Thursday, March 24, 2011

Working On Group Show Prints

I spent the night working on a show print. I started up with a 11x14 paper size learning the negative, playing with contrasts, bleaching, dodging and burning (am sometimes burning at low contrast on the multigrade paper). Am slowly learning the print. I tried something new tonight with the bleaching, added a second squirt bottle. I have one squirt bottle (using a brush for detailed work) loaded with bleach another with fixer that I take turns with on the print. The fix in the one bottle accelerates the bleach on the print. I was pulling the print in and out of the fixer but found this method today which allows me to control the process a bit better, and I do not risk damaging the print like I do when I pick it up and place it in the tray over and over again.

I will work another hour or so then take a nap before starting to work on the final print for this image in the 16x20 paper size. I will fix/hypo clear and bleach that photograph. I would like to take one of the final prints to the gallery to check the lighting there and ensure I am not printing to dark.

Am using the discontinued Agfa Classic Fiber-base photographic paper. It is a warm tone paper that gives rich deep brownish tonality. I am using the discontinued Agfa WA film developer.