Problem with Lenox

I'm about halfway through a 25 sheet package of Lenox from Daniel

Smith, and all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, it's turned on me.

Pt/pd prints are mottled. I've had excellent results in the past (in

all kinds of weather)--a very smooth look and easy to coat with

pt/pd,traditional. I'm using ammonium citrate at about 90 degrees,

half pd and half pt in coating, with brush coating. Just mixed fresh

batches of ferric oxalate. Darkroom humidity at 40%. Any experience

with this paper turning finicky or with bad batches?

isn't your darkroom colder than before??? cold snap. this happen with many papers.if ti si cold snap just warm up your darkrrom a little and everything will turn good.

Yes, actually the temp went from about 80 degrees farenheit to about 35 in a few days. I've used the paper before under cold conditions, though, with no adverse effect. I'm now thinking maybe I used too much coating solution. Or maybe it's a combination of the temp/humidity change and the amount of coating solution. These variables are so tricky.

I use Lenox off and on throughout the year - it's been pretty consistent. Generally I

get my best results during the Summer months when my darkroom is at 50% to 60%

RH. If it's too dry or too humid I get mottled prints - not only with Lenox but other

papers as well. Have you tried humidifing your paper before coating?

 

Cheers,

Roger...

Actually I think that the difference between darkroom humidity and the humidity where the paper is stored may be the problem. It's very dry here, and the darkroom is more humid than the place where I store paper. Not a problem in summer, when there's no heat going, etc. But in winter the situation changes. I tried storing the paper in the darkroom for several hours before using, and today the results are much better. Not perfect, just much better. When experimenting with Ziatypes, I couldn't get my darkroom humidity much above 45% even with the humidifier going, as the vent takes the humidity right out. I think that "steaming" the paper over the humidifier might make the problem worse. A clamshell tray setup might work for pre-humidifying, but I haven't tried it yet.

From the word batches, I imagine you are using FO solution #2 with pot chlorate as a contrasting agent. Perhpas you used too much #2 for the specific negative you were printing? This is one of the typical problems that the evil #2 solution causes.

Much of my problem is with the neg. The highlights are dense and flat, and I need to pull good detail out of them On the other hand, there is a background that needs to print black, and the neg has very little FB+fog (TMX) Lenox is my choice for it, since it doesn't solarize in the shadow so much, while (usually) producing smooth looking highlights. And, hallelujah, I just pulled a good print of it on Lenox--the first in days. I used all ferric oxalate B (to get the highlight detail) and half pt half pd, with an exposure under my Edmonds light of 17 minutes. It is very smooth! The gods are smiling! You can see my work at the new Photo Bistro web site:

http://www.photobistro.com/JeanneFlowers Thanks for all the help.

My lord, you have some fine images at your site. Congrats. I've never done any alternative processes - just straight silver work. You inspire me...if only I knew what type of process you're using. Greek to me.