Split Filter printing article in "Photo Techniques"

[Mahler_one]

Well and completely stated David! Thanks.

Ed

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Forgive me if this article has been discussed already, (I did search for a thread on it)

The Jan/Feb 2009 issue of Photo Techniques" has an article that investigates if it is worthwhile to print VC paper by exposing the paper to both a high contrast and a low contrast filter versus exposing the paper to a single filter of the required contrast. In a nutshell the article says that in the case of people with a colour head split filter printing achieves nothing. i did a workshop with Howard Bond years ago and he said the same thing however I suspect that some people still use this technique. Of course using a different filter whilst burning is another matter entirely. Any thoughts on the article? Is split filter printing buried as an idea or do some people still use it?

Mark

Mark

The article is correct and so is Howard Bond. The effect of any combination of straight low and high-contrast exposures can also be achieved with a single mid-contrast exposure. However, the advantage of being able to dodge and burn differently during the two exposures makes split-grade printing a valuable techniques, achieving effects you can't do otherwise.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

the advantage of being able to dodge and burn differently during the two exposures makes split-grade printing a valuable technique, achieving effects you can't do otherwise.

Dodging at a different contrast grade is a definite advantage to split grade printing - the thing is a royal PITA with single-filter printing.

Burning at a different contrast grade can be easier with single filter printing. If the burn is to be at other than #00 or #5 then two burns must be performed, and figuring the ratio of the two split-filter burns can be a bit of a nightmare.

Burning at an intermediate contrast grade with split filter printing is more easily done with fixed filtration.

For production printing, running off a set of 20 identical prints for instance, it can be easier to find the fixed contrast grade equivalent exposure once exposure and grade have been determined with SG techniques.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Dodging at a different contrast grade is a definite advantage to split grade printing - the thing is a royal PITA with single-filter printing.

Burning at a different contrast grade can be easier with single filter printing. If the burn is to be at other than #00 or #5 then two burns must be performed, and figuring the ratio of the two split-filter burns can be a bit of a nightmare.

Burning at an intermediate contrast grade with split filter printing is more easily done with fixed filtration.

For production printing, running off a set of 20 identical prints for instance, it can be easier to find the fixed contrast grade equivalent exposure once exposure and grade have been determined with SG techniques.

I agree. Split-grade printing has no advantage unless you dodge and burn. It is head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to dodging, and with burning-in it can even be a disadvantage.

For doing a lot of burning-ins at contrast extremes, split-grade printing is fine. For edge burns, which are mostly done at base print contrast, split-grade is not ideal. However, with an under-the-lens filter set, one can easily do both.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have no choice but to split filter with my home made 8x10 enlarger. I print with blue and green, Roscoe filters placed between the negative and the light head. It's a little bit more work, but worth it as I feel that I have a bit more control.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I have no choice but to split filter with my home made 8x10 enlarger. I print with blue and green, Roscoe filters placed between the negative and the light head. It's a little bit more work, but worth it as I feel that I have a bit more control.

Andrew

You still have the choice of using under-the-lens filters.

 

[John Elder]

Split grade printing gives alot more control over local contrast. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but very few of my exhibition prints print straight without dodging and burning. Being able to dodge and burn during both the blue light exposure and the green light exposure produces prints that can't be made with single exposure dodging and burning. With split grade printing you can dodge the highlight and midtones without sacrificing blacks in the same local area, and converse is also true. Thats reality! I don't diagree with the article quoted, my critique of the article is that it totally ignores why split grade printing is so useful.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Being able to dodge and burn during both the blue light exposure and the green light exposure produces prints that can't be made with single exposure dodging and burning

I basically agree, and I'm a fan of split-grade printing too, but how do you burn during an exposure? IMHO, burning-in is about the only weak point split-grade printing has.