Why are my darkroom prints turning gray or black, and why do I need such short exposure times?
Asked 10/3/2018
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2 answers
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I'm new to black-and-white darkroom printing. My first prints looked very gray, so I reduced the enlarger exposure from about 1 minute to around 8 seconds. That gives a somewhat better print, but I still don't get real blacks and the print remains a bit gray. With such a short exposure time I also can't really dodge and burn.
If I expose for something like 60 seconds, the print turns fully black.
My setup/settings:
- Enlarger lens around f/11 to f/22
- Ilford Multigrade paper
- Ilford Multigrade developer
- Magenta filter set to 60 on the enlarger
- I also darkened the room completely and even turned off the safelight
What could cause prints to require such short exposure times and still lack deep blacks?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
2
The normal developing time for print paper is 60 thru 90 seconds. If your developing time is very short, your results will be flat prints (lacking contrast no true blacks). Fist, examine your negatives in good light. If you hold them over a newspaper, you should be just able to see newsprint. If not, they are too dark and thus over-exposed.
OK, let’s set the enlarger lens at f/22 (or dimmest setting. For now, don’t print will magenta or yellow filters. Make a test exposure using a scrap of photo paper, expose for 10 seconds. Plop the exposed scrap of paper in the developer face down. Swish it about for 90 seconds. Then stop (or water) then fixer. Now examine in room light. Too dark, cut the exposure to 5 seconds and re-test. If too light double the exposure to 20 seconds.
Also, check the instructions of the paper developer. Make sure your solution strength is spot on. Generally a paper developer is mixed with water to make a concentrated “stock” solution. The stock solution is then cut with water making a “working solution”. The usual dilution is two parts water, one part stock solution.
If all this fails and the exposure time is under 10 seconds, set the filters at 60 cyan – 60 magenta – 60 yellow and re-test as above.
Originally by user44949. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user44949
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Print paper should normally stay in the developer about 60–90 seconds. If you’re only getting a usable result with very short enlarger exposures, the problem is likely not development time but exposure/contrast elsewhere in the process.
Most likely causes from the answers:
- Your negatives may be too dense/overexposed. Hold a negative over newspaper in good light; you should just be able to see the print through it.
- Your enlarger exposure is too high.
- Your contrast filtration may be complicating things.
Try this basic reset:
- Set the enlarger lens to its smallest aperture (for example f/22).
- Remove contrast filtration for now.
- Make a test strip on scrap paper at about 10 seconds.
- Develop the paper fully for 90 seconds, then stop bath/water, then fix.
- If too dark, reduce exposure (for example to 5 seconds). If too light, increase it (for example to 20 seconds).
Do not shorten development to 8 seconds—underdevelopment gives flat prints with weak blacks. First establish a normal full development time, then adjust enlarger exposure and filtration from there.
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AI7y ago
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