After working all night, doing around 15-20 tests and then finally making my 1st attempt at a 16x20 print of this neg here it is. Not bad for the firs attempt. I want to see if I can separate the black hair from the background a bit. I need to do more dodging during the initial exposure. Will also try adjusting the contrast 1/2 grade down and add more exposure to various part of the neg especially the figure in the background closest to the baby. The condenser enlarger is adding quite a bit of contrast to the negs. I might have to lower my negative development by a minute or so on future films. This picture was printed on Bergger glossy fibre warm tone16x20 paper.
I like the story told in the neg, there are all the different generations of women present. The young child, the mother and friend and the older more pessimistic women in the background. All stages of life are represented. I think this is an important photo for the show, it tells a compelling story about the life of the people and this specific child. The focus of the 15 prints I show will be on the children of the dump. I need to keep working at this image until it says what I want it to say. I want to make these prints sing, so far I am out of key in my attempts.
Here are the many steps involved int he making of this print. Exposure on this print, counting all the burns etc is about 23 minutes, gosh thats a lot! I used a chair and sat down for some of the longer mask burns, a first for me!
1) Basic exposure 175 seconds at F4 and filter 2
2) Dodge mothers face minus 25 seconds
3) Dodge 2 rear figures face and upper bodies, give them a total exposure of around 40 seconds
4) Mask #1 burn 60 seconds to ladies shirt at right background of print 90 seconds to everywhere else in mask, another 90 second to lower skirt and legs of mother.
5) Change f-stop to 2.8, burn left side with card plus 80 seconds.
6) Burn bottom of image with card plus 100 seconds.
7) Burn lower right corner with card in swaying motion for 150 seconds.
8) Burn white water container on right with hole card for 50 seconds.
9) Burn woman on lefts shirt/skirt and corner spread burning for 130 seconds with hole card.
10) Change to filter #4 Mask #2 (double mask to prevent fogging) burn cut out areas for 200 seconds and lower area of skirt and background cut out bits for an additional 200 seconds.
11) Change to filter #-1 burn upper top edge with white frawns for 80 seconds.
Gosh I actually remembered all of that without going to my notes, it was a long darkroom day! I will try to improve the print tomorrow after I finish my workshop, I have someone coming in at 1pm. Another $100 for my photo project shooting retirement fund.
One other thing I tried for the fun of it with this print was a 5 minute development time to bring out the blacks a bit more. I learned this trick from the wonderful wet plate photographer Borut Peterlin who you can find on YouTube. Here is his vid:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjZ-Qc43dF7xHBC92MAuA
Update: Making prints SING is damn tough, I am still struggling with this neg, the latest 2 print versions have there positives and negatives. I made up a dodging mask for the rear figures and the background behind the main subjects which helps somewhat. I will continue plugging away hopefully I can put together an acceptable print tomorrow. I want to bleach, tone and give a final wash to my first to show prints this coming week of work and then have them framed by the end of the week. If I can get that done then I have 2 of a possible 20 completed, 10%. It would be a start! Then I can start on photos 3 and 4 next week off.
I like the story told in the neg, there are all the different generations of women present. The young child, the mother and friend and the older more pessimistic women in the background. All stages of life are represented. I think this is an important photo for the show, it tells a compelling story about the life of the people and this specific child. The focus of the 15 prints I show will be on the children of the dump. I need to keep working at this image until it says what I want it to say. I want to make these prints sing, so far I am out of key in my attempts.
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| Mother feeding baby in shack first attempt |
1) Basic exposure 175 seconds at F4 and filter 2
2) Dodge mothers face minus 25 seconds
3) Dodge 2 rear figures face and upper bodies, give them a total exposure of around 40 seconds
4) Mask #1 burn 60 seconds to ladies shirt at right background of print 90 seconds to everywhere else in mask, another 90 second to lower skirt and legs of mother.
5) Change f-stop to 2.8, burn left side with card plus 80 seconds.
6) Burn bottom of image with card plus 100 seconds.
7) Burn lower right corner with card in swaying motion for 150 seconds.
8) Burn white water container on right with hole card for 50 seconds.
9) Burn woman on lefts shirt/skirt and corner spread burning for 130 seconds with hole card.
10) Change to filter #4 Mask #2 (double mask to prevent fogging) burn cut out areas for 200 seconds and lower area of skirt and background cut out bits for an additional 200 seconds.
11) Change to filter #-1 burn upper top edge with white frawns for 80 seconds.
Gosh I actually remembered all of that without going to my notes, it was a long darkroom day! I will try to improve the print tomorrow after I finish my workshop, I have someone coming in at 1pm. Another $100 for my photo project shooting retirement fund.
One other thing I tried for the fun of it with this print was a 5 minute development time to bring out the blacks a bit more. I learned this trick from the wonderful wet plate photographer Borut Peterlin who you can find on YouTube. Here is his vid:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjZ-Qc43dF7xHBC92MAuA
Update: Making prints SING is damn tough, I am still struggling with this neg, the latest 2 print versions have there positives and negatives. I made up a dodging mask for the rear figures and the background behind the main subjects which helps somewhat. I will continue plugging away hopefully I can put together an acceptable print tomorrow. I want to bleach, tone and give a final wash to my first to show prints this coming week of work and then have them framed by the end of the week. If I can get that done then I have 2 of a possible 20 completed, 10%. It would be a start! Then I can start on photos 3 and 4 next week off.
