MorseBlog

A few days ago I posted on using Les McClean's printmaking tutorial. At the end I reconsidered post flashing vs pre-flashing. Here I pick up the same print but apply the post-flashing technique Mr McClean uses in order to more faithfully follow his methodology. Along the way I ran out of the Ilford Warm-tone RC paper I used and was forced to move to Ilford Warm-tone FB paper that I had a full box of that I too was worried would get old. This paper is very similar but enough different that I had to readjust my exposures a little. I opted not to start over again. Original Negative Post-Flashing (Ilford Warmtone RC) Here is my first test strip starting with the base exposure but before any burning. This is to see where the tone starts to form. I marked the 1 second intervals from right to left increasing flash time. Test6 f8 #5 19 sec #0 19 sec Flash test 1 sec interval This I judged at about 4 seconds. This flash however was done directly under the lamp I use for flash...

I decided to to try again some of the darkroom printing techniques I outlined in my previous post . In that post I was looking at a couple of different monographs on making fine art prints. In this entry I will look at another print that is somewhat more challenging and show the progress again as I work through the method outlined by Les McClean . Again I start with a 6x9 negative (Ilford FP4+) which I chuck into my 6x6 Meopta 6 enlarger. I select a crop from the left side of the 6x9 negative. This was taken again on a hike up Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales. This is part way up the mountain on a very cold and windy day. A lake lies at the base of the mountains and there are scattered clouds. Original Negative I deviated slightly from Les McClean's method in that I made a couple short test strips in the hard and soft filters to see where the basic exposure lay. I did this at f11 as a guess. This crop is not so tight as the one in my previous post and so the enlarger head is...

To The Next Level?  I have been spending the last several months thinking about how to bring my photography up to a new level. I could be accused of being somewhat lazy in my photography. I used a meter to set the exposure of the scene, I developed my black and white film using Massive Dev Chart. I worked on focus, composition and basic exposure to achieve my results. Over time my photography has improved but in some ways I reached a plateau. I think this happens with everyone and one needs to motivate or be motivated to swim out of the stagnant Sargasso sea of complacency. I have embarked on some improvements which I can roughly outline below. Better exposures in color and black and white. Improve color workflow especially color negative film. Understand and embrace the zone system more. Think about the creative process more intentionally. Understand the roots of aesthetics. Improve my darkroom practices to make better prints. Improving Exposures I have always liked...