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You *do* have to
have a decent understanding, and some skill with, 'dodging'
and 'burning' techniques to do this - Refer to a good 'basic skills'
book - they aren't difficult at all, for this image. All you need is
a black piece of paper, and a hand.
The process goes like this -
Set up the first neg, test it for exposure, & blending/dodging,
etc. .....
then expose however many sheets you want - do em all the same way!!
- (that way, when you develop the first 'final' one, and the 'union'
of the two needs adjustment, you know the next sheets will be the same,
and you can "adjust" the second exposure, & get a predictable result.)
Put those sheets
back in the paper safe .....
Then - set up the
next neg -
Figure out where/what size it should be, ... test it ( take the time
and paper to really look at the contrast and values of both parts of
the image - it'll be worth it) .... and then expose the second neg (on
sheets with the first neg exposure already 'there' ) - *One* at a time
!! - look carefully at what/how you've done, and adjust accordingly
-
My darkroom "modus
operandi" includes....
1) Registration
- Depends on your easel
- For this picture, I used an ancient Saunders 11x14 w/ adjustable blades,
and the 'slot' on the baseboard works pretty well - just make sure you
always insert the paper *completely* into the slot, and if there is
a bit more 'slot' than 'paper', make sure your paper is always ' flush'
with either the top or bottom.
( Now, I almost always print 16x20 on a bladeless easel that has two
thumbtacks that 'punch' every sheet, at the corners.... amazing what
you can do with simple stuff, and *duct tape*...)
2) Make sure
the easel *stays put!* ( for the entirety of each exposure, once
you have decided on size/postion) - Tape it down, if you have to ...
3) Keep track
of what goes on in each exposure on a piece of paper that's taped to
that easel -
Draw a 'rough' of the image, and lines that show you where you start
to dodge out, and where you finally get to "0" on each exposure. I use
bits of white tape(visible under safelight) on the borders of the easel
itself , to follow when i actually expose -
4) Gotta keep
track of each sheet of paper you expose for the 'final image' -
mark each sheet w/ something that designates top(or bottom) - so you
don't put it in the second time, *upside down* ....
(I have 'tiers' of paper - separated by a sheet of cardboard, in my
paper safe,to keep the 'paper supply' straight - you wouldn't want to
shred one of your 'finals', for a test strip, wouldja?....)
Once you can get
something simple like this to work( just a 'top' and a 'bottom'), you'll
start to see how the process works, and you can improvise from there
-
I am sure i went
thru over 50 sheets of 11x14, to make this one work.
But the next time, it only took 25 sheets, and the next time, only 20
......
.. well, now, with
less than 10 sheets, i can figure out most anything - and with *many*
more than 2 elements(negs), too - "practice makes perfect".
Other than a "filter
holder" under my enlarger lense ( more on that one, in the next installment
), I have no secrets or tricks - I use stuff you can get at any art
supply store - black paper, matte board( for dodging tools), .... tape(white,
for marking spots on the easel borders), ..... totally simple stuff.
I also set my timer to expose a neg in 2 or 3 second intervals ( and
i end up exposing for at least 7 or 8 of them ) - so that i do not have
to count, or guess, at the time lengths i am doing anything for during
a long _continuous_ exposure.
(( IE: " 7 x 2 seconds as a basic exposure,...2 x 2 seconds on
the top corners,... 3 x 2 seconds on the left edge...etc....))
The most important
part of all this, is at the top of the page ----
>>>>Before you
plug in the enlarger, and fill those trays?....
you need to 'have a plan', an idea.
Sit down with your proof
sheets, and put on your thinking cap....
Text
and Images -© B.Bennett - 1981-2000
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