Unlock STUNNING Black & White Darkroom Prints: Expert Selenium Toning Tips

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@DaisyEye 2 сағат бұрын

Im using ilford fiber mat will this toner give my images a warm tone? Im using eco pro developer and fix. Thanks in advance!

@sbills 50 минут бұрын

Thanks!

@callmeBe 5 сағат бұрын

You are using what sounds to be quite a bit more of Na+ Sulfite as a hypo clearing agent, than the Kodak formula that they recommended for 50+ years (I have formula books that date back to the mid 1940's that show this formula), which has always been 10g to 500ml H20. What you want is simply something modesty alkaline (Na+ Sulfite has a PH of 9) to open up the matrix (increases permeability) of the print gelatin so that it increases the effectiveness of the wash. Some people use sodium carbonate instead because it likewise has a higher PH, but it has a highly variable PH, from strong to weak. And, ideally you want just a weak basic. Now, I use Kodak AZO paper, which has some very different characteristics (due to it's much higher silver content) than modern papers, but I hypo clear first, don't rinse afterwards, and then immerse in Kodak Rapid Selenium toner 15 parts H20 to 1 selenium. The residual Na+ sulfite on the print then drives the coloration towards the colder hues (AZO moves from a slightly olive color into the purples, again because of the high reactive silver content). But you could also rinse the print after the clearing agent, apply just a pinch of something acidic (say, citric acid) and drive your print coloration towards the warm colors. AZO is wonderful in that because of it's reactivity, depending upon how you plan to move your PH, you can obtain really complex toning colors that modern prints will never have--where you get warm combined with cool. For instance, you can get some warming plumb colors along with slight purples. And, this is not split toning, but an even global hue throughout all contrasts. Anyway, you have what seems to be really nice print values at 7:10. Very traditional, all the way back to the 1930's. AZO's colors are much more complex, and more reminiscent of the very early 1900's. Of course, mixed toning makes color matching extremely hard when retouching. But I am armed with several Kodak Color Retouching kits, and combined with a Kodak Spotting Colors kit, I can combine colors to get a match. Great video! I am so happy that someone is still teaching some of the more traditional techniques in an almost totally digital world!

@Distphoto 4 сағат бұрын

@@callmeBe Thank you! My thinking is to halt the selenium I forget how many grams in a TBS. But I go heavy to halt the toning… may not be necessary.

@callmeBe 3 сағат бұрын

@@Distphoto I was always told (and read) that selenium is neutralized by a simple but thorough water rinse. You are not accomplishing any damage by what you are doing, so as long as you are getting the results you want, who cares. But, with the older papers (silver chloride, or POP or albumen) you can drive your toner towards warm or cold values by the PH in which you immerse the print. (Hence the use, say of Au Chloride toner--which is usually--but does not have to be acidic, vs. borax--which is always basic. The same is true of Sodium Sulfite, it has about the same PH as borax). I do not know if that is true of your newer papers. I have a lifetime supply of AZO and POP. When the standard graded papers began to be replaced by variable types (1980's), I saw the handwriting on the wall and began buying (and commissioning) the stock that I have today. But your display print you exhibit here looks very fine. And the toning is certainly within the normal parameters of a modern fine print. Congratulations!