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Argentum
17th March 2009, 10:48 AM
There seems to be far more books concentrating on how to get the perfect negative but what about books on how to print the perfect print.
Which books do you know that focus solely on making black and white prints.

Trevor Crone
17th March 2009, 11:16 AM
Ansel Adams, Basic Photo Series, 'The Print'.

I would have to add John Blakemore's, 'B&W Photography Workshop' to the list. For even though it deals with producing the flexible negative it is a superb book on b&w printing.

Richard Gould
17th March 2009, 12:24 PM
I would recomend Creative elements by Eddie Epharums, deals with all aspects of darkroom work and is especialy good on creative printing Richard

Paul Mitchell
17th March 2009, 02:32 PM
I would recomend Creative elements by Eddie Epharums, deals with all aspects of darkroom work and is especialy good on creative printing Richard

I second that. I in fact own the hardback edition which I was quite fortunate to have Eddie sign last year. He seemed quite surprised I had a copy and confessed that he himself didn't own the hardback any more.

RH Designs
17th March 2009, 03:06 PM
I would recomend Creative elements by Eddie Ephraums, deals with all aspects of darkroom work and is especialy good on creative printing Richard

His other one, "Gradient Light" is also good and centres on the use of VC papers.

Trevor Crone
17th March 2009, 03:13 PM
SNIP; He seemed quite surprised I had a copy and confessed that he himself didn't own the hardback any more.

He probably threw it out along with his darkroom when he went digjj....lll, sorry I can't bring myself to say it:D

Bill
17th March 2009, 03:30 PM
Tim Rudman - The Photographer's Master Printing Course, and of course his Lith Printing and Toning books
Gene Nocon - Photographic Printing. Does have a chapter on exposure and one on film processing.
Tony Worobiec and Ray Spence - Beyond Monochrome A Fine Art Printing Workshop. Has the first chapter on the negative but the rest cover all types of printing and finishing.

Bill

Paul Mitchell
17th March 2009, 04:01 PM
Tony Worobiec and Ray Spence - Beyond Monochrome A Fine Art Printing Workshop. Has the first chapter on the negative but the rest cover all types of printing and finishing.Bill

Unfortunately, as I'm sure Trevor will testify, Tony is also predominately digital nowadays... still takes mean photo though.

Trevor Crone
17th March 2009, 04:27 PM
Unfortunately, as I'm sure Trevor will testify, Tony is also predominately digital nowadays... still takes mean photo though.

He still uses film bless him but produces inkjet prints of super quality. That stuck in my throat:)

Monoman
17th March 2009, 10:08 PM
Never mind these youngsters!;) Get yourself a copy of 'Lootens on Photographic Enlarging and Print Quality' by J. Ghislain Lootens, FPSA, FRPS, Teacher of Photography, published by The Camera Inc, Baltimore, 1944. Except for the variety of papers he mentions, it's surprising how little has changed! Ebay or your local secondhand bookshop.

Tony Marlow
17th March 2009, 10:25 PM
I still find Tim Rudman's books the most informative and easy to follow.

Tony

Mike O'Pray
17th March 2009, 10:26 PM
That's two votes for Creative Elements which I had heard of but have never seen. I have the Tim Rudman, John Blakemore and Les McLean books on printing.

Is there anything in Creative Elements that adds to the three above. I keep on grabbing secondhand books on photography inspite of my better nature :D but I really need to reach the stage where I can resist more of the same.

So does Creative Elements add anything to the sum of knowledge contained in the three I already own? It doesn't have to be much - just something different.

Thanks

Mike

Bob
17th March 2009, 10:39 PM
Perusing my bookcase...

* Photographic Printing: Gene Nokon. The father of f-stop printing? IDK. Fairly straightforward printing: dodge/burn etc. Limited work-notes of the examples.

* The Photographer's Master Printing Course: Tim Rudman. Good all-rounder with fair amount of toning info thrown in (big surprise :) ).

* Creative Elements: Eddie Ephraums. Many examples - some with extensive manipulation of the print. Each print shown with a printing plan, many with alternative working.

* Gradient Light: Eddie Ephraums. Less extensive manipulation; still with printing plans and alternatives. Paper/print quality lower.

* Black and White Printing: George Schaub. Includes a chapter on film processing. Relatively few examples and not a lot of how-to detail on them.

* Elements: Barry Thornton. Lots of examples; text is conversational rather than detailed step-by-step instructions of how the print was created.

* Black and White Photographic Printing Workshop: Larry Bartlett & Jon Tarrant. Fairly straighforward manipulation but well written with worked examples throughout.

* The Print: Ansel Adams. Well, it's AA...

* The Master Photographer's Toning Book: Tim Rudman. Extensive (nay, exhaustive) on the subject. One of my faves to look through and dream...

* The Master Photographer's Lith Printing Course: Tim Rudman. Never used in anger! many papers in it now extinct - get his new book if you want Lith.

* Three assorted Ilford printing manuals, one colour, two B&W.

David Lingham
18th March 2009, 07:18 AM
I would add my vote for Bob's entire list. I have all of them with the exception of Larry Bartletts book. The only one I would add is The Master Printer's Workbook: A Professional Guide to Black and White Darkroom Techniques by Steve Macleod. It's well worth a look at.

Les McLean
18th March 2009, 11:15 AM
I'd second Richard's comment about "Lootens on Photographic Printing and Enlarging". It was one of the first photographic books I owned and is filled with lots of very useful tips and ideas.

I'd also go for both Larry Bartlet's and John Blakemore's books. Blakemore's is in my opinion probably the best book available on the craft and aesthetics of one man's view the complete photographic process.

Argentum
18th March 2009, 11:46 AM
Thnaks all for suggestions. I have Tim Rudmans books and AA's "The Print" and Creative Elements which I should have another look at. Plenty others there for me to dig out.

Bob
18th March 2009, 05:28 PM
<snip> So does Creative Elements add anything to the sum of knowledge contained in the three I already own? It doesn't have to be much - just something different.

Thanks

MikeEddie Ephraums employed much stronger use of print manipulation, diffusion and strong toning, bleaching etc in Creative Elements than most people. The book cover on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0863433979/sr=8-1/qid=1237396885/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1237396885&sr=8-1) gives an idea (for some reason, only the top 2/3rds of the cover are shown...) - this is a relatively restrained one...

Mike O'Pray
18th March 2009, 07:35 PM
Thanks Bob. Sounds worth investigating.

Mike

Martin Aislabie
23rd March 2009, 11:01 PM
Way Beyond Monochrome ?

Martin

Jack Lusted
24th March 2009, 08:58 AM
A second vote for 'Way beyond Monochrome'

Jack

RH Designs
24th March 2009, 09:06 AM
Way Beyond Monochrome ?

Martin

Currently out of print and fetching silly money second-hand ...

Peter Hogan
24th March 2009, 10:33 AM
'Way beyond monochrome' - I have it. Probably worth silly money.;)

Ian David
24th March 2009, 10:44 AM
I gather that a new expanded edition of Way Beyond Monochrome is being released around this time next year...

vincent
24th March 2009, 09:15 PM
I gather that a new expanded edition of Way Beyond Monochrome is being released around this time next year...

It's sure to include loads more on B&W Digital. I can hardly wait.

RH Designs
25th March 2009, 10:45 AM
From what Chris has told me I don't think it will have that much more digital in it.

Martin Aislabie
26th March 2009, 03:13 PM
I saw something on the "other" web site about this - but couldn't work out what he was alluding too

Are they expanding the range of contents of the book to cover other analogue monochrome techniques :)

Martin

Dave miller
26th March 2009, 05:05 PM
From what Chris has told me I don't think it will have that much more digital in it.

That's too much then! ;)