The dump prints are probably the most difficult negs I have ever made. When making the pics I exposed for the shadows as I always do but the high end of the negatives are often overexposed. To make the prints I burn down the highlights for long times at different contrast grades, this involves lots of masking and is tough sledding.
The current print I am working on is of 2 women and a baby in the foreground and 2 older women in the background of a shack. The ladies up front have lots of light on them the figures in the back in deep shadow so are a bit underexposed. This neg is really touchy, there are properly exposed areas, over exposed ares (direct bright sunlight) and underexposed areas (deep shadowed figures in the back). I think my exposure and development were fine its just that this shooting situation pushed the boundaries of what is possible using film. There is only so much latitude in film and there are all kinds of types of light in this shot. I have done around 10 test trips using 2 burning masks, burning cards etc. and am still struggling to figure out how to make my first 16x20 print.
One good thing I have learned form making these prints (or trying to make them) is that I know now that I love the Durst 1200, the added contrast and the stability to this enlarger is awesome. I left this current neg focused all week and have not any focusing shifts even thou I continually take out and reinsert the neg carrier as well as change filters and adjust the lens aperture. The sharpness and detail/contrast in the grain int the prints makes this machine irresistible for me. This thing is first class solid and very well made, it is like having a Leica rangefinder quality enlarger.
I will keep plugging away at this neg late into the night. I need to bare down and get some prints produced the opening for the show will probably be around Feb 7 or 8. There might be a larger "Exposure Photography Festival" event the same night at the gallery with some of the big wigs from Calgary showing up. Hopefully some of the local Edmonton photo lovers will show up as well, sometimes its hard to get anyone here interested in promoting photography here but it is events like this that might draw out them out. Hope, Hope!!
Here is the neg I am working on:
The current print I am working on is of 2 women and a baby in the foreground and 2 older women in the background of a shack. The ladies up front have lots of light on them the figures in the back in deep shadow so are a bit underexposed. This neg is really touchy, there are properly exposed areas, over exposed ares (direct bright sunlight) and underexposed areas (deep shadowed figures in the back). I think my exposure and development were fine its just that this shooting situation pushed the boundaries of what is possible using film. There is only so much latitude in film and there are all kinds of types of light in this shot. I have done around 10 test trips using 2 burning masks, burning cards etc. and am still struggling to figure out how to make my first 16x20 print.
One good thing I have learned form making these prints (or trying to make them) is that I know now that I love the Durst 1200, the added contrast and the stability to this enlarger is awesome. I left this current neg focused all week and have not any focusing shifts even thou I continually take out and reinsert the neg carrier as well as change filters and adjust the lens aperture. The sharpness and detail/contrast in the grain int the prints makes this machine irresistible for me. This thing is first class solid and very well made, it is like having a Leica rangefinder quality enlarger.
I will keep plugging away at this neg late into the night. I need to bare down and get some prints produced the opening for the show will probably be around Feb 7 or 8. There might be a larger "Exposure Photography Festival" event the same night at the gallery with some of the big wigs from Calgary showing up. Hopefully some of the local Edmonton photo lovers will show up as well, sometimes its hard to get anyone here interested in promoting photography here but it is events like this that might draw out them out. Hope, Hope!!
Here is the neg I am working on:
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| Mother feeding her baby Mae Sot garbage dump, Thailand 2013 |
