Can someone "in the know" please explain the printing process called "Flashing"? I was reading from one of John Sexton's books where he said that he used flashing on some of his prints.

Any help would be appreciated..........

-- Frank Shepherd (franks@netdoor.com), May 25, 1999

Answers

Flashing is used in situations where it is difficult to have detail in the highlights without printing everything else too dark. It is done by exposing the paper to non-image light. Paper is like film in that it takes a certain amount of light before the film or paper starts to respond, this is called the threshold. Flashing is exposing the paper or part of the paper to non-image light to the point that the paper has almost reached the threshold. Non-image light means light from another enlarger, light from the same enlarger withought the negative in place or maybe with the negative in place but open the lens wide open and place a diffusor between the lens and paper. I used to use a styrofoam cup for this but I have found that I now prefer wax paper. The hardest part of flashing is to find the threshold, usually you make a test like you would for a print and when you find the exposure that starts to show on the paper you would pick the exposure that is next to it that is still white. Once you have found that spot, expose the negative as usual plus the flash exposure and everything from the negative that hits in what used to be a blocked highlight will now show its detail. By the way, I learned flashing from John Sexton and would reccomend one of his workshops if you ever get the chance. John uses several flashing procedures, masked flashing is one that I beleive he uses most. Masked flashing is flashing only in the areas that you want the effect and masking off everything else. Hope this makes sense.

-- Jeff White (zonie@computer-concepts.com), May 25, 1999.

Flashing

Thank you for the quick reply to my question. I realize that trying this will get me there but I want to ask one more question to follow up. Exposing the paper to non-image light, it seems to me that the exposure time will be very, very short before some response from the paper will be noted (seen). What aperture are we talking about and what kind of exposure times are we talking about with non-image light?

On another note, it must have been fantastic to study under this man. His book ""Listen to the Trees" completely blew me away. Although nature photography is not what I do most, when a piece of work such as this book comes to my shelf, the inspiration is unbelievable.

Take care and thanks.......

-- Frank (franks@netdoor.com), May 26, 1999.

The exposure is usually short, I haven't had the chance to use a second enlarger in my darkroom until recently. In the past I have used the negative in place and placed a couple of sheets of wax paper in a filter holder under the lens. I would open the lens up and a normal exposure time might be 8 or 10 seconds, with variable contrast paper I also use a # 0 filter. If you were using a second enlarger I would think that you would stop down all the way. John is a great teacher and photographer, I have the Limited Edition of Listen to the Trees and it is a wonderful book. I have done 3 workshops with John over the last 10 years and hope to take more in the future.

-- Jeff White (zonie@computer-concepts.com), May 26, 1999.

diffused plexiglas works really well also.......

-- mark lindsey (lindseygraves@msn.com), May 29, 1999.