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Old 8th March 2017, 04:05 PM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Default becoming a better printer

In a recent thread about his photography degree course, Terry S. disclosed that he is now on a journey to become a better printer. Rather than hijack Terry's thread, I thought it better to start a new one to ask the question
"What do you have to do to become a really good printer?"

Alan
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Old 8th March 2017, 04:16 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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My thought is that the more experiance you get the better you get, plus some books help, but for the beginer, and maybe for someone Grade 2) paper,and develop fully, repeat with more or less exposure as needed to get the best possible print, if, when the print is dry, you think more contrast would make a better print repeat with a higher grade, 3 or 4, if you think a softer print would be better then try printing on 1 or 0, always develop fully, adjusting exposure where needed, to obtain the best print possible from the negative, and make notes of each step, Maybe a lot of people will do this already, but for a beginner, or even a more advanced worker, sometimes an excersise such as this can pay divedends
Richard
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Old 8th March 2017, 06:00 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
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Best way is workshops with photographers known for their printing skills.

I'd been printing for 30 years and worked alongside a photographer who was a superb printer often helping him on long print runs 100+ prints of each negative and he didn't use a timer, so could print.

However a workshop with Peter Cattrell (Fay Godwin's printer for a while) opened my eyes giving me even more control. That was backed up by a workshop with John Blakemore.

You need to learn from others but evolve your own style.

Ian
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Old 8th March 2017, 06:25 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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Practice, practice, practice.

(i) Try to make the best quality print you can.

(ii) Put it away for a few weeks

(iii) Take it out and have a look at it.

(iv) If you are still happy with it, take it along to a meeting with fellow analogue printers and compare it with their work.

I have always been hugely impressed by the quality of my fellow FADU members work when we have had a get together.

Its always good to see some REALY high quality printing.

It gives me the drive to go back and try harder

Martin
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Old 8th March 2017, 07:10 PM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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I think one important aspect is to somehow acquire high standards to aim for. In my first few years as a photographer printing was something I just dabbled at, using cheap, outdated paper. I still have some of those early prints, and they are not very good. But I was happy with them at the time, because I had no incentive to aim high. You might say I set a low standard for myself, and failed to achieve it.
Then one day I saw a marvelous exhibition, an international travelling exhibition of prints by the world's best photographers. I couldn't believe my eyes. Here were prints with an incredible richness and depth. They seemed to glow. One in particular had a huge impression on me; a large print of Aspens by Ansel Adams. I stood gawping at it, open mouthed. Before this I had no inkling of how black and white prints could look, if done properly.
This really shook me up. I now set a high standard for myself; but I still failed to achieve it!
Things got better when I started to use the best paper I could get, and I have noticed an improvement in my printing when I stick to one film type and one film format for a while. Then I lose control when I keep switching from one format to another, and one enlarger to another. Best of all, I notice I get reasonably good prints when I put in a more concerted effort with some long, regular printing sessions. So maybe , like Martin says, it comes down to practice, practice, practice.
But even then, I feel that there is an elusive quality that makes a really good printer; and I just don't have it.

Alan
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Old 9th March 2017, 01:21 AM
silverphoton silverphoton is offline
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Some great points made so far. Like Alan said seeing great prints in the flesh gives you something to aim for. My printing improved when my practice became more consistent, sticking to one film/developer combo and one printing paper till I knew what it was capable of. I also put all my effort into producing the best negative I could make. Books that helped are The Negative and The Print by Ansel Adams and John Blakemore's Black and white photographer photography workshop.
Andy
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Old 9th March 2017, 09:35 AM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Hello Andy. Welcome to the forum.

Alan
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Old 9th March 2017, 12:26 PM
silverphoton silverphoton is offline
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Thanks Alan!
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Old 9th March 2017, 06:27 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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practise makes perfect ,nick other peoples ideas ,but not other peoples style ,stick to your own style of doing things as they say if you cannot please yourself how can you be expected to please others ..I print to please myself nobody else ,I have printed for others and I have taken photos and printed for others ..
when I left school I got a job in a commercial darkroom it had to look good and it had to be fast .also I think there is no such word as perfect , every body has a deferent opinion on what is perfect ..So I would say get your own style print to please yourself and have confidence in your work ..
and it all right for you Alan Clarke you have always got the hollies to fall back on :-)


www.essexcockney.com
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Old 9th March 2017, 07:12 PM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big paul View Post
and it all right for you Alan Clarke you have always got the hollies to fall back on :-)


www.essexcockney.com
I used to know a mad vicar, a dyed-in-the-wool Leeds United fan, who always called me Sniffer, after Allan "Sniffer" Clarke, who played as a striker when Leeds were a good team. And I have often been asked if I'm the Alan Clark who wrote the Diaries.
But ONE OF THE HOLLIES!.....??? Now we are talking.....

All I can say about you Big Paul is that You Aint Heavy. You're My Brother!!!

Alan
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