Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/11/07

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Subject: [Leica] Printing large in the darkroom
From: richard.lists at gmail.com (Richard Man)
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 18:40:24 -0800

Today is the first day of the 2-day workshop on printing large
(16x20), hosted by Kate Jordhal. Because of her and other people's
work, apparently the Foothill community college is fairly well known
for their photography program. The lab has a ~20 Saunder/LPC enlargers
and the usual equipments. Most printers are actually regular CC
students with just a small few of us doing the workshop. Some of the
work are quite nice. There are negs from 35mm to 4x5, and even a few
of digital negatives for contact printing.

Thing one: standing on one's feet from 9 to 5 is a killer. People with
retail jobs must have strong legs.

I managed to print two images - one from a 6x7 neg and one from an
XPan neg. I printed some 8x10 prints from the 6x7 neg before and they
look pretty decent, but blowing up? Just doesn't cut it. I think I
will need to try a different contrast interpretation. The XPan, OTOH,
holds up pretty well.

Printing large means significantly longer exposure time (duh). It also
means shorter people like I have trouble turning the focusing know and
look through the grain focuser at the same time! Dodging and burning
get more challenging too.

I think I will select a couple Leica negs and try them tomorrow.

-- 
// richard m: richard @imagecraft.com
// w: http://www.imagecraft.com/pub/Portfolio09/ blog:
http://rfman.wordpress.com
// book: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/745963


Replies: Reply from s.dimitrov at charter.net (slobodan Dimitrov) ([Leica] Printing large in the darkroom)