Gelatin-Silver Photographic Paper

"Gelatin-silver prints" are made on paper that is precoated by photo manufacturers and readily available in stores. In the manufacture of these papers, a coating of clay, called "baryta", is applied to paper and then a silver-halide emulsion is coated onto that. The paper is exposed through contact or enlargement and then developed in a developing agent. The two basic paper types are graded and variable-contrast.

Graded Paper

Graded papers generally come in two to five contrast grades, depending on the manufacturer, with the lower numbers being softer and the higher numbers being harder. The contrast grade of the paper is matched to the contrast scale of the negative. You must buy a full package or box of each grade so papers on the extreme ends of the scale might become outdated before they are used up.

One can fine tune contrast between grades through the use of a mixture of a high contrast developer such as Kodak Dektol and a low contrast developer like Selectol-Soft. Controlling local contrast with this type of paper is difficult though not impossible.

One way to lower local contrast is through "flashing" where a piece of opaque plastic is placed below the lens and the target area is exposed to diffused light after the main exposure has been given. It is possible to bring out delicate highlight details using this method but care should be taken not to give to much "flashing" exposure. This technique is particularly difficult since it is impossible to see precisely where in the image the "flashing" is being applied.

A lot of printers that I have talked to insist that the best prints can be made on graded papers but I am not of that opinion. I primarily use variable-contrast paper because of the great deal of printing control that they allow.

Variable-Contrast Paper

The primary difference between graded and variable-contrast papers is that, with the latter, filters are used to control contrast. It is not necessary to buy a different box of paper for each contrast grade and it is not necessary to mix hard and soft contrast developers to match the scale of negatives that fall between contrast grades. You can generally standardize on one developer and use it for all contrasts.

Besides being a lot easier to work with, variable-contrast paper offers a major advantage over graded paper and that is control over local contrast. One can apply a low contrast filter to an area in an image that is lacking in highlight detail. This is similar to "flashing" but you can see the area in which you are working. Likewise, a high contrast filter can be applied to an area lacking in contrast or in a shadow that requires more darkness and depth.

Because of the current popularity of variable-contrast paper, graded papers are starting to fall by the wayside. Grades are being discontinued and then entire product lines are disappearing. There are a number of excellent papers on the market today, each with its own look and feel, so finding a good paper to print on is not a problem.

Fiber-Based vs Resin-Coated

Graded and variable-contrast papers are further broken down into fiber-based and resin-coated or RC. Resin coated papers differ basically from fiber-based papers in that they have a polyethylene coating, preventing chemicals from soaking into the paper fibers. Processing, washing, and drying times are far shorter with RC papers and when they are dry they are perfectly flat. They have a much glossier surface than fiber-based glossy papers. RC mat surfaces are also available.

Personally, I do not care for the plastic look or feel of resin-coated paper. It is very fast and easy to work with however and lovely images can be printed on it. I use RC paper for all of my publication images. For exhibitions I use only fiber-based paper.

Ilford Multigrade Warmtone

My current paper of choice is Ilford Multigrade Warmtone. The paper base is a slight creamy-white and the shadow areas are a deep brownish-black. I used to prefer cold purple-black on pure icy-white but my tastes changed after I had children. Now I go for warmer more earthy tones. This paper pretty much gives me the look and feel that I want.

I fix my prints in two solutions of fresh Ilford Hypam Fixer for 30 seconds each giving constant agitation. I then move them through two trays of fresh water and into a solution of Ilford Washaid for ten minutes. I next rinse the prints and wash them thoroughly in a Gravity Works print washer. After washing I place the prints in a wetting agent solution and dry them face up on screens.

Paper Developers

Kodak D-72

D-72, my current developer of choice, is a universal print developer of normal contrast and neutral tone that is said to be very similar to Kodak Dektol. When mixing the stock solution add a pinch of sodium sulfite to the water before adding the metol to prevent the initial oxidation that otherwise would occur. Dilutions can range from 1:1 to 1:4 and print development is from 1 to 3 minutes. I have standardized on a 1:2 dilution and a 2 minute development time. If I want a cream-white base color I add a pinch of aged glycin to the working solution.

Ansco 120

Ansco 120 is a soft working paper developer that is said to be similar to Kodak Selectol-Soft. I use this developer in conjunction with D-72 when working with graded papers. When mixing the stock solution add a pinch of sodium sulfite to the water before adding the metol to prevent the initial oxidation that otherwise would occur. Dilute it 1:2 and develop prints for 2 to 4 minutes.

Ansco 130

Ansco 130 is a universal paper developer that gives rich blacks and excellent brilliance. The working solution has a very long tray life. I have used this developer in the past with excellent results and recommend it. Dilute it 1:1 or 1:2 and develop prints for 2 to 3 minutes.

WW-1 Paper Developer

Up until recently I used this home-brew developer, a hybrid of Kodak D-72 and Ansco 130, so that I could get the ideal highlight tone that glycin gave me. Prints developed in glycin have a kind of glow that I find very pleasing. The problem is that fresh glycin can be difficult to obtain and is expensive. Furthermore it doesn't have a good shelf life and turns darker and darker brown as it ages. The stock that I have on hand now looks like dark cocoa powder and can no longer be used in WW-1 because it now stains the paper base to a dark tan.
Add a pinch of sodium sulfite to the water before adding the metol to prevent the initial oxidation that otherwise would occur. To make a working solution mix the developer 1:2 to 1:4. My normal dilution is 1:2. Develop prints from 2 to 3 minutes.

Fixing and Clearing

I fix my prints in two solutions of fresh Ilford Hypam Fixer for 30 seconds each giving constant agitation. I then move them through two trays of fresh water and into a solution of clearing agent for ten minutes. I next rinse the prints and wash them thoroughly in a Gravity Works print washer. After washing I place the prints in a wetting agent solution and dry them face up on screens.

Clearing Agent (Similar to Kodak Hypo Clear)

For working solution, dilute 1:9.

Print Reduction

Prints that have been fogged or overexposed may be saved by a treatment in a reducing bath also know as bleach. Great care must be taken not to wipe out the highlights completely. Also prints left in a reducing bath for a lengthy period of time may display staining or a color change. Using a reducer is always a gamble but it can pay big dividends in the form of prints with sparkling highlights that have great impact.

Farmers Reducer

Solution A

Solution B

For use mix 30 ml of A with 120 ml of B and add to water to make 1000 ml. For a slower working solution reduce the amount of A to 15 ml. The working solution does not keep well so it should be mixed just before use.

Rather than using the premixed solutions I prefer to combine 1 to 2 grams of Potassium Ferricyanide with 60 ml of 50% Sodium Thiosulfate solution and then add that to water to make 1000 ml of working solution. I usually start with 1 gram of Potassium Ferricyanide and then add more if the process is moving along too slowly.

Toning

For information on print toning please go to Toning.