Topic: A little something for the darkroom printers

[02Pilot]

This was posted over on RFF. Thought it might be of some interest to folks here. Even though I don't print in the darkroom, I still found the subject quite interesting.

http://petapixel.com/2013/09/12/marked-photographs-show-iconic-prints-edited-darkroom/#.VHOEOhGTS7R.twitter

[John]

Thanks for that O2pilot. A great article, it just shows how some pictures need all that work in the darkroom, even when shot by top photographers. In my experience some need a lot of work but some very little or none at all.

Watching the print fade in is magical. The feeling of satisfaction on having made a decent print after the hard work is what keeps me doing it.

[FrankE]

Great post. Speaking as one who has been doing serious darkroom printing for only about a year, it is a real challenge, not that easy to do effective dodging and burning. I sometimes ask myself, photoshop is so much easier, why are you doing this. There is a magic to DR work that there isn't with a computer. All I can do is aspire to that level of work. Currently printing images from a recent trip. If my scanning of the prints looks somewhat reasonable, I will post them in the near future. It sure takes time to get a decent print for each image…..

[John]

Hello FrankE, the more you do it the easier it will get. Ask advice on here if you want. I'm shure there are plenty here willing to help.

I've been printing B&W at home for about 4 years, I did a part time basic darkroom skills course first. I found it really difficult at first. I'm definitely better than when I started and had some prints in an exhibition this year. I don't try to do too much when printing. Just one print, maybe two if I'm lucky with the first.

Best wishes.

[gsgary]

Great post. Speaking as one who has been doing serious darkroom printing for only about a year, it is a real challenge, not that easy to do effective dodging and burning. I sometimes ask myself, photoshop is so much easier, why are you doing this. There is a magic to DR work that there isn't with a computer. All I can do is aspire to that level of work. Currently printing images from a recent trip. If my scanning of the prints looks somewhat reasonable, I will post them in the near future. It sure takes time to get a decent print for each image…..

There is a member on here from Torornto (Timor)  who has been printing for years he may be able to give you some guidance

[gsgary]

Ive got a dvd of one of the worlds greatest printers, when you see him dodging it's like ballet http://www.robinbell.com/, i think i will watch it again now

here's the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1AoB6bId_4

[John]

Ive got a dvd of one of the worlds greatest printers, when you see him dodging it's like ballet http://www.robinbell.com/, i think i will watch it again now

here's the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1AoB6bId_4

Darkroom printing looks a bit like performance art to me, especially when done by a master like Robin Bell. I've never been able to do the 'waving hands under the lens', I have to cut up bits of card instead 

[gsgary]

What ever works is good

[Indofunk]

Ive got a dvd of one of the worlds greatest printers, when you see him dodging it's like ballet http://www.robinbell.com/, i think i will watch it again now

here's the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1AoB6bId_4

Darkroom printing looks a bit like performance art to me, especially when done by a master like Robin Bell. I've never been able to do the 'waving hands under the lens', I have to cut up bits of card instead 

Looks like someone playing a theramin

[timor]

Ive got a dvd of one of the worlds greatest printers, when you see him dodging it's like ballet http://www.robinbell.com/, i think i will watch it again now

here's the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1AoB6bId_4

Darkroom printing looks a bit like performance art to me, especially when done by a master like Robin Bell. I've never been able to do the 'waving hands under the lens', I have to cut up bits of card instead 

Looks like someone playing a theramin

That was only for the camera. 
You guys have to realise that there are two kinds of dodging and burning. First one and most common is recovery of badly exposed or developed negative. Well made neg prints itself to proper values, then could be dodged and burnt to emphasize the idea of the artist. That usually is delicate and not even close this complicated.