The SZ Photography thread

[shah]

i've embraced the dust and incorporate it in my thoughts before taking a shot

[Avantster]

am getting frustrated with the film printing process...no matter what can't seem to completely get a clean print with no dust marks on it. any suggestions for film cleaning to get an immaculate print?

i can't even find a spot pen in this town....

Where are you printing? Here's an article re dust I found useful myself (as well as a bunch of other useful articles including one on personalizing your film speed).

[david s]

dust & film

@ FTB : so from past experience

• after developing the film, do not squeqee the film, I don't know the technical term for the tool that is used but it will scratch the emulsion side, the wetting agent should take care of this
• make sure you dry in a closed drying closet & do not open until it is dry. Opening a drying closet will allow dust to get into it drying closet and it will get caked to your negatives
• once dry cut and store as soon as possible
• when you use the negative you can use a cleaning solution on it. I usually only do this when I am doing a high resolution scan of the negative for archiving purposes, the cleaning agent will eventually damage the negative itself
• if you are using an enlarger used compressed air to blow off dust

Finally it is the nature of the beast, really the only time you might get a dust free print is the first time you use the negative and your enlarger has been cleaned really well.

[Fade to Black]

thanks for your comments guys...i will go look for a can of compressed air before i head off to print later today. Am printing in the school darkroom since it's my only access to an enlarger/dark room so I am sure that is affecting the cleanliness of the prints/negative.

Am just wondering because normally when you look at exhibitions/photography collection books the film prints look absolutely flawless, unlike your usual amateur DIY print. Wonder how they do it.

[endersgame]

you don't want to use compressed air on film or glass (lenses). the pressure is too strong and if it leaks, it will stain whatever you spray. don't blow on it either or risk spitting..

use a hand-squeeze puffer and an anti-static brush. if it's surface gunk, re-wash or soak in pec-12.

spotone was a great archival spotting ink but they don't make that anymore. spot pens suck, it's like spotting with crayons and it's not archival. marshalls and other inks are not proven to be archival either so stay away from them.

brush spotting is very difficult. you need a super fine tip brush and gently work on layering tone the size of a grain of sand while wearing magnefying glasses, but it's the only way to properly spot a silver print.

also know that spotting RC is close to impossible, do it on fiber exhibition prints.

or print digitally and photoshop the dust out..

[Fade to Black]

yeah i ended up getting an anti-static brush and just using my hand-squeeze air pump, the results are better. it's just satin RC paper for practice right now...

[endersgame]

matt, make sure you are using gloves when handling fixer and chemistry, it's all toxic.

do you have access to a color darkroom?

i've spent many hours in front of a kreonite machine waiting for crappy prints to come out but man, it was the best time i've had in the dark. b+w is ok, but it's so much fun making c-prints...

[Fade to Black]

Thanks for the gloves comment, I appreciate it.

don't have access to a color dark room hence i am shooting and printing all b/w right now; the school facilities are somewhat subpar due to massive misuse by students in general, and yet this and the Chinese University are the 2 most well known remaining places in Hong Kong where there is somewhat of a public communal darkroom! Furtheremore there are only a few enlargers left that go up to 16 X 20 and they[re about to be thrown out...lol

Need to figure out how to develop/access a more complete darkroom environment especially once i graduate and/if i continue working in this area. Maybe need to rent a studio and the building of it is going to be a pain in the butt...do you have your own studio/darkroom?

[endersgame]

no i had to opportunity to build a pro-darkroom with little money but it never materialized.

schools usually have limited to no darkroom facilities but if you wanted to, you can make a bathroom (given it has proper ventilation) light tight and place an enlarger on the floor and use the tub for holding and washing prints. build a shelf above that to store 3 trays (developer, stop, fixer)

film processing requires only a sink with running water.

or if you shoot large format, you can just do contact prints. no enlarger required, just a contact print frame, a light, and a timer.

shame you are in hk, i gave away and have access to a lot of darkroom equipment..

you should also pick up on henry horensteins b+w manuals. it's an illustrated guide to beginner and intermediate printing and equipment.