My dark Room Images

Dark Room

Below I have shown examples of how I have started creating my darkroom images using a film camera up until completion. 

Equipment used developing from Resin & Fibre based paper

• Enlarger for resin start from grade 3
• Filter paper work from grade 2

Firstly it is best to create a contact sheet, this will allow us to see what exposure time is best used. From the film strip, place images in glass responder and use focus to create sharpness. Once the correct focus is created I used a piece of black card to cover approx 3 -4 inches of the image projection in order to see what best exposure was required. A piece of light sensitive paper is then placed in position and exposure time then begins. Each exposure time was then limited to 5 seconds each. From that I could guesstimate what my required exposure time would be. thus was repeated x3 for each Image.

Differences between paper types are:-

Resin paper is generally thinner than fibre. It usually weights around 190gsm. The paper is sealed between layers of polyetherine, with the emulsion and a supercoating on top. As the paper is completely sealed in the resin layers it never absorbs any liquid. This is why resin coated paper is quick to wash, the chemicals never permeate the paper itself. The advantage is that the paper will dry very quickly, and flat. Which is helpful if lyou want to work fast.

Fibre Based Paper

Fibre paper generally has a thicker base than resin. With a weight around 255gsm or higher. The heavier weight is sometimes referred to as “double weight”. Another term you might have seen is Baryta. This just another name for Fibre Based paper. Which comes from the layer of baryta (barium sulphate) applied to the paper base before the emulsion. Baryta will give the paper a whiter base, brighten the image and bring out the tones, as well as provide a ground for the emulsion. On fibre the emulsion is able to sit in the grain of the paper, giving the image more depth and richness compared to prints on resin coated paper.

Developing my Prints

I used fibre based paper for all of my prints. this was the most cost effective and the the paper gradient supplied to me.

Developer - develop for 2.5 mins against stop clock whilst moving the tray consistently

Stop - image immersed for 30 seconds

Fix - image immersed for 4 mins total to give desired results

Once all three actions above have been carried out then all 3 images where place in 'the fish tank' to wash for 20 mins then hung up to dry within the dark room. Because of the lengthily process the above was carried out over an entire day whilst trying to get my images as best as possible unlike using a digital camera and being able to work very quickly.

Toning

This is the method of adding colour change to black and white images. 

sepia toning improves print longevity and gives the image a tonal range from a warm black to a rich chocolate brown depending on dilution.

Selenium toner enhances a prints tonal range. Selenium toner can produce tones from red-brown to purple-brown depending on the dilution. Selenium toned prints are highly stable

I used Selenium for 2 of my images and Sepia for 1 image.

Sepia

• Mask
• Gloves
• Glasses
• Lab coat

 It is important to soak each print prior to toning, because I had done this tqunique on a different day to the above I was required to ask each image in water for approx 10 mins prior to any toning. This allows the prints to be assumable to any toning being carried out.

Using diluted bleach solution  I agitated the print until the black tone appeared to have been dissolved fully, this looked as though my image became browned in colour and almost some areas became completely white again. Once complete the image was based in water for to remove as much of the bleach solution as possible. The final stage was to tone the image, this would give the Sepia tone. To do so I immersed the image into the solution until I was happy wit the production, this took about 4  mins total. Once complete it was time to wash the image again for 20 mins and allow to dry over night. I however had to wait a week in order to see my final image due to course schedule.

Selenium

(same PPE equipment as above)

As advices above I had already soaked my images together prior to any toning. I then transferred my prints to the selenium solution and agitated for around 3 mins, in doing so I started to notice the image change and almost become pink in tone. This toning method was relatively quick and all that was required afterwards was to wash the print for 20 mins and hang to dry. Again I seen my final image 1 week after toning. Using Selenium preserves your image for 100 years.

Spotting

In order to spot my images I had to first fine any flaws or light spotting and dust marks within each photograph. I did not find that many so decided to use a rocky image in order to practice. With a fine tipped paint brush I had to mix each Sade with the right mount of moisture and black pigment in order to colour match to any spot needing filled, I used the border around my images to use as a shade chart to as closely matched as possible. One I found the desired shade I lightly dapped each spot until it was filled. I found this very difficult due to the colour matching. I did however find that I covered quite a lot of my image as closely to the desired shade as needed. Once dry it was time to think about mounting.

Image mounting

Below I have given images into how I achieved the formula for mounting each image in the centre of the mounted car. I found this relatively straight forward. Also in the images are my final prints before mounting.

Formula for mounting A-D 1/2 =border frame