Contacts Prints Part II

Last month I made 4x5 contact prints which, until then, I hadn't done in quite a while. I liked the format I made up for 8x10 paper by placing two negatives on one piece of paper and leaving the film rebates in place. Retaining film rebates on images seems to be a recent trend amongst new adopters of film. I suppose it gives the image a badge of authenticity or a nod to the retro nature of the work. So I suppose I have adopted this custom in these images. In any case I like the look so perhaps I am finally trendy! (An alternative format I am considering is to use a piece of 8x12 paper, cut from 16x12 paper, with the prints arranged side by side in landscape orientation.)

I used the same test print methodology as in the previous post. This got me to the first print that was pretty close. For the upper low oak image, I used only 16 seconds of the #5 filter as it is very low contrast. For the lower birch image, I used 8 seconds #00 and 16 seconds #5 filter.

First Print

I decided both image needed a little harder #5 filter. The curve on the hard filter is pretty steep and in the upper image balancing the tone of the fog against the impression of the trees I decided 1/4 stop more was needed. I also know from adjusting my scan earlier that there was the need to burn from the upper left corner to the center in a gradient. I judged this as an extra stop. So, this image was #5 19 seconds burning upper left corner #5 19 seconds gradual diagonal to center. The birch image likewise wanted more hard filter so it too got 1/4 stop more. #0 8 seconds and #5 19 seconds. 

Final Print

I am very pleased with the outcome. The diagonal burn in the top image not only balances the tone but brings out a tree that is almost invisible. The extra 1/4 stop overall helps define the tree outline better. The birch image really benefited from the bump up in contrast. 

One moment documented with these images is that the lower one of the birches was taken before the fog suddenly descended which the upper image shows having been taken about 10-15 minutes later. I discussed in a post where I describe the conditions while making this image. (Post may not be up yet awaiting more images from the lab...) 

I had one more print I wanted to make which was made in portrait mode. This wouldn't work in the above format as the others are landscape orientation. I decided to make a single contact print in the center of an 8x10 sheet of paper. The negative itself is difficult to print as the upper portion is quite light behind the birch. I think primarily because the bright sky above radiates light onto the tops of the reeds making them lighter than the stems below. 

I started with a base exposure of  #00 11 seconds and #5 22 seconds with an 8 second #00 burn of the forest in the background along the top. The first print (not shown) was a good start but as mentioned the reed tops were still too light so I made a second print with #00 burn of the top third as a gradient extending downwards of 16 seconds. This helped a great deal. It may be worth revisiting the burn in a #5 filter, so it impacts the whiteness of the birch bark in the upper part of the trunk less. 

Final Print (?)