Some years ago, just before moving back home from USA, I read about a person named "Fred Picker" in an American catalogue ("Zone VI" I believe the catalogue came from). Picker recommended using some master printers print as a reference-print in the darkroom (he also happened to sell prints for this purpose). After another weekend day in the darkroom where I found that my eyes have played tricks on me in the darkroom light (with the result that some prints were too dark, and the contrast not what I thought) I remembered this advice. I'm now considering to produce some own "reference-prints" that I'm happy with, for instance one where I like the skin-tones, put some protective plastic on it and bring it with me to the darkroom. Of course, I am very far from being a master printer, wouldn't even call me a printer actually, but sometimes prints turn out really good anyway.

So, is this something you have tried and did it help you? Should a "master-print" be even more helpful? If the latter, is there still someone who produces prints, not expensive, for this purpose?

Cheers, Peter.

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), October 28, 1999

Answers

The problem of prints getting darker can probably not be solved by reference prints but by evaluating dry prints or test strips, because it is probably due to the prints drying down.

Also, I would not evaluate test strips or prints under safelights, but under typical room light or daylight. I am not sure any more where I read it, but one author even suggested evaluating the test strip under the very same lighting conditions which are intended for the final print. This is probably not practical with many prints, but I guess there is not much doubt that a safelight is not suitable for this purpose.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), October 28, 1999.

Thanks Thomas, I should have mentioned that the darkroom has a white light as well, not only the safelights. I'm aware of the drydown effects but they seem to mainly affect bright areas. About the final viewing light, I plan to purchase a daylight corrected bulb from Nova products and use in the darkroom.

-- Peter Olsson (peter.olsson@lulebo.se), October 28, 1999.

I'm not sure what a reference print, printed by someone else from someone else's negative, would be useful for. Every print is an interpretation of a negative, and my interpretation of my own negative is bound to be different to someone else's interpretation of their negative.

When I make prints from my own negatives, I ensure I keep one copy back, as a reference for any reprints.

I do sometimes try to achieve the same 'look' within a series, and establishing a reference can be very useful. Also, having a sheet fully exposed and fully developed can be useful as a reference 'maximum black'. In theory, a step-wedge print could also be useful, but I have never felt the need for one in the darkroom.

Beware of protective plastic. This is certain to change to look of the print.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), October 28, 1999.

I don't know about the need for a "Masters" print in the darkroom but they are a good educational tool to know what a well crafted print should look like. I am amazed at the number of black and white printers that have never seen a "real" print from one of the big names in photography. Books do not do a good job of reproducing photographs, so if you have only seen Ansel Adams' photos in a book or poster then you have never seen an Ansel Adams photo (substitute whatever name you like). The real thing is very educational, go to museums and galleries to open your mind.

-- Jeff White (zonie@computer-concepts.com), October 28, 1999.

Peter,

I wouldn't expect the corrected bulb to be of much help. If you feel you have a problem with the determination of the optimum exposure and grade, rather try to get some information on how to evaluate test strips from books on printing, such as "The Positive" by Ansel Adams, or "The Photographers Master Printing Course" by Tim Rudman. Basically, the best way to learn is to make a lot of mistakes and think about them.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), October 29, 1999.

You can still get some of Fred's prints from Calumet. They are well worth the money.

-- Alec Jones (alecj@bellsouth.net), October 30, 1999.

A reference print would be nice outside the doka, as something to remind you how beautiful B&W can get an d Fred Picker has some very useful tips to become a good B&Wphotographer/printer. But as a technical guideline in the doka a reference print is worthless, especially when you use a print of a situation where you were not present when the picture was made. Developing and printing is important and fun, but good lighting is by far the most important factor determining the impact of a B&W-picture. If not, at least the combination of lighting and film-handling is.

Drying down has considerable impact on contrast-impression of the print as a whole, not only in highlights.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), October 30, 1999.

Years ago I developed a system which when described sounds much more complicated than it is, but when followed makes for top quality prints. To begin with, you need to have at least three fine prints. Four or five is better. In the darkroom, make quick proofs of a negative using several contrast filters. Keep the overall exposure in the ballpark but don't bother with dodging or burning in. As you work, write the exposure and filter details on the back of each proof. Wash and dry the proofs and then place them one at a time within a circle of the fine prints for individual evaluation. Indirect daylight from a window is fine. What you are trying to determine first is the appropriate contrast grade filter. Having the comparison prints is invaluable. You'll see what's needed in a flash. If none is the right contrast, go back into the darkroom and make more proofs. When you settle on a contrast grade, look at the proof, still within the circle of fine prints, and make notes as to how the tones of different areas vary from what you want. (I developed a personal vocablulary of graduated adjectives: a "tiny" bit too dark, a "little" bit too dark, "somewhat" too dark, a "fair amount" too dark, "way" too dark, etc.) Take the notes and the proof back into the darkroom, place the proof in a tray of water, and make a print with tones that vary from the proof tones as you noted. As you work compare the wet prints to the wet proof. This technique takes care of issues with the quality of the viewing light, both in and out of the darkroom. Outside, you are viewing your proofs against known fine prints, in the same ambient light. In the darkroom, you are viewing wet prints against wet annotated proofs, again under the same light. The issue of drydown also disappears. I came up with this method when I needed to make a dozen or so copies of sixty or seventy different negatives, all in the same style. One thing: every time I tried to second guess my notes while working, thinking that they were wrong, they weren't wrong. They were right. I learned to trust the notes. A shorter, but less critically effective, version of the above is to take two or three good prints into the darkroom and keep them in a water bath. When evaluating wet prints in progress, view them along side the wet good prints. I would never make prints without a couple of good comparison prints floating in a water bath. Hope this helps. (Again, if this sounds like *more* work, it's not, considering the results.) njb

-- Nacio Brown (njb@limn.net), October 31, 1999.

Not prints but strips. The brillance of some prints is the purity of the highlights. To print true high values I found the use of zone viii and vii key strips very useful. Strips exposed to show zone viii and vii on a paper. These strips when held next to wet prints immediately tell if the print will show the correct tone or if they are grayer than they should to be. One way to make one: cover half a strip with a piece of cardboard, then expose for various exposure times on the other half. Develope, tone and dry down etc. The strip that shows just a kiss of tone more than the paper white, is zone viii and slightly more (twice as much time) is zone vii. If the first strip with tone is too dark start over again lighter and with closer exposures. There are other probably better ways to make these but the above gives an idea. These strips then can serve as keys to provide the discipline necessary to achieve print contrast and brillance. No longer is the tone "almost white enough."

-- JimRyder (jimryder12@aol.com), November 03, 1999.

No! I like to work off of a contact sheet and my memory of what I previsualized the photo to look like. The contact rpint shows me the entire print right away and usually with good tones thoughout! (if it's a well made contact) Then I will try to inmagine what my vision of the scene looked like when I shot it. I will compare the test strips with the contact print against my "ideal" image lodged somewhere in my brain. Also be aware of the dry-drown effect! It usually takes me a long time to make my first print but then the rest are just easy knock-offs!

-- shawn boyle (shawn6@ids.net), November 09, 1999.