I would like very high contrast photos and i'm wanting to know how to achieve this. I have read many books and subjects covered were filtering, speeding films up, pushing etc. I am slowely getting my head round them all but would like a combination or routine that would give my pictures contrast until i have figured it all out and can make a more informative and personal decision. my cash flow situation is .... well i'm skint so i'm limited to the multigrade paper i have lots of but could afford a filter and of course film. Thanks

-- stephie d (stephie9000@hotmail.com), September 13, 2001

Answers

The easiest way is to use a high contrast film. Which one depends on your format. Tech Pan is probably the most commonly available high contrast film in most formats. This will, if developed for contrast, give you virtually black & white with no grays.

For less of a black or white approach, try a traditional film, like Tri-X Pan film & develop for a very long time--20 to 40% more than normal for a "gritty" high-contrast effect, and T-Max films for even higher contrast.

Note that with extended development comes very coarse grain. An inherently high-contrast film will produce more normal grain.

If you don't want to change your film/developer, try the highest grade filter on Multi-Grade, or Oriental #4 (graded).

Hope this helps, Charlie

HC-110 and D-19 can provide high constrast development.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), September 13, 2001.

I find that developing the film in paper developer gives pretty high contrast. Specifically, I dilute the standard working solution of Dektol with equal part water and process Tri-X or Plus-X for the time I would use for D-76 1:1. The film is exposed at its normal EI. The contrast is not as high as graphic arts litho film produces. Using the Dektol undiluted would probably give higher contrast.

-- Keith Nichols (knichols1@mindspring.com), September 14, 2001.

Technical pan film developed normally, and rated at 100 ISO. ie don't use Technidol or any special developer with it, just D76 or even better, Rodinal.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 14, 2001.

Kodak gives the following info in its book 'Advanced Black & White Photography':

Tech Pan at ISO 200, developed in Dektol for 3 minutes.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), September 14, 2001.