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  • 28 - Darkroom Techniques - Finishing++

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    Juan Francisco Martín Márquez
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    28_Darkroom techniques -Finishing++

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    Fotografia

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    9 views6 pages

    28 - Darkroom Techniques - Finishing++

    Uploaded by

    Juan Francisco Martín Márquez
    Fotografia

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 6
    Althongh drying comes after printing, and is looked upon by some as the unimportant end process for a photograph already made, it has a decided influence on the finished print. As stated in the last chapter, nothing looks worse than a print with curved or buckled edges. A double weight print that has been air-dried sometimes finishes with a curl, emulsion side inwards, and can be straightened out by drawing smoothly and evenly backwards across the edge of a table, corner by corer. This may also be satis- factory with a single weight unglazed print if it is finally to be mounted, but the fact remains, an air- dried print of 8x10 in, or greater usually has an unfinished look about it For these reasons, the use of a drying press is strongly recommended. Matt prints, or glossy prints which are not to be glazed, are blotted with a clean fluffless towel and laid face up in the press under good apron tension. One can feel through the apron when the print is dry, at which point it should be removed and laid flat on a cool surface for a minute. Leaving a print under excessive heat for longer than the required time leads to distortion of the paper, which cannot afterwards be corrected. Single weight glossy paper should always be glazed. The secret of good glazing can be summed up as follows: (a) fresh single weight glossy paper; (b) thorough fixing and hardening in fresh solution; (c) at least 30-40 minutes, washing in running water, or better still in an efficient print washer; (d) a glazing plate with an unscratched, unbroken surface, well-washed before use with Chapter Twelve Finishing, Mounting and Presentation soap or wetting agent and rinsed off; (¢) rolling the wet print face down on to the surface of the wet plate to exclude air; (f) squeegeeing without excessive pressures (g) blotting off surplus water; (h) even apron tension holding the print firmly in contact with the plate and the plate with the dryer; (i) remove from the dryer as soon as dry; (j) lay print face up on cool surface to uncurl naturally. Fig. 12.1. A perfect glaze calls for a glossy print that has been thoroughly fixed (fixer with hardener) and washed (a) Drain off and roll down on to a clean glazing plate 108 DARKROOM TECHNIQUES (b) Use a flat or roller squeegee with only moderate (d) Turn the glazing sheet round and sweep off the pressure to expel air bubbles which may have formed portion previously held by the fingers, (c) With outwards sweeps, wipe off excess moisture FINISHING AND MOUNTING 109 (1) Plaze the glazing sheet on the dryer. (a) Ensure that the apron 4s sufficiently tensioned to hold the glazing sheet in contast with the dryer at all points 110 DARKROOM TECHNIQUES (h) When the print is dry it will free itself from the plate. Lifting the apron before the print is quite dry will cause oyster-marks on the glaze. (i) Put the print face up on a cool surface to uncut naturally Special blotter rolls can be obtained and wet prints which are not for glazing can be rolled in thes to absorb all surplus moisture. The prints can then be laid face up on a dry porous surface such as a table- cloth, to air dry. However, a drying/glazing press witha couple of glazing plates is a once only purchase and is considered by most to be an essential piece of processing equipment. Glazing plates are like cars, as they need running in. With careful use, after the first few sessions they will work best. MOUNTING Don’t economise by buying thin mounts as they inevitably curl. If three thicknesses are offered, buy the thickest. Fancy mounts, with ‘cabinet’ lines around the print areas, and with cobweb tissue flaps, are still available from dealers, though one might say heavily out of fashion. The almost univers: preference today is for a simple white, cream, grey or (for some colour prints) black mount without frills of any kind, Severe flush mounting, without any border at all, is perhaps the most popular, closely followed by a simple, fairly wide border, equal on three sides with a little more space at the bottom. In some camera chubs it may still be considered ‘arty’ to mount in unusual ways, such as having a print 18 in. high and only 3 in. wide mounted towards the edge of a 16 x 20 in. mount. The final decision must rest with the individual worker. Possibly an unusual mount will offset_a particular subject or achieve a worthwhile effect but, in the main, a really good picture stands by its own impact and requires no gimmicks. On the other hand, no amount of gimmickry will improve a mediocre photograph. In dry mounting, the sheet of dry mounting tissue is tacked to the back of the print in the centre, after Which the margins are trimmed off. The print is then carefully positioned on the mount and firmly held in place. The corners of the print are then care- fully lifted one at a time, so that the dry mounting tissue can be tacked to the mount. Just in case anyone is thinking in terms of a hammer and tacks, the tack- this case is done by applying a gentle stroke with a tacking iron, like a small heated poker. The action melts the tissue which immediately adheres to print or mount. FINISHING AND MOUNTING 111 With the print and mount held together at several points, it is now necessary to melt the tissue evenly all over. The simplest way to do this is by means of a proper dry mounting press where firm pressure is applied ail over by means of a thermostatically controlled heated platen. Usually the print is covered by a sheet of zinc or silicon-coated paper to protect its surface. About ten seconds under pressure and the job is done, It is also possible to dry mount even a 16 x 20 in. print with an ordinary domestic iron, though this, calls for a small amount of practice and dexterity. Using the iron on its coolest setting (even at the lowest, setting, with some irons it may be necessary to switch off for a minute) its very tip may be used to tack the tissue to print and mount. Use just a swift stroke as lenger contact can leave a deposit on the iron, Then cover the print surface with a thick sheet of cartridge Paper and work the iron with good pressure over about a quarter of the print area at a time, from the centre outwards, immediately following up with a few seconds pressure from a gloved hand. This will prevent the print springing free during the second or so that the tissue is re-hardening. To prevent the mount curling, hold it flat for half aminute after dry mounting by either method. THERMAL PRINT MOUNTING ‘This is the method used by most amateurs nowadays and, provided that only a few prints are to be mounted aca time, has certain advantages. First, it obviates the need for an expensive dry mounting press which is not used sufficiently to justify the cost. Second, with care thermal print mountant will give a truly professional finish. Third, it does not require tem- Perature control or special equipment. Representa~ tive of such mountants is Paterson Thermal Print Mountant, which is bought in a screw-capped jar. It is simply painted on to the back of the print with an, ordinary household paint brush, the 1 in. size being most useful. The coating dries rapidly, about 10— 15 min, at normal room wimperaure, There is 00 cockling or print expansion as the mountant is not water-based. 112. DARKROOM TECHNIQUES “The print is then carefully positioned on the mount, the domestic iron set at ‘cool’ or ‘silk’, though the precise temperature is not important. The print is then covered with the sheet of siliconed paper sup- plied with the jar, and ironed over from the centre outwards. This not only protects the print surface, but also protects the iron from any mountant escap- ing round the edge of the print, The mountant re- softens when heated, so if any part of the print has been accidentally missed you can simply go over it again with the iron. Incidentally, if a trace of mountant does adhere to the iron it can simply be removed with Thawpit or a similar domestic cleaner. Paterson Thermal Print Mountant has a synthetic plastic base that will not affect print permanence and is equally suitable for black and white or colour prints. It can also be used for mounting prints on any reasonably smooth surface such as hardbvard, walls, glass and so on. Should one sign or not sign one’s work? Thousands of amateurs torture themselves over this decision, when the answer is obvious. Just ask yourself: Is it worth signing? If you have produced a work of art, in whatever degree, a neat signature does no harm. For the professional it can act asan advertisement, for the amateur a matter for pride. Whatever you do, don’t go in for pseudo-artistic flourishes, and never let the signature be so bold as to take the eye away from the picture. Similar decisions have to be made over titles. Should one, or should one not, title a print? Clubs are usually in favour of titles, if only because it makes catalogue identification more simple, though many a print is entitled ‘No title’ Itisoften best to put the name and title on the back, and many exhibition secretaries ask for this procedure to be followed. On the mount face, a number is then, attached, which corresponds to the title in the cata- logue. It should be borne in mind that a good title will not pictorially improve a mediocre picture. If one captures the atmosphere of a meadow as the sun, begins to break through the dawn mist, this must be perfectly obvious in the print, otherwise the photo- graphic technique hay failed to capture the photo- grapher’s vision. If the print merely suggests an over~

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