Wet printing - not really easy?

[Vics]

Originally Posted by nikon_sam

I've said this before...
Wet printing will teach you how to better your film developing and developing your film will teach you better exposure in camera...did that make sense...???

Yes. It does. (is that ten characters?)

[Ronald M]

Second what sego says. Test subject, develop film and print. Get the development right, then move on to real subjects.

[tlitody]

why don't people using colour film have all these development and exposure problems to overcome? Methinks they just learn to work with standard development and go take pictures when the light is right instead of banging their head against the wall trying to bend everything to fit some non existant target of perfection.

[Vics]

Originally Posted by tlitody

why don't people using colour film have all these development and exposure problems to overcome? Methinks they just learn to work with standard development and go take pictures when the light is right instead of banging their head against the wall trying to bend everything to fit some non existant target of perfection.

With color slides, it's easy. Expose for the highlights and let the shadows go to hell. With color negative, you still have to expose the film correctly for the lab you're working with. Once you get a feel for what they're doing on their end, you know how to expose (or in my case, over-expose) for the best results.

[btgc]

Since my last update I have worked twice in darkroom and I must admit - there's difference between graded and VC paper! I started from filter #2 and went down and up but this requires more work with different negatives to see effect fully. Basic prints came out much better than with graded paper, even made some prints from party to hand them. Still have a lot to try and see what happens.

Adopted test printer - before I used two paper sheets to make test strip, but test printer is easier to use.

What a great place RFF is! Thank you all for keeping this up and running!

[jm51]

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

Spend some time in the darkroom and you will be making acceptable prints in no time.
With experience your skills will grow and you will achieve better and better results.

You will never have complete control to manipulate all elements as in Photoshop.
But IMO that's part of the charm...

Chris

Photoshop could be used to make a dodging and burning mask using digital negative film, which then gets mated to the original neg. The print gets made in the usual way but the exposure is longer because of the mask.