Darkroom techniques

[DoodleBopper]

Hi, I do A level photography and just wondering if anybody has any techniques that I could use in the darkroom? Thanks

 

[wblati]

what do you mean by 'technique'?

 

[RaglanSurf]

What sort of thing did you have in mind?

 

[DoodleBopper]

Well.. I do nature photography, and I really don;t like the darkroom so i wodnered if there were any things I could do to make my pcitures more interesting. We have learnt things like solarisation, but I don;t know I jsut want some fun things to do! Lol

 

[raathistle]

Hi beth, what sort of things do they teach you on an A level course printing wise, or don't they offer much?

For example do they include preflashing, split grade printing, etc, or are you looking at alternative proccesses and the like?

A great book if you have the funds is John Blakemore's Photography Workshop, full of great printing advice, unless the course covers the topics of course. Even so it might make a good accompanyment?

 

[raathistle]

You could do something like hand colouring, where you paint onto prints and colour the black and white in, that can look really impressive if done well

 

[DoodleBopper]

They don;t realy teach us much in the dark room, jsut really how to develop everything, and we did paper negatives, solarisation, toning. I havent heard of any iof the things you've said. I'll take a look at the book thanks

 

[EdMoss]

I used to Selenium tone my fibre based prints, really added punch and gave them a slight blue/grey hue, well worth a try but don't get it near your skin.

 

[Mohain]

I'm going to embark on some Lith printing when I get back into the darkroom after the easter hols http://www.lithprint.com/

Also looking at split grade printing if you haven't been taught it. Not an alternative process but a way of getting results from those difficult to print negs.

http://www.lesmcleanphotography.com/articles.php?page=full&article=21

 

[Kev M]

There's a couple of videos on split grade printing in Andrew Sandersons youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/andrewsandersonphoto

I want to try Lith printing when Fotospeed finally get all the bits to make the kits up.

 

[RaglanSurf]

Beth, are you using Ilford's Multigrade II system for your printing? If you are I may have a book you would find useful. Let me know.

 

[DoodleBopper]

Umm.. the films we use are Ilford Pan, i'm nmot sure what the system is? I do it at college so i'm not srue what they use

 

[RaglanSurf]

Umm.. the films we use are Ilford Pan, i'm nmot sure what the system is? I do it at college so i'm not srue what they use

Ok, do you use one type of paper then change the grade by using different coloured filtesr? Like these

hope that helps.

 

[DoodleBopper]

we only do black and white. I do not know what a grade is i've never seen a filter like that

 

[RaglanSurf]

we only do black and white. I do not know what a grade is i've never seen a filter like that

OK, not to worry. I have a book that I no longer use which is a great introduction if you're using the system. But as you're not it will be no use.

Good luck with the course

 

[DoodleBopper]

Thanks for the offer