Digital BW, The Print

I have scanned several of the old glass plates and am just amazed at 
the quality of the images that are popping up using VueScan and Epson 
V700.  Thanks to all of you for the recommendations on those choices 
as well as making the special black negative holder.

I have been making a few test images and do not want to put much time 
into these as I go as I still have another 190 plates to scan.  To 
keep everything at its simplest at this stage, I decided on BO 
printing with my Epson 2200.  When I went to the MIS site to order 
ARC-T0348-K, the Eboni MK, it said it was discontinued, no longer 
available, or back ordered.  Do any of you know which of these may be 
true?

Do you think it may be available only as the 7-ink set?

I also had tried BO printing with the Epson MK.  The prints came out 
awful, which you would have anticipated.

Nancy (still with the smiling face)

P.S.  One of the images looks just like me (or more likely is an 
early image of my great Aunt Addie who lived -- and died -- in the 
bedroom where I slept for 16 years.  As you may recall, these were 
taken in the first half of this century by an eccentric neighbor in 
Northern Michigan.

I have scanned several of the old glass plates and am just amazed at 
the quality of the images that are popping up using VueScan and Epson 
V700.  Thanks to all of you for the recommendations on those choices 
as well as making the special black negative holder.

I have been making a few test images and do not want to put much time 
into these as I go as I still have another 190 plates to scan.  To 
keep everything at its simplest at this stage, I decided on BO 
printing with my Epson 2200.  When I went to the MIS site to order 
ARC-T0348-K, the Eboni MK, it said it was discontinued, no longer 
available, or back ordered.  Do any of you know which of these may be 
true?

Do you think it may be available only as the 7-ink set?

I also had tried BO printing with the Epson MK.  The prints came out 
awful, which you would have anticipated.

Nancy (still with the smiling face)

P.S.  One of the images looks just like me (or more likely is an 
early image of my great Aunt Addie who lived -- and died -- in the 
bedroom where I slept for 16 years.  As you may recall, these were 
taken in the first half of this century by an eccentric neighbor in 
Northern Michigan.

Nancy Wilson wrote:
>
> I have been making a few test images and do not want to put much time 
> into these as I go as I still have another 190 plates to scan. 
> Nancy (still with the smiling face)

Good to get some feedback on that.

Right, you can always return to the first ones if you learned 
something while working.

The density of the emulsion was no problem ?


> P.S.  One of the images looks just like me (or more likely is an 
> early image of my great Aunt Addie who lived -- and died -- in the 
> bedroom where I slept for 16 years.  As you may recall, these were 
> taken in the first half of this century by an eccentric neighbor in 
> Northern Michigan.

Any ghost images in scanning :-)

Met vriendelijke groeten,Ernst


|  Dinkla Grafische Techniek  |
|     www.pigment-print.com    |
|             ( unvollendet )            |

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Nancy Wilson"
<nancyewilson@...> wrote:
>
> into these as I go as I still have another 190 plates to scan.  To 
> keep everything at its simplest at this stage, I decided on BO 
> printing with my Epson 2200.  When I went to the MIS site to order 
> ARC-T0348-K, the Eboni MK, it said it was discontinued, no longer 
> available, or back ordered.  Do any of you know which of these may be 
> true?

Nancy, MIS will answer phone calls, and is very helpful. If you're not
in the US, let me know, and I'll call them for you. I'm only about 12
miles from them ;)

If you're still in Michigan, as I said, they're local and friendly...
 
> Do you think it may be available only as the 7-ink set?
> 
> I also had tried BO printing with the Epson MK.  The prints came out 
> awful, which you would have anticipated.

What was "awful" about them? Too warm in tone? 

> Nancy (still with the smiling face)
> 
> P.S.  One of the images looks just like me (or more likely is an 
> early image of my great Aunt Addie who lived -- and died -- in the 
> bedroom where I slept for 16 years.  As you may recall, these were 
> taken in the first half of this century by an eccentric neighbor in 
> Northern Michigan.

;)

On 12-Jan-07, at 2:15 PM, Nancy Wilson wrote:

>
>
> I also had tried BO printing with the Epson MK.  The prints came out
> awful, which you would have anticipated.

I'm not familiar with your scanning trials, but glad they worked out.  
What are you are finding awful about the prints?

BO prints from my epson 2200 looked fine when I tried that, MK, matte  
papers..  I prefer to use IJC or QTR.


>
> Nancy (still with the smiling face)
>
> P.S.  One of the images looks just like me (or more likely is an
> early image of my great Aunt Addie who lived -- and died -- in the
> bedroom where I slept for 16 years.  As you may recall, these were
> taken in the first half of this century by an eccentric neighbor in
> Northern Michigan.

That's a cool neighbor to have had.  I've been scanning and archiving  
old boxes of photos and negatives of family history, it's quite  
amazing. No plates though... :)

Carolyn

---
http://www.carolynfrayn.com

> The density of the emulsion was no problem ?

Ernst, I am seeing all kinds of densities and conditions.  On the 
latter, they are very dirty, with some mold, possible fungus, and 
maybe even a little acid eating away.  The storage conditions or lack 
thereof have not been good.  I've cleaned the emulsion side very 
conservatively; the non-emulsion side quite well.

I see considerable fading on some plates and some have a very pale 
yellow-orange cast to them -- not black at all.  Some to the naked 
eye look just plain pale grey.  Then I bring them up in VueScan with 
the V700 and play around with levels and curves in PSCS2, followed by 
a little brightness/contrast and a light unsharp mask.  Then Wow!  
The images, for the most part, are just popping out.  The landscapes 
have a luminous quality.  The portraits are so good.  Hair strands 
are sharp and I can see the pores on a young woman's cheeks.

I have not been able to spend the time on the prints yet that I would 
like to so that I can represent his work the way that it should be 
represented.

When I can, I would like to post a few images.  I don't have a web 
site up yet.  I looked at the "photo" section on this site, but don't 
know how to upload a photo.  Any help there?

BTW, the Ghost Image lives in our farmhouse, a half mile from where 
Aunt Addie was born, still in my immediate family's ownership.  My 
Great Aunt Addie died in the "Queen's bedroon" and an occasional new 
occupant of that bedroom well tell or ask about someone who walks 
through the room at night.  I just say Aunt Addie died probably happy 
and quite young -- late 20's from an accidental overdose of 
painkiller administered by the town doctor who was quite sweet on 
her.  She had migraine headaches, as do I.  I add that she just wants 
to make sure that she (it is usually a she) is comfortable in her 
room.  It is uncanny, that the first plate I picked out of the box at 
random was an image that I think is of her.

Nancy



> > P.S.  One of the images looks just like me (or more likely is an 
early image of my great Aunt Addie who lived -- and died -- in 
the bedroom where I slept for 16 years.  As you may recall, these 
were taken in the first half of this century by an eccentric neighbor 
in Northern Michigan.> 

Any ghost images in scanning :-)

> 
> Met vriendelijke groeten,Ernst
>

I'm only about 12
> miles from them ;)

Thanks for your feedback on MIS.  I will try to email them or call 
them tomorrow.  Yes, I am still in Michigan, Lansing area.  Where in 
Michigan are you?
> 

Also, to you and Carolyn and others who wondered about what I thought 
was awful about MK Epson BO print, I should know better than to make 
a general statement like that.

Actually, I rather like the warmer tone that the Epson BO gave for 
the portrait.  I think that with QTR it would be even better.  I 
would like to have more control over the warm tone, which I wasn't 
able to achieve, with the knowledge I have of CS2 and Epson printer 
driver.  

BTW, a big correction!  I used PK BO on Elford Smooth Pearl Paper, 
one that I have loved with my 2200.

For the landscape(s), which are fewer in quantity (there are 
considerable farm animal/equipment images), I would prefer a slightly 
cooler tone, which I thought I might be able to achieve with Eboni 
Black.  So my next step is to contact MIS.

Any thoughts, suggestions are most welcomed and I continue to thank 
you for your interest and help.

Does anyone know about what causes the yellow cast on the glass 
plates?  Could it be some toning that the photographer himself used?
It doesn't seem it affect the quality of the image itself, although I 
have yet to compare it with a negative I consider to be a good dense 
black one.

Nancy

Yellow on a glass plate? Aging gelatin? Bad fixing. Acid environmental
storage of plates.

 

Eric Neilsen Photography

4101 Commerce Street

Suite 9

Dallas, TX 75226

http://e.neilsen.home.att.net

http://ericneilsenphotography.com

Skype ejprinter

  _____  

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Nancy
Wilson
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 7:31 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] Re: BO Printing and Scanning Glass Plate Negatives

 

I'm only about 12
> miles from them ;)

Thanks for your feedback on MIS. I will try to email them or call 
them tomorrow. Yes, I am still in Michigan, Lansing area. Where in 
Michigan are you?
> 

Also, to you and Carolyn and others who wondered about what I thought 
was awful about MK Epson BO print, I should know better than to make 
a general statement like that.

Actually, I rather like the warmer tone that the Epson BO gave for 
the portrait. I think that with QTR it would be even better. I 
would like to have more control over the warm tone, which I wasn't 
able to achieve, with the knowledge I have of CS2 and Epson printer 
driver. 

BTW, a big correction! I used PK BO on Elford Smooth Pearl Paper, 
one that I have loved with my 2200.

For the landscape(s), which are fewer in quantity (there are 
considerable farm animal/equipment images), I would prefer a slightly 
cooler tone, which I thought I might be able to achieve with Eboni 
Black. So my next step is to contact MIS.

Any thoughts, suggestions are most welcomed and I continue to thank 
you for your interest and help.

Does anyone know about what causes the yellow cast on the glass 
plates? Could it be some toning that the photographer himself used?
It doesn't seem it affect the quality of the image itself, although I 
have yet to compare it with a negative I consider to be a good dense 
black one.

Nancy

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"For the landscape(s), which are fewer in quantity (there are
considerable farm animal/equipment images), I would prefer a slightly
cooler tone, which I thought I might be able to achieve with Eboni
Black. So my next step is to contact MIS." <----Nancy, just remember that you will not be 
able to use Eboni on the Ilford Pearl, only with matte papers.

Good luck...I love BO!
Sarah






--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Neilsen" <e.neilsen2@...> 
wrote:

>
> Yellow on a glass plate? Aging gelatin? Bad fixing. Acid environmental
> storage of plates.
> 
>  
> 
> Eric Neilsen Photography
> 
> 4101 Commerce Street
> 
> Suite 9
> 
> Dallas, TX 75226
> 
> http://e.neilsen.home.att.net
> 
> http://ericneilsenphotography.com
> 
> Skype ejprinter
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Nancy
> Wilson
> Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 7:31 PM
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Digital BW] Re: BO Printing and Scanning Glass Plate Negatives
> 
>  
> 
> I'm only about 12
> > miles from them ;)
> 
> Thanks for your feedback on MIS. I will try to email them or call 
> them tomorrow. Yes, I am still in Michigan, Lansing area. Where in 
> Michigan are you?
> > 
> 
> Also, to you and Carolyn and others who wondered about what I thought 
> was awful about MK Epson BO print, I should know better than to make 
> a general statement like that.
> 
> Actually, I rather like the warmer tone that the Epson BO gave for 
> the portrait. I think that with QTR it would be even better. I 
> would like to have more control over the warm tone, which I wasn't 
> able to achieve, with the knowledge I have of CS2 and Epson printer 
> driver. 
> 
> BTW, a big correction! I used PK BO on Elford Smooth Pearl Paper, 
> one that I have loved with my 2200.
> 
> For the landscape(s), which are fewer in quantity (there are 
> considerable farm animal/equipment images), I would prefer a slightly 
> cooler tone, which I thought I might be able to achieve with Eboni 
> Black. So my next step is to contact MIS.
> 
> Any thoughts, suggestions are most welcomed and I continue to thank 
> you for your interest and help.
> 
> Does anyone know about what causes the yellow cast on the glass 
> plates? Could it be some toning that the photographer himself used?
> It doesn't seem it affect the quality of the image itself, although I 
> have yet to compare it with a negative I consider to be a good dense 
> black one.
> 
> Nancy
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Thank you Eric.  I think I am understanding you to say that the 
yellow on the glass plate is due to bad fixing and the aging gelatin 
due to acidic environmental conditions while storing the plates. Is 
that a correct interpretation?  

For the 1st half of the century or so, the plates were left lying 
around (at least they were found that way in the old house).  They 
were picked up and put in a crate and put in the attic of a barn in 
Northern Michigan.  The barn has a metal roof.  It freezes up there 
in the winter and is hot and humid in the summer.  About fifteen 
years ago, someone "rescued" the plates and put them into 5x7 
envelopes with glued flaps.  They went back into the barn.  So, 
condiiions have been very undesirable for the preservation of the 
plates.  When I am through with the project, I am tryingt to talk the 
current owners of the collection to lend or donate them to a historic 
society in the area.

BTW, I looked at your web site and liked your work, esp the Platinum 
images.  That is what I want to learn how to do next.  Maybe 
we will meet at a workshop.  Nancy


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Neilsen" 
<e.neilsen2@...> wrote:
>
> Yellow on a glass plate? Aging gelatin? Bad fixing. Acid 
environmental
> storage of plates.



> Does anyone know about what causes the yellow cast on the glass 
> plates? Could it be some toning that the photographer himself used?
> It doesn't seem it affect the quality of the image itself, although 
I 
> have yet to compare it with a negative I consider to be a good 
dense 

> black one.
> 
> Nancy
>

Thank you Eric.  I think I am understanding you to say that the 
yellow on the glass plate is due to bad fixing and the aging gelatin 
due to acidic environmental conditions while storing the plates. Is 
that a correct interpretation?  

For the 1st half of the century or so, the plates were left lying 
around (at least they were found that way in the old house).  They 
were picked up and put in a crate and put in the attic of a barn in 
Northern Michigan.  The barn has a metal roof.  It freezes up there 
in the winter and is hot and humid in the summer.  About fifteen 
years ago, someone "rescued" the plates and put them into 5x7 
envelopes with glued flaps.  They went back into the barn.  So, 
condiiions have been very undesirable for the preservation of the 
plates.  When I am through with the project, I am tryingt to talk the 
current owners of the collection to lend or donate them to a historic 
society in the area.

BTW, I looked at your web site and liked your work, esp the Platinum 
images.  That is what I want to learn how to do next.  Maybe 
we will meet at a workshop.  Nancy


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Neilsen" 
<e.neilsen2@...> wrote:
>
> Yellow on a glass plate? Aging gelatin? Bad fixing. Acid 
environmental
> storage of plates.



> Does anyone know about what causes the yellow cast on the glass 
> plates? Could it be some toning that the photographer himself used?
> It doesn't seem it affect the quality of the image itself, although 
I 
> have yet to compare it with a negative I consider to be a good 
dense 

> black one.
> 
> Nancy
>

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Eric Neilsen" Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Re: BO Printing and Scanning 
Glass Plate Negatives


Yellow on a glass plate? Aging gelatin? Bad fixing. Acid environmental
storage of plates.

Hi

It's also possible that the yellow plates could have been developed in some 
type of Pyro developer.

Brian Price

Nancy, Those were meant to get some answers as to how they were stored.
Brian is quite correct that they could have been processed in a pyro
developer causing stain. The plates could have been hand made or machine
made. Do all the edges look even? And is the yellow color very uniform? Pyro
can be slight yellow and even slightly greenish to brownish. They do sound
like they been through a lot of abuse. I dare say that if they were CDs or
DVD that be unusable.    

 

Eric Neilsen Photography

4101 Commerce Street

Suite 9

Dallas, TX 75226

http://e.neilsen.home.att.net

http://ericneilsenphotography.com

Skype ejprinter

  _____  

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Brian
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 10:23 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Re: BO Printing and Scanning Glass Plate Negatives

 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Neilsen" Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Re: BO Printing and Scanning 
Glass Plate Negatives

Yellow on a glass plate? Aging gelatin? Bad fixing. Acid environmental
storage of plates.

Hi

It's also possible that the yellow plates could have been developed in some 
type of Pyro developer.

Brian Price

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]