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What's the best B/W paper you've ever used? ... Agfa? ... Ilford? ... Kodak? ... Fuji?
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Jan 27, 2018 20:38:07   #
Acufine3200 Loc: Texarkana USA
 
Chris T wrote:
Hit it high in contrast AT the shoot ... then bring it back down with low paper grade, and diluted Dektol, huh? ....

Hmmmm ....


I really had no choice, unless I wanted to shoot with a flash which severely limited shot options. The harsh available old school tungsten lights presented contrast which was then compounded with the 60% increase in development time.

Oh yeah, our early model offset press couldn’t handle much contrast, so most of our photos had to be fairly flat. Adjusting in the darkroom during the printing process was necessary.

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Jan 27, 2018 20:43:01   #
Acufine3200 Loc: Texarkana USA
 
Chris T wrote:
And I'll bet you were thrilled, Acufine .... what as? ... A junior correspondent, or a darkroom assistant?


Beyond my wildest dreams. Was actually hired as the darkroom tech, and finally got to start shooting that spring when I got some wheels. Nothing like learning your hobby with OPM!

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Jan 27, 2018 20:47:12   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
Acufine3200 wrote:
Beyond my wildest dreams. Was actually hired as the darkroom tech, and finally got to start shooting that spring when I got some wheels. Nothing like learning your hobby with OPM!


THE darkroom technician, Acu?

You mean - they didn't already have one?

OPM?

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Jan 27, 2018 20:49:40   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
Acufine3200 wrote:
I really had no choice, unless I wanted to shoot with a flash which severely limited shot options. The harsh available old school tungsten lights presented contrast which was then compounded with the 60% increase in development time.

Oh yeah, our early model offset press couldn’t handle much contrast, so most of our photos had to be fairly flat. Adjusting in the darkroom during the printing process was necessary.


Oh, I see, Acu ... so you had to soften everything for the Offset Press you used, anyway ....

Got it!!!

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Jan 27, 2018 20:51:59   #
therwol Loc: USA
 
Chris T wrote:
Do you still use it? ... Be sure to mention the name, finish, and texture ....


Agfa Brovira for serious work. Kodak Polycontrast for everything else. I always preferred paper versus RC for the end result. Most of my prints were glossy, though I experimented with various matte finishes and various other papers. Early RC papers had a milky surface appearance, and when I made the mistake of using emulsion hardener in the chemicals, it crumbled. It did improve over time and saved a ton of time in washing the pictures.

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Jan 27, 2018 20:54:26   #
Acufine3200 Loc: Texarkana USA
 
Chris T wrote:
THE darkroom technician, Acu?

You mean - they didn't already have one?

OPM?


Other People’s Money.

Publisher’s son had handled it until he graduated high school. It was a bi-weekly newspaper. We ran approximately 30-50 shots per issue. Publisher’s wife was our HS journalism teacher. Based on some entries for the school paper I had submitted the previous school year she suggested her husband hire me. It was a great gig.

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Jan 27, 2018 20:59:24   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
therwol wrote:
Agfa Brovira for serious work. Kodak Polycontrast for everything else. I always preferred paper versus RC for the end result. Most of my prints were glossy, though I experimented with various matte finishes and various other papers. Early RC papers had a milky surface appearance, and when I made the mistake of using emulsion hardener in the chemicals, it crumbled. It did improve over time and saved a ton of time in washing the pictures.


Yes, I had noticed that, too, Therwol ... did NOT like those early Resin-Coated papers - at all ... and I couldn't use the drum dryer, either ... drove me nuts ...

Finally got a pair of circular blow dryers, when I needed something in a hurry ....

If it wasn't critical, I just hung them up on pegs .....

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Jan 27, 2018 21:02:25   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
Acufine3200 wrote:
Other People’s Money.

Publisher’s son had handled it until he graduated high school. It was a bi-weekly newspaper. We ran approximately 30-50 shots per issue. Publisher’s wife was our HS journalism teacher. Based on some entries for the school paper I had submitted the previous school year she suggested her husband hire me. It was a great gig.


Oh, I see ... OPM - got it ....

So, they already knew you could handle darkroom printing - from that ... I see, Acu ... so, you were in like Flint, then ... good for you!!!

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Jan 27, 2018 21:08:45   #
Steamboat
 
Acufine3200 "Our sports fields were so poorly lighted that sometimes I did cheat all the way to 3200."

So you are as amused as I when folks in this digital age complain about noise at ISO 800.

I loved learning photography in the '70's and I appreciate the cameras and technology of today and can't wait for what the future will bring.

I appreciate you nice folks at UHH! Thanks for the knowledge and the memories

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Jan 27, 2018 21:15:59   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
Steamboat wrote:
Acufine3200 "Our sports fields were so poorly lighted that sometimes I did cheat all the way to 3200."

So you are as amused as I when folks in this digital age complain about noise at ISO 800.

I loved learning photography in the '70's and I appreciate the cameras and technology of today and can't wait for what the future will bring.

I appreciate you nice folks at UHH! Thanks for the knowledge and the memories


Sure, Steam ... glad you're enjoying the journey ....


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Jan 27, 2018 22:55:38   #
ecurb1105
 
Chris T wrote:
Wasn't keen on Polycontrast, Ecurb ... much preferred Agfa papers ... and Ilford Gallerie Pearl was one helluva good-looking paper, eh, Ecurb? ....

So you dumped the wet darkroom in favor of all-digital in 2005, eh, Ecurb? ... and never looked back, huh?


Couldn't afford to run a wet darkroom, in money, space and time. And now I'm retired and have more time, at least until my wife retires, materials are scarce and much more expensive.

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Jan 27, 2018 23:36:28   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
ecurb1105 wrote:
Couldn't afford to run a wet darkroom, in money, space and time. And now I'm retired and have more time, at least until my wife retires, materials are scarce and much more expensive.


Yes, well ... I converted the boys' bedroom into a darkroom after they all left ... even put in a sink ... now, it's pretty well a done deal ... three enlargers ....

Wet area, dry area, copy area ... middle of the room table for finishing ... drum dryer ... circular RC print dryers ... heated film drying cabinet ... TC wash tank ...

So, I grabbed the space I needed for it, as soon as it became available ... time ... have nothing BUT time, these days ... money - well - you make do, you know?

If you have something you just love doing ... like - working in a darkroom ... you make provisions to do it ... life does have priorities ... it's just a matter of prioritizing!

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Jan 28, 2018 00:17:17   #
DennisC. Loc: Antelope, CA
 
I studied photojournalism in college and started shooting sports in the early ‘80s. For nighttime fields and poorly lit indoor courts my favorite was Tri-X pushed to 1600 and developed in HC 110. Ilford Multigrade for RC paper and Oriental Seagull for fiber base.

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Jan 28, 2018 00:31:44   #
Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England
 
DennisC. wrote:
I studied photojournalism in college and started shooting sports in the early ‘80s. For nighttime fields and poorly lit indoor courts my favorite was Tri-X pushed to 1600 and developed in HC 110. Ilford Multigrade for RC paper and Oriental Seagull for fiber base.


Dennis ... no trouble with grain, using Tri-X pushed that high, huh?

Ah, I remember Seagull ... sort of a luster finish - right?

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Jan 28, 2018 00:56:03   #
DennisC. Loc: Antelope, CA
 
Chris T wrote:
Dennis ... no trouble with grain, using Tri-X pushed that high, huh?

Ah, I remember Seagull ... sort of a luster finish - right?


There was plenty of grain, decent lighting, shooting tight so you didn’t have to crop much and textures helped hide the grain. Grain was never looked at as a negative thing, it was amazing to be able to shoot in low light without using flash.

Seagull was a beautiful paper, a sales rep came to our school and demonstrated it, plus gave out free samples. I was using Ilford Gallery, but switched to Seagull after trying it, plus I think it cost less.

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