On Tuesday night I headed back down to the darkroom to get started on some printing. I had spent the evening prior making a bunch of unsharp masks and now I was ready to get started...
Unsharp masking is a technique that is difficult to explain and comprehend. The traditional method is a darkroom technique. But it has found it's way into digital photography and is also one of the filter tools that can be utilized in PhotoShop.
The traditional method involves creating a slightly out of focus positive transparency of the negative to be printed. The negative and the positive are then sandwiched together in prefect registration and used to create a print. The mask [out of focus positive] is not fully developed resulting in an image that is a little thin and weak, as well as being out of focus. When this is combined with the original negative it basically results in a very fine dark outline around highlights, and a very fine light outline around shadows, when the two are projected together onto a piece of photo sensitive paper. This creates the illusion of increased sharpness and contrast.
The most critical factor is to have perfect alignment between the negative and the mask. This is virtually impossible to achieve with small roll film negatives. But with large format sheet film, and the use of a pin registration jig, it is relatively straight forward. The pin registration set includes a number of components. First there is a punch, that punches two very small holes in the edge of the film. This is used first to punch the edge of the original negative, and then a piece of film which will become the mask. Then, there is an easel, with two pins that are spaced at the exact same distance as the holes that the punch creates. This allows the original negative and the film that will become the mask to be held in a set position for exposure. The exposure is done with a separator of a piece of clear film stock, which is used during exposure to separate the mask from the original, resulting in an out of focus image. The thickness of this separator affects the degree of focus, and the amount of time that the mask is developed affects the density of the mask. These factors dictate the strength of the effect. Once the mask has been exposed, processed, washed and dried, it is stacked with the original negative to expose the paper of the final print. This requires a film carrier with pins that also line up to the holes of the punch and the easel. This allows for perfect alignment of the mask and the negative.
I use orthocromatic film for making my masks. This type of film is sensitive only to blue light. This allows me to work under red safelight when exposing and developing the mask. I tray process the film by inspection, and pull the film from the developer, moving it to the stop bath, when I feel the density is adequate for the masking process.
I made masks of 8 or 10 different negatives on Monday evening, and on Tuesday I headed down to the darkroom to print two of them. I made large 16" x 20" prints of these two negatives. If these prints turn out as I hope, I will display them at the upcoming Monochrome Guild Friends and Family Show. I may also consider them for inclusion in the Procession West project.
The snapshots below show the two negatives as I worked on printing them. There is an image of the negative and the unsharp mask sitting beside the negative carrier. Note the small holes at the edge of the negative and the mask, and the pins in the carrier. I have also included an image of each negative projected down onto my 16"x 20" easel. The easel itself is yellow in color and it is this that makes the image look the color it is. Finally I have included snap shops of the prints being fixed in a tray. This work was all completed during my darkroom session that lasted for about 5 or 6 hours. At the end of the evening I left the prints in a holding tray of water and tidied up the darkroom.
The next evening I went back down to finish the prints. They were given a second fix in a tray of fresh fixer. This was followed by a water rinse and then a clearing bath of hypo clearing agent. From there the prints went into a toning bath of selenium. Selenium reacts with the silver in the emulsion of the print and results in a print that is more archival. It also provides a slight deepening and cooling of the image tone. Toning was followed by a quick rinse and then the prints were moved to a vertical print washer for final washing. I usually wash my prints for about 24 hours, a combination of prolonged soaks with periodic changes of water, and some shorter times with the washer running and water circulating. After this extended wash the prints are hung briefly to drip dry, and are then laid out on drying screens to fully dry. After the prints have dried there is usually some spotting and finishing work required. Sometimes the prints have to be re-wet to undertake some localized bleaching of highlights, which may be the case this time around. If that proves necessary, the prints will need to be washed and dried again.
A rather long and involved process to create what I consider to be a work of art.... or at least I hope it will be a work of art. Between the original taking of the photograph, the processing of the original film, and then this elaborate printing procedure I sometimes feel that I invest more time in a finished print than a painter might in creating an oil painting or a water color. Digital photography has jaded the public's perception of the skill and dedication required on the part of traditional photo artists I suppose because it is relatively easy to make a few quick digital manipulations to an image file and then hit the "send to print" button. A traditional fine art print is a lot more work and leaves a lot of the subtleties of the look of the finished piece in the hands of the artist. This is reflected in the price that I ask when I offer my prints for sale.
