Darkroom Exercise: Contrast + Burn & Dodge

  1. Making prints with contrast filters
    1. when you use filters, exposure times will be different than prints made without filters — filters reduce the light
    2. make a test strip with the filter on. Start with filter 2.5

  2. Make three b/w prints from a single negative. Ask the instructor if it is a good negative for this exercise
    Too low contrast Low contrast but acceptable Perfect contrast High contrast but acceptable Too high contrast

    On the back of your prints, write down your exposure time, filter #, and f-stop you used on the enlarger. To repeat, it should be from the same negative so that we can evaluate what contrast does to an image.

  3. Burn & Dodge

    In one of your prints from Part 2, select an area that can benefit from burning or dodging (making it darker or lighter). Using one of the techniques, make an area noticeably different.

    Burning and dodging diagram


Procedure to make a print using contrast filters
  1. with widest aperture focus projected image onto focusing paper
    Focus projected image

  2. engage filter — light should turn colored
    Engage contrast filter

  3. close down aperture so you have larger depth of field

  4. place strip of photo paper
    Place strip of photo paper

  5. make test strip (1/2" incremental exposure from one side of the strip to the other)
  6. develop test strip to find right exposure time
    Test strip showing incremental exposures

  7. place full sheet of photo paper
  8. expose full sheet of photo paper using exposure time from test strip; write down exposure time, filter #, and f-stop on back of paper
  9. develop photo paper and evaluate. Hold in water bath if printing more
  10. wash all prints
  11. place prints in drying rack
I suggest you make a new test strip every time you change the contrast filter number by more than 1.