get PR from Shades of Paper.  VFA
> and Kayenta can be
> found lots of places, just look for good prices,
> sales, etc.  Before
> ordering any Kayenta, be sure to read the Paper
> Chase article about it
> - there was a bad batch out there that may still be
> on vendors' shelves.
> 
> 
> >what does K3 stand for? I know it refers to the
> inkset
> > but not sure what it designates.
> 
> It refers to the three shades of black or gray (K,
> LK, LLK).  It
> differs from the 2200 UC ink which has just K and
> LK.  The 3rd gray
> ink is one reason for the nice smooth tones it
> produces.
> 
> 
> 
> >Thanks for the wealth of info Clayton and the nice
> sharing of 
> >your early years in photography.
> 
> You're welcome.  It's nice to read your story as
> well and find kindred
> souls with similar backgrounds.  There are quite a
> few forum members
> who used Fred Picker's methods.  I've had a lot of
> nice email
> correspondence over the past few years.
> 
> Regards,
> Clayton
> 
> 
> Info on black and white digital printing at    
> http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm
> 
> 
> 
> 


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