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KYsailor · Jul 28, 2024

Patrick Robert James said:
Nice prints Dave. The UV box is the way! Makes things so much easier.

I am curious how much Tween you are using. I've been using LFN instead of Tween but I have some Tween now, just have no idea how much to use...

PRJ,

I use a 10% V/V tween (polysorbate 20) solution, and add one drop per 2 ml of cyano solution. I usually use 3 ml of solution per roughly 8X10 and I round up to two drops of tween.

Yes the UV box is the way to go - this one is 365 nm UV LED's and works great for both my DPT photogravure plates and the other alt photo processes. My old one was a 390-400 nm was kind of a home brew based on a commercial fixture and once I started measuring "L" values I found it had a hot spot, and would not work with the DPT plates, so a good upgrade.

Dave

KYsailor · Jul 28, 2024

Tom Taylor said:
Salt Print

View attachment 374818

One of my favorite salt prints which I have had on display since I printed it back in 2013. I forget now the paper that was used - either Fabriano Artistico, Lanaquarelle, or Bergger Cot 320, all of which I was using in those days, and (IIRC) toned it with a gold sodium acetate toner. What I do recall vividly is the difficulty I ran into in shooting the negative. This was shot with a Toyo 810G from the end of Pier 1 looking back at the Ferry Building which is located at the foot of Market and Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco where it is next to impossible to find a parking space. I arrived at the end of the workday when everyone was leaving for home and was there ready to snag an open spot when one suddenly became available 1 block away. I wheeled the camera in its hard case and a Manfrotto 475B tripod with my 2-wheel dolly to the end of the pier. The plan was to set up the camera and focus while it was still daylight and wait until darkness had set-in to take the exposure only to discover while determining the exposure with the spot meter that I had left the Delta 100 exposure sheet with the reciprocity curve at home. So I returned the next day and again managed to get a parking spot just a few feet from where I was parked the day before. The plan was the same and this time I had the data sheet. But upon determining the proper exposure and waiting for the incoming/outgoing ferries were both away from the Pier and the swells produced by their propellers had subsided (I wanted an unobstructed and smooth as possible foreground) just as I was getting ready to trip the shutter the lights all along the waterfront suddenly went out! Initially I entertained the idea that this was some sort of conspiracy by security whom I knew were aware of my presence from the security cameras that are employed on the Pier. The next morning I called the Pier and was informed that a construction contractor had accidently cut a cable which resulted in the power failure. So back out for the 3d consecutive night and unbelievably got a parking space just 1/2 block from the previous. This time everything went according to plan and I took the 15 second exposure using a 360mm Schneider Symmar-S.

That is a beautiful image, I am really impressed with the neutral and deep blacks, I assume that is due to the gold sodium acetate toning, since in my limited understanding salt prints are not known for their deep blacks. And a great back story to go with it.

Dave

Tom Taylor · Jul 29, 2024

Many thanks to Frank, Dave, Patrick and Bernard for their kind comments. Back in 2013 I was a big film noir fan (still am) and bought every film noir DVD that I could find at Rasputin's who created a film noir slot in their stores. I envisioned this image as belonging to that category and was impressed by how well the blacks turned out.

AndrewBurns · Aug 4, 2024

Four original cyanotypes, two on cheap cartridge watercolour paper and two on Magnani Portofino (both hot-pressed).

nmp · Aug 5, 2024

AndrewBurns said:
Four original cyanotypes, two on cheap cartridge watercolour paper and two on Magnani Portofino (both hot-pressed).

Nice set Andrew. Are these by any chance made with digital projection - or traditional contact printing?

:Niranjan

KYsailor · Aug 5, 2024

Andrew, very nice images - I really like the composition of the last one with the stairs.

Dave

David Najewicz Photography

davidnajewiczphotography.tumblr.com

Patrick Robert James · Aug 5, 2024

Salt print on Fabriano Studio HP watercolor paper. Neg is a little hot on the right side from the sun but overall I don't think this one is too bad. Not quite the Dmax of other papers though even with a long exposure.

AndrewBurns · Aug 5, 2024

Thanks all!

nmp said:
Nice set Andrew. Are these by any chance made with digital projection - or traditional contact printing?

:Niranjan

They were 'digital contact printing' using an LCD screen instead of a negative, you can see the details in this thread: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...egative-in-alt-process-contact-prints.207526/

KYsailor · Aug 5, 2024

Patrick Robert James said:
View attachment 375556

Salt print on Fabriano Studio HP watercolor paper. Neg is a little hot on the right side from the sun but overall I don't think this one is too bad. Not quite the Dmax of other papers though even with a long exposure.

Great print, love the minimalist composition. Going to try some salt prints. Curious what paper you think has the best DMax...

Dave

nmp · Aug 5, 2024

AndrewBurns said:
Thanks all!

They were 'digital contact printing' using an LCD screen instead of a negative, you can see the details in this thread: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...egative-in-alt-process-contact-prints.207526/

That's pretty neat. Thanks for sharing.

:Niranjan.

fgorga · Aug 5, 2024

AndrewBurns said:
Thanks all!

They were 'digital contact printing' using an LCD screen instead of a negative, you can see the details in this thread: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...egative-in-alt-process-contact-prints.207526/

Andrew,

It looks like you have gotten the kinks out of your new system. These are very nice prints.

I have followed your progress closely in hopes that I might build a similar system. Alas, I am not sure that I have all of the necessary skills.

Regards,

fgorga · Aug 5, 2024

Patrick Robert James said:
View attachment 375556

Salt print on Fabriano Studio HP watercolor paper. Neg is a little hot on the right side from the sun but overall I don't think this one is too bad. Not quite the Dmax of other papers though even with a long exposure.

Patrick,

A very nice print!

Did you pre-treat the paper with acid before salting it? That might help with the Dmax.

I have tried a lot of papers for salt printing (which is my main alt process) with varying results. In the end, I have settled on the papers designed for alt process printing... i.e. HPR and Revere Platinum. These papers just work and thus allow me to concentrate on making art rather than worrying about the details of the process.

In my experience salt printing is one of the pickiest processes with regard to paper, followed closely by platinum/palladium. Thus, I stick with the above mentioned papers for these processes.

Cyanotype, on the other hand, is mush less picky about paper if you 'develop' prints in an initial bath of 10-15% vinegar instead of plain water. Fabriano Studio is one of my 'go to' papers for cyanotype second only to Fabriano Unica.

Lastly, Chris Anderson has done much research on paper for alt processes and reported her results here: https://www.alternativephotography.com/massive-paper-chart/. Just in case you had not seen this.

Regards,

Patrick Robert James · Aug 5, 2024

KYsailor said:
Great print, love the minimalist composition. Going to try some salt prints. Curious what paper you think has the best DMax...

Dave

I am the wrong person to ask Dave. I haven't done that many prints. Best paper I've used so far is Revere Platinum. Bergger COT works well too.

Patrick Robert James · Aug 6, 2024

fgorga said:
Patrick,

A very nice print!

Did you pre-treat the paper with acid before salting it? That might help with the Dmax.

I have tried a lot of papers for salt printing (which is my main alt process) with varying results. In the end, I have settled on the papers designed for alt process printing... i.e. HPR and Revere Platinum. These papers just work and thus allow me to concentrate on making art rather than worrying about the details of the process.

In my experience salt printing is one of the pickiest processes with regard to paper, followed closely by platinum/palladium. Thus, I stick with the above mentioned papers for these processes.

Cyanotype, on the other hand, is mush less picky about paper if you 'develop' prints in an initial bath of 10-15% vinegar instead of plain water. Fabriano Studio is one of my 'go to' papers for cyanotype second only to Fabriano Unica.

Lastly, Chris Anderson has done much research on paper for alt processes and reported her results here: https://www.alternativephotography.com/massive-paper-chart/. Just in case you had not seen this.

Regards,

Thanks Frank.

Yes, I soaked it in a Citric Acid/Salt solution, then coated the silver. I think the Fabriano Studio has too much sizing to make a real deep black, but it makes a decent print. I might be getting too much salt on the paper though. I agree on the Revere Platinum. Best paper I've used so far I think. Not a big sample size though. A lot of papers have been splotchy for me. I am not sold on soaking the paper though. Might go back to brushing on the salt. I am still trying stuff and learning.

I think I have gotten to the point of just acidifying everything for cyanotype in Sulfamic Acid before I coat it. Just works better that way for the most part. Better tonality and faster speed in general but it depends on the paper. I also "develop" in Citric Acid. I really wanted to avoid having to do that, but sometimes you just have to give in and go with the flow.

KYsailor · Aug 6, 2024

Patrick Robert James said:
I am the wrong person to ask Dave. I haven't done that many prints. Best paper I've used so far is Revere Platinum. Bergger COT works well too.

Thanks tp PRJ and Frank for the insights on salt printing - been working on other stuff recently ( photogravure and cyano) but I thought I might give salt a try, I am attracted by it's simplicity. I was doing some kallitypes, but to be honest the complexity of the set up and number of steps has caused a lack of enthusiasm on my part - but thanks for the suggestions. I have a good supply of Revere Platinum, and it seems to work well with all alt processes, so I will give that a try.

koraks · Aug 6, 2024

KYsailor said:
might give salt a try, I am attracted by it's simplicity. I was doing some kallitypes, but to be honest the complexity of the set up and number of steps

While salt might seem simpler, in my experience it's a bit of a tricky process to get right. The main challenges are:
* Getting good dmax.
* Getting an even print with no streaks, striations etc.
* Getting clean paper whites that don't yellow as the print ages.
I've not done Kallitype, but the conceptually similar Van Dyke (lots of it) and that certainly is a whole lot easier than salted paper in my experience.

Don't let this stop you though. The tonal rendering of salted paper is really attractive IMO. It's a gentle, smooth curve, very long-scaled. That alone makes it well worth the effort.

AndrewBurns · Aug 15, 2024

A few more cyanotypes from this afternoon, still drying. I've been playing around with how I brush in and expose the edges of the prints. You'll have to excuse the terrible phone photo, I'll need to scan them when they fully dry.

AndrewBurns · Aug 16, 2024

Took some high quality photos of the above prints with a copy stand.

nmp · Aug 16, 2024

AndrewBurns said:
Took some high quality photos of the above prints with a copy stand.

They look great, Andrew.

Contrast is quite high in all of them - do you do any curve correction or is this how it in the originals?

:Niranjan.

AndrewBurns · Aug 16, 2024

nmp said:
They look great, Andrew.

Contrast is quite high in all of them - do you do any curve correction or is this how it in the originals?

:Niranjan.

Yes I have used a calibration curve on all of them, it's quite an extreme curve too due to the nature of cyanotype. I have generally chosen images with relatively high contrast as I think these look better as cyanotype prints, I feel like the blue tones and relatively low D-max tend to suck a bit of the contrast out of an image.

For reference here are the original digital files. (Top two are 4x5, bottom two are 35mm, as you can see from the relative levels of grain).

nmp · Aug 17, 2024

AndrewBurns said:
Yes I have used a calibration curve on all of them, it's quite an extreme curve too due to the nature of cyanotype. I have generally chosen images with relatively high contrast as I think these look better as cyanotype prints, I feel like the blue tones and relatively low D-max tend to suck a bit of the contrast out of an image.

For reference here are the original digital files. (Top two are 4x5, bottom two are 35mm, as you can see from the relative levels of grain).

They look pretty close.

One way to deal with the extreme curve shape is to use 2 curves. I sometimes deliberately use only 75% or so of the first curve and generate a second curve which will turn out to be of much more benign shape. In making the negative, the second curve is placed below the first curve. Rest of the process remains the same.

:Niranjan.

drew tanner · Aug 18, 2024

Here are a couple of 10”x50” vandyke prints (toned with dilute KRST) I made with a negative taken with a Cirkut No. 10 panoramic camera. These are on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag.

This summer American Cruise Lines has been running American Melody and American Heritage up and down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. I’m fortunate to be able to capture their stops here in Marietta, Ohio.

I’m still working on consistency in my coating technique at this size and exposing and developing negatives that have a good tonal range. These are only the third and fourth prints I’ve made with negatives from the Cirkut.

fgorga · Aug 18, 2024

drew tanner said:
Here are a couple of 10”x50” vandyke prints (toned with dilute KRST) I made with a negative taken with a Cirkut No. 10 panoramic camera. These are on Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag.

This summer American Cruise Lines has been running American Melody and American Heritage up and down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. I’m fortunate to be able to capture their stops here in Marietta, Ohio.

I’m still working on consistency in my coating technique at this size and exposing and developing negatives that have a good tonal range. These are only the third and fourth prints I’ve made with negatives from the Cirkut.

Nice!

10x50 inches... yikes!!!! Coating that much area without flaws is certainly going to take some practice.

How are you exposing such long prints?

fgorga · Aug 18, 2024

AndrewBurns said:
Took some high quality photos of the above prints with a copy stand.

Nice!

The contrast is just fine in my opinion.

However, since you are working digitally, burning and dodging type adjustments (on the 'negative') should be easy. The only place I might consider this is on the brick wall in the last photo. Just to bring back some of the texture.

drew tanner · Aug 18, 2024

fgorga said:
Nice!

10x50 inches... yikes!!!! Coating that much area without flaws is certainly going to take some practice.

How are you exposing such long prints?

Thank you! I’m finding I’m having decent luck using a 3” hake to coat. I’m double-coating and loading solution onto a pre-soaked brush from a 1-cup Pyrex bowl rather than pouring and spreading.

For exposure, I’ve built a 20x 84” UV unit using four rows of the Barrina lights. Each row is one 2’ light linked to a 4’ light. The lights are about 5” from the surface of the 12x72” contact frame I built. I’m getting exposure times of around 10 minutes.

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