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Old 13th April 2021, 04:16 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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Default Printing Notes

I am in the process of going through my backlog of negatives.

I have been making notes of how I make each print.

I was wondering how many other people make printing notes and then where do you keep them ?

I have been making my notes in note books but wonder if they shouldn't be stored with the negative in case you wish to return to the print.

Any suggestions ?

Martin
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Old 13th April 2021, 04:27 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Printing Notes

I only make them if I am working on a print that has complex variations in exposure. If it is a large print that I don't think I will need to reproduce I don't keep them.

The only notes I keep in a book is the area of each print and test strip I make with RA4 colour. This is only so I can calculate the area of paper used so I can replenish adequately.
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Old 13th April 2021, 04:51 PM
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I do keep my notes in a notebook as well. Usually together with the final test strip or a partial test print. If I make the print for someone else then I also make another print for my own archive.
Since I'm relatively new to the dark side, this allows me to easily look back at how I did things on a certain image.
It also allows me to easily reproduce a photo, in a bigger or smaller size as well, by calculating the new exposure based on size difference and my notes.
I usually only need a quick test strip to verify my calculations and then I can reproduce a final print.

Over time this notebook approach will probably become a bit cumbersome as the amount of notes will obviously become bigger and bigger, probably making finding that one note a true nightmare.
Storing them with the negatives does make sense to me!
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Old 13th April 2021, 05:18 PM
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For a while, I made printing notes for difficult negatives. In the meantime I don't make notes anymore.

For most prints I maks some kind of exposure plan. This can be as simple as dodging a face, but may be so difficult that the exposure time is not long enough for all of the dodging. I have to dodge two areas parallel then.

I don't make notes because I learned how to come form test strips and a first print to an exhibition print. It is easier to make a teststrip again as looking for old notes. I never took my old notes for making a new print.

Usually, I make the exposure plan with smallish paper (18x24cm²). It is easier to transfer it to al large format of the same or a similar paper. Normally, I only need one test strip. Making the plan with small paper saves material.
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Old 13th April 2021, 06:25 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I jot down details that comes from my analyser/pro, grade, base dodge/burn, together with negative name and number, in a notebook
Richard
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Old 13th April 2021, 06:46 PM
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I take notes as I go along simply so I don't forget!

These days, each time I make a print I'd like to think of it as a unique creation according to my mood and materials at that specific moment.
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Old 14th April 2021, 08:13 AM
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I keep a note book by the enlarger. I take basic detail like F number, grade, time and paper used. I use it as a short cut to set up the next time I print it which usually different from the first print.
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Old 14th April 2021, 08:26 AM
KevinAllan KevinAllan is offline
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I make notes in pencil on the reverse of each print, before it is developed.
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Old 14th April 2021, 10:09 AM
MikeHeller MikeHeller is offline
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I make notes in the D/R on a pad to record fixer use, printing steps after making an enlargement and when I add or change chemicals in my Nova toaster.

The printing steps are later written onto preprinted index cards and stored in negative order in a card file.

I make contact prints of all my films and try and record information at the time of taking a photograph which are recorded in a database and to which each negative has a reference number.

I still use test strips when reprinting a negative unless it is shortly after making the notes but it provides a good starting point. In any case, I find that making different size enlargements often need a slightly adjusted printing plan.

Mike
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Old 14th April 2021, 11:48 AM
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I do take notes as I go, but rarely keep them. I tend to think of each printing session as a new adventure and the same negative will likely be printed differently each time.

In my typical over-doing-it-nerdish fashion, I even went to the trouble of designing my own notebook pages but usually just jot stuff down in a normal notebook...
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File Type: pdf Printing Additional - Portrait.pdf (56.5 KB, 229 views)
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