Response to Temperature vs. time

While pushing film or developing longer to increase density & contrast for alt process negatives, if you don't have the shadow detail in the initial exposure you won't have it no matter how much you push or at how high a temperature you use. The shadow detail is a function of the initial exposure and the film design characteristics. Some films will give more shadow detail with the same exposure as others that give little. I agree the overall quality changes with time and temperature changes. Especially radical ones. But basic exposure to assure detail in the shadows changes little unless you expose enough to push the shadows further up the scale where time, temperature and developer dilution will work on them a bit more. I got rid of a lot of worry when I moved to development by inspection. This way I can watch the detail & density as it develops. I keep the developer close to 68-70 degrees mainly because my darkroom is normally at these temperatures. It does go up to 75 on occasion but I have not done any tests to see what the exact difference would be. Maybe I should. But I don't see any noticable difference between colder and warmer development. I don't change anything about my development unless I can actually see a measurable change. Getting bogged down in meaningless minor increments only keeps me from concentrating on the image and, for me, is a time waster. Run a few basic tests & see what the temperature difference does for you. Unless the change is measurable... you can actually see it in the final print, it isn't worth doing much more on it. If you can see it then pursue it further & refine it to the point where you have a new creative tool to use.

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