Paper Negative

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I need to find a book or web-page that will show me how to make a paper negative. Does anyone know where I can find such a beast? Thanks Nancy

-- Nancy McMahan (photonan3@aol.com), January 15, 2001

Answers

I don't know of a book, but it is fairly easy. The best paper is a single weight, but you need to find one that doesn't have the manufacturer's logo on the back (like some Kodak and Agfa papers). Then you put the paper in your camera just like you would a piece of film and expose it. You will need to run some tests to find the correct speed. I would suggest starting with an EI of 12 or 25. Make a photograph of a full-scale scene and develop as you would any other print. If you aren't used to judging negatives, you may have to make some test prints to fine-tune your negative exposures.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), January 16, 2001.

Instead of putting the paper in your camera, make a print from an existing negative. Once it is dry, place it face down on a fresh piece of paper, place a piece of glass on top, open the aperture of your enlarger, a shoot light through the back of the paper. Run a test strip using about 4 second intervals. You can use filters to change the contrast or even shade in areas with a pencil(on the back of the original) to do some dodging. We use resing coated paper with no logo on the back. Need to press the glass down on the paper to make sure you get good contact and as sharp an image as possible.

-- Larry Meyers (meyers64@aol.com), February 01, 2001.

Freestyle sales co.from l.a. www.freestlecamera.com has a paper they call europe's finest.... It is fiber base single weight glossy 8 X 10 1 box of 100 cost 15.95 and 3 boxes cost 12.95 ea......Great paper i use it for pinhole.

-- michel bayard (michelbayard@webtv.net), February 23, 2001.

Nancy:

The book "The Keepers of Light" by William Crawford tells how to make your own paper negatives from "scratch". I think.

Anyway the book is an invaluable resorce for the alternative process photographer. It costs 38.00 bucks though but I think it's worth it.

Sincerely, Walt

-- Walter S. Frazer (wfrazer@hotmail.com), March 07, 2001.


There are a few ways to make paper negatives on the Bostick Sullivan website. Also has a lot of othert useful info. -Hans

http://www.bostick-sullivan.com (the main site) http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/Technical_papers/mortenso.htm ('The Mortensen Wet Paper Negative Method' page)

-- Hans Visser (fiatmann1@earthlink.net), March 10, 2001.



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