After I figure out how to do something
(especially something I do infrequently), I tend to write it down. Having
done so, I am glad to share the information with anyone who needs it.
Don't assume that if it works for me, it will work for you. Try it out
before you depend on it or make a big investment in time or money. Caveat
reader.
If you want to print a copy of any of these for
your own use, please do so. PDF files (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader -- free from
Adobe's web site) are attached to most of the items.
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Slides from prints
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If you work in black and white, you often
need slides of your prints to send to galleries, publications or competitions.
Making high quality slides from your black and white prints isn't hard but I
sure didn't get it right the first time. This article describes
my process. |
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Split filter printing.
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Split filter
printing is the sequential use of a high-contrast and a low-contrast filter
to produce a print on variable-contrast paper. It is certainly a common and
very useful technique to give the print a base exposure with one filter and
then burn areas of the print with a different filter. Split filter printing
produces similar results but with, in my opinion, better control and better
ability to pre-visualize the results. I had used split filter printing
quite a bit and found it both very frustrating and, occasionally, a very
useful addition to my darkroom tool bag.
I developed
an approach to split filter printing that allows me to use it as extension
of my normal printing process. If you use discrete
filters as I do, split filter printing is one way to fill in the cracks
between grades.
Much more importantly, split filter printing combined with dodging and
burning gives you a measure of control that is impossible to achieve with
any other technique I know -- especially if you have only two hands.
If you
practice the zone system and do mostly landscape or studio photography and
have excellent control over the contrast and density of your negatives then
read no further. If, on the other hand, you are a street photographer
as I am and often have negatives that require a measure of darkroom
histrionics then you may find this article very interesting. |
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Getting Organized |
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Two friends
and I were asked to give a short program for our photographers' salon, Group
f/5.6, on how we organize and keep track of our negatives and prints — in
the modern jargon our workflow.
The three of
us have different ways of doing our photography. One shoots color slides
and prints digitally. One shoots 4x5 black and white and does both silver
and digital prints. I shoot 35mm and medium format and do silver prints.
We also have
different workflows — but they all three work. This is my contribution to
the program. Check Paul Butzi's and
Katrina Kruse's websites to see
if either of them have written up their workflows. |
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The
art of being disturbed |
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Photographs and other images are an ethical
and a religious issue as well as an art issue to me. This article
explains why. |
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Matting and mounting |
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I was asked to do a one-session
workshop on mounting, matting and framing photographs. This pdf is the
notes from it. The local sources for tools and materials are, well,
local but you may find the other parts helpful. Left click on the link
to view in Adobe Acrobat. Right click on the link to download. |
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How to get hung |
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I was asked to do a presentation for our
photographers' salon, Group f/5.6 on getting work hung since I have been
fairly successful at doing so (not at MOMA but one step at a time).
The venues mentioned are local but you may find the other parts helpful.
Left click on the link to view in Adobe Acrobat. Right click on the
link to download. |
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Making Books of your
Photographs |
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I have done several hand-made books of my photographs;
projects ranging from an appointment calendar to a book of nudes.
Hand-made books are a lot of work to do but the results are very satisfying
and another way to display your work. I was asked to do a presentation
for a local photography group, the UW Photographers. You may find
inspiration to try a book from this. |
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Lootens on
bleaching |
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The venerable book "Lootens on
Photographic Enlarging and Print Quality", long out of print, has the best
description of using Farmer's reducer for local bleaching that I have ever
seen. The process he describes is very controllable and not difficult
to do. |