My Blog
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Send her Roses.
I have found a technique that allows me to add metallic colors to my hand tinted black and white photos. This is a Black and white photo Hand tinted the "Classic way", never computer aided in any way. I use color film to produce my Black and white Print. My photos are produced on fiber based, double weight black and white printing paper. All of my photos are toned with selenium, copper, sepia, gold, nickel, platinum-palladium, coffee's, or tea's.I have added to this hand tinted black and white Print Metallic colors to give the Photo an added dimension. I use gold metallic, silver metallic, or copper metallic paints. Dali Salvador, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and Gustav Klimt applied different types of metallic colors to their paintings to some degree.
My photo Art is original, I have Limited Editions of each print in sets of 10 from all of my works.
Visit my site. www.oneeyeskinny.com
Mr. Magic.
I have added to this Hand tinted black and white Print Metallic colors to give the Photo an added dimension. I use gold metallic, silver metallic, or copper metallic paints. Dali Salvador, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and Gustav Klimt applied different types of metallic colors to their paintings to some degree.I have found a technique that allows me to add metallic colors to my hand tinted black and white photos. This Black and white photo Hand tinted the "Classic way", never computer aided in any way. I use color film to produce my Black and white Print. My photos are produced on fiber based, double weight black and white printing paper. All of my photos are toned with selenium, copper, sepia, gold, nickel, platinum-palladium, coffee's, or tea's. My photo Art is original, I have Limited Editions of each print in sets of 10 from all of my works.
Visit my site. www.oneeyeskinny.com
How long will a Photograph last ?
How long does a Photograph last ? Some of the first ever made have held up perfectly, their images as durable as if they had been carved in stone. For Black and white Photos, archival processing is not very different from customary method of developing, fixing and washing. It basically an extension of the ordinary procedures, involving a few extra steps.During development, those grains of silver salts that have been exposed to light are reduced to black metallic silver, which forms the image; but unexposed grains are reduced and remain in silver form of a silver compound.
When these silver-fixer complexes decompose they produce a brown-yellow compound may discolor the entire print. Archival processing includes procedures that eliminate the traces of residual chemical that washing alone cannot entirely remove.
I Hand Tone all of my Black and White Photo Art the Classic way. There are several reasons for toning a black and white print: to make the photograph more permanent; I love to use BERG BROWN/COPPER Toning Solution is a single bath solution used for toning black and white prints or films, having no offensive odor. The tonal range is very long, giving initially a warming effect, then a brown tone, followed by a sepia and flesh, and finally a deep metallic copper tone. The actual tone produced depends on the length of time of toning and the photographic material.
Color Photo Art born inside a Camera the Classic way.
How Black-and-White Film sees Color.
The process that creates a picture on a piece of film involves a reaction between light and the sliver bromide crystals spread through the gelatin of the emulsion layer.A negative is born when millions of exposed silver bromide crystals are converted to Silver metal by the developer.
Silver bromide crystals are light sensitive, they don't respond equally to all wavelenghts of light. Colors are actually different wave-lenghts within the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, these wavelenghts must be factored in when making Black-and-White Photos. Different types of Film responds color differently. Orthochromatic film responds well to shorter wavelenghts, toward the violet to yellow end of the spectrum. Panchromatic Film gives more of a natural appearance. This film records most all colors, red through violet. Infra red Film only records visible colors as well as some longer wavelenghts that are not visible. Its' toward the ultra-violet end of the spectrum. Unless the silver bromide is properly exposed, they will respond variably to shorter wavelenghts, starting at ultra-violet through blue green.
How Time and Temperture Affects Development.
**I develop my Black and White Prints the Classic way. I take advantage of thePrint paper or film emulsion by extending or reducing the development time.
I try to reveal unseen details and textures in my Black and white Photo Art.
My Prints are in the zones III through VII, mostly middle grays. I do this to
enhance any of my colors that I choose to use on my prints. For example the color
red place on a middle gray takes on a different mood than your typical red.
The colors become more intense and vivid. This is what makes Hand Tinting so
unique. You can bend or break rules that gives you more latitude in the final
Black and White Photo. I use my "2 zone Technique" to determine where I should
place my colors. I use the rules of third as a guide in creating my Photo Art.
All of my Photos are a work of Art. Never computer aided in any way. My Photos
are original and signed.
**Of all the creative controls at a Photographer disposal and most useful
is development time. The longer the developer is allowed to act on the film,
the greater the number of silver bromide crystal converted to metallic silver,
the darker the negative seems to become. The ability of development time to
control contrast and density is due primarily to the way the film emulsion is
constructed. The crystals of silver bromide that will develop into the negative
image lie both on below the surface of the emulsion. As exposure increases,
the number of exposed crystals and their depth in the emulsion increase. When
the develop goes to work, it gets at the surface crystals immediately but
needs extra time to soak into the emulsion and develop the crystal below the
surface. This applies to Photo Print paper as well.
**The temperture of the developer also needs to be taken into account. Most
Photographic chemicals and even the wash water take longer to work as their
temperture drops. All solutions work faster at higher tempertures. The
higher the temperture, the shorter the develop time needed. The recommended
temperture is 68 F,(29 C);this temperture combines the most efficient chemical
activity with the least softening of the film emulsion and in addition is a
practical temperture to maintain in the average darkroom. Higher tempertures
may be recommended with very dilute devlopers.
**I develop my Black and White Prints the Classic way. This allows me the freedom
to obtain any type of Print. I print some of my Photos to show more details and
texture ,some are Print to show details in the shadow areas. I try to expose my
shoulder and toe in the middle gray zone.
Dodging and Burning in Black and White Photographs.
**The overall Density of a Black and White Photos may appear to benormal except some areas seem to be to light or dark.
**Dodging and burning in are two methods of giving different exposures
to differnt parts of a print.
** If an area is too dark, Dodging is called for. That area of the
Print is simply shadowed during part of the initial exposure time.
A dodging tool is useful: it is simply a piece of card board
attached to the end of wire. Your hand or a finger, a piece of card-
board or any other object can be used. Dodging is effective when details
in the shadow areas of the negative image. Dodging of areas that lack
details or texture too long a time produces a murky gray tone in the
Print.
**Burning in is the opposite procedure, often used when part of the
black and white print is too light. After the entire negative has
received exposure that is correct for most areas, the light is
blocked from most of the Print while the area that is too light
receives extra exposure. A large piece of card board that can be
cut to an appropiate shape or size. Your hands can be used, cupping
or speading yours fingers out so that light reaches the paper only
where you want it to.
**Some areas may need to be darken, you can flash these areas with
a small penlight flashlight. unlike burning in, which darkens the
image, flashing fogs the paper: it adds a solid gray or black tone.
There a other light sources that you can use. A cone around the end
of a penlight works very well in texture and detail areas of the
Print. You can devise your on Techniques on what works best for
you.
**Whether you are dodging, burning in or flashing, it is important
to keep your dodging or burning tool, your hands or penlight in
constant motion from side to side so that tones of the affected
area blend into the rest of the Print.
**This process of dodging and burning in is a part of "Zone 1",
(zone A,zone B). I used "Zone 1" to manipulate my tones in the final
Print. I usual range in my Black and White Photos, zone III to zone
VIII. In "Zone 2" when I apply my Hand Tints the colors seem to
levitate. My " 2 Zone Technique " allows me freedom that no computer
in the World can duplicate. When Zone 2 harmonizes with Zone 1 the
Prints surpass any computer generated Print. I become a conductor in
the visual world of Hand Tinted Photo Art. The music is universal and
soothing to ones eye. I love creating works of Art where the spoken
word becomes obsolete. Sight is the only unspoken language that exist.
Papers That Control Contrast.
**Contrast-the relative lightness and darkness of different scene-is a crucial characteristic of any Black and White Photograph. Often you want normal Contrast-a full range of Tones from Black through many shades of gray to pure White. Some scenes require low-contrast, mostly a smooth range of middle grays. Or maybe a high-contrast deep Blacks and brilliant Whites and limited details in between. The contrast of a negative has been judged or set, mostly by the subject itself. he type of film and the way it was developed.**But you can still adjust the Contrast of the final Print by changing the Contrast grade of paper used. A paper of high-contrast increases the Contrast, a paper of low-contrast decreases it. This helps when printing the problem negative.
**A high-contrast paper increases Contrast for underdevevloped negatives, which are usually flat, and adds sparkle to scenes shot in dull light. A low-contrast paper decreases Contrast for overdeveloped negatives, which are too contrasty, and can soften overly harsh shadows and highlights.
**Papers of graded Contrast range from grades 0 and 1 (low or soft contrast), through grade 2 (normal or medium contrast), grade 3 (often the normal contrast grade chosen for 35mm negatives) and grades 4, 5 and 6 (high or hard contrast). The basic way of changing Contrast in a print is to change the contrast grade of paper.
**How can you tell if your negatives of normal Contrast ? There is an old rule of thumb, lay the negative on the type of a page in a book, if you can read the type through the highlights and if you can see detail in both the shadows and the highlights. This would be considered a normal negative. A normal Black and White negative makes a good print on grade 2 or grade 3 paper.
** I use color film to create my Hand Tinted Black and White Photo Art the Classic way. I avoid the above pitfalls by using color film negative. All color film render colors that cover the color spectrum, their colors are directly related to the Zone system developed by
the Great Ansel Adams. In color film, reds are red, blues are blue, and yellows are yellow. My " 2 Zone Technique " allows me two
manipulate the placement and choice of colors in the final Black and white Print. The colors seem to levitate because I Tone specific areas, the colors are place on shades of gray instead of typical shades of whites. Colored shades of gray creates a mood that color prints can't reproduce.
**This makes my Black and White Photo Art unique in its own way. I choose colors that bring life and make the Print surreal in nature. I try to reveal hidden details and textures unseen in most Color or Black and White Prints. Color film gives me more detail in the shadow areas than any Black and White film on the market. This is not conventional Print making Techniques, but for my purpose I find that Color film is my choice. I have been in the field over 25 years and has bought or used about 5 roll of Black and White film.
**With color film I can create a beautiful color Print or a Hand Toned Black and White Print. I find Color film more flexible and forgiving in the dark room. The Color Prints are my guide in my final Hand Tinted Print. It give me the mood of each scene as it was captured. I can choose to alter the final print or deviate from the norm. I can place colors in areas that I find of interest to enhance my composition, balance, or depth of field. Its very exciting to use this " 2 Zone Technique ". I can take any Color negative and create hundreds of Photo art without any restraints or limitations. The Prints are never the same and are original. I have tried in the past to Hand Tint a Print the same, but each Print becomes snow flake like in nature taking on its on identity. My Black and White Photo Art is never computer aided in any way.
How to Judge a Test Print.
The goal during printing is usually to make a full-scale Black and White Print that has a full range of Tones and a realistic sense of texture and substance. You may deliberately depart from this goal at times. A test Print are judged for two characteristics: Density and Contrast.Density refers to the overall darkness or lightness of the print. It is controlled primarily by the amount of Exposure, the greater the Density of Silver produced, the darker the Print. Exposure can be adjusted either by opening or closing the enlarger lens aperture or by changing the lenght of the Exposure time.
Contrast is the difference in brightness between light and dark areas within the print. A full scale Print of normal Contrast and Density has a wide range of Tones: rich blacks, many shades of gray, brilliant whites. A low-contrast or flat Black and White Print seems gray and weak with no real blacks or brilliant whites. A high-contrast Black and White Print seems harsh. Large shadows areas seem too dark and may print as solid black; highlights seem too light and may be completely white. Texture and details are missing in shadows, highlights or both. The contrast of a Black and White Photo is mainly controlled by the grade of paper used.
I use multi grade,matte enlarging paper. It gives me good contrast and fair density in the shoulder area. I Expose my prints in the middle gray area of the Zone scale. It allows me to Hand Tint all areas of my Print if I choose. I use the rules of third in my composition and balance. I then use my " 2 Zone Technique to apply my colors to the final Black and White Photo. It gives my Photo Art a three dimensional effect. I always add colors to my shadow areas to enhance texture and details unseen to the naked eye. I enjoy adding colors where there is a lack to enhance my balance and composition. This give my Black and White Photo Art that Special touch.
I am the only Photo Artist in the world that use the above mention techniques. My Photo Art is unique because of this Technique which I developed myself. Don't miss out on a chance to own tomorows Piccasso. They are the best investment in todays Art world. Its still affordable, as time goes on those who own Black and White Photo Art will see their investment appreciate like no other type of Art. The main reason is, most Photos are taken with a digital camera and won't be around long enough to appraise, they will fade away in due time. My Photo Art matures and the Colors become more intense as they age gracefully. They are like a like fine vintage bottle of wine. If you have the chance to buy a Black and White Print do so. there are not many left on the market. I recommend going to flea markets or garage sell to look for these forgotten treasures of the past.
A Flat or Contrasty Print--When You Want One ?
**The Zone system can be used not only to plan exposure and development for a normal-contrast Black and White negative, but also to plan unusually low or high contrast. Metering a scene will reveal the lightest values. A flat negative lacks Zone 0,I,VIII and IX densities will remain soft, luminous, low contrast feeling of the scene. A contrasty negative has limited tonal ranges, with little details. Most tones fall in the Zones 0 and Zone IX. Contrast can be decreased by increasing the exposure and decreasing the development. By doing this you can determine what Zones will be in the middle of the Zone scale.**I shoot color film versus Black and White film to avoid this Phenomenon. I enlarge my Black and White Photos to reveal and enhance Zone II through Zone VIII. This allows me to Hand Tint each scene according to the actual colors present. The colors are always placed in parts of the scene to highlight areas of interest. This is where the magic begins. I can alter the colors in areas that has little or no color. By manipulating the colors the Photos look surreal, but in reality if you look closely at my Hand Tinted Black and White Photos their are hidden flaws that only you can see if you have the actual color Photo for comparison. This make my Photo Art unique.
**I can take any Black and White negative and create limitless Art from the same scene. The " 2 Zone Technique" that I have created and developed give me freedom that no Computer generated (digital) imagery allows. I know that all the Computer generated Photos will fade with time.
How Development Controls Contrast.
**The easiest way to control and adjust contrast is to change the contrast grade of Black and White paper-print, a high contrast negative on a low-contrast paper and low contrast negative on a high-contrast paper.**A film's response to change in development is strong in the areas of greatest exposure (high, bright values) and weak in the areas of little exposure (low, shadow values). This occurs because the developer rapidly reduces the Silver Bromide Crystals that were struck by light in the slightly exposed shadow areas.
**The longer a negative is developed (up to a limit), the greater the Silver density that develops in high values, while the shadow densities remain about the same. Contrast increases as the spread between high value and low value densities increases, and it decreases as the spread decreases. The lenght of time a negative is developed has an important effect on the contrast.
**Changing the development time is simple if you are using Black and White sheet film, since each exposure can be given individual development. With Black and White roll film, changing the contrast grade of the paper is often more practical.
** Understanding the characteristic of Black and White Photo film and Black and White print Paper you can obtain any type of print to suit your needs. I prefer printing in zone IV to zone VII my Black and White Photo Art the Classic way. When I Hand Tint my black and White Photo Art the colors have a tendency to levitate. The colors place properly give the Photo a three dimension effect. This is where the magic begins, knowing what colors and where to tint. Toning brings out the mood of each scene.
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