First Large Format image using paper negative.

Just posting my first ever picture from my Horseman 450.

 

Decided to try out some paper negatives, cheaper than film for a beginner.

Paper Ilford Multigrade IV Resin Glossy.

Exposure about 8 Seconds.

Negative Scanned and Converted to Positive in Photoshop.

 

Just wondering are many people using Paper negatives in their large

Format cameras.

 

Now I'm looking forward to putting some real film in the Camera.<div></div>

Alex, very interesting! what was the aperture?

Alex, I regularly use paper negs in LF pinhole box cameras, and I've also used it in my 4x5.

 

I find graded paper gives better control of contrast than MG paper. I currently use Arista grade 2 RC, glossy and get good results.

 

I also like the convenience of scanning LF paper negatives. Just about any scanner can do a good job with paper negs, vs a LF film scanner. I also have less problems with dust post scan.

Do you use the meter recommendation for a paper negative? Or are there adjustments that need to be made considering it is paper vs film?

Great shot, Alex. I tried this a couple of years ago and it worked well. The problem was working out the effective EI of the paper ... as I recall it was about ISO 1. How did you find that?

Nice shot!

Do you think it is possible to do it also with color paper?

Trent

I've used single weight, variable contrast paper in 4x5 (Linhof), and 4x5 pinhole cameras. If you use a #1, or so, contrast reducing filter in front of the lens it will help with contrast control. Also, it is very interesting to scan the paper neg using a scanner such as some of the epsons, using the transparency adapter, instead of as a flatbed scan. Then you get the nice innate texture of the paper also, besides the image you've made. You can also use charcoal pencils to draw on the paper side to create better highlights in the positive where needed. Course you need to use a paper that has no company logo on the back. A few examples: http://www.kensmithart.com/page_2.htm

 

Ken

Ken, your work is incredible and very inspiring!!!!! Thanks for the information. On your site you have the following statement ,"The use of photographic paper in place of film in my camera made a paper negative which I could enlarge as a positive in the darkroom." How can you enlarge a paper negative?

 

Jay

Alex, I really like this photograph! Can you please post more info about how the image was made? What is the ISO of the paper you used? How did you figure it out?

Waht was for dinner <smile>?

Jay.....I had always heard you needed to contact print paper negs, but not knowing any better I put them in my 4x5 enlarger, and they enlarged fine. I wanted the paper texture too. I've enlarged my 4x5 paper negs to 16x20's with no problem. At f16 on the enlarger lense, it's looking like many of the images were printed at 4.5minutes exposure (onto forte variable contrast warm tone paper).Depends on the filtering of course and the neg's contrast. Again, that's with single weight paper (Ektamatic SC), that has built in developer.

 

thank you for your comments about my work.

Sorry Jay, the comment about the ektamatic SC is confusing. That's the paper neg material....and has nothing to do with enlarging, other than it is single weight. DUH!

Thanks for all your comments.

 

This was my very first picture on a Large Format camera, so trying it out with paper negatives was really only for a bit of fun, all part of a big learning curve for me, which I'm really looking forward to.

 

What I have liked about using paper negatives is the speed of which you can have a finished image by scanning the negative and converting it to a Positive image in Photoshop.

Also you can load the Film holders under safelight conditions !!

 

Few more details.

Camera Horseman 450.

Lens Nikon W 210 F 5.6.

Aperture used f 16.

Exposure Approx 8 seconds counted in my head.

Paper Ilford Multi G IV Resin Glossy.

I think the exposure isn't that critical.

 

I set my meter to 6 asa and used that as a basis for my exposure.

I think unfiltered Multigrade is probally too contrasty for this type of work, The highlights are slightly blown and the Shadows Blocked looking like a Hard Grade paper, which for this image I think really suited it.

As Ken said it will probably be possible to control the Contrast by using a soft grade printing filter on the lense at the taking stage.

 

Ken your Images are Beautiful, Inspiring indeed.

Just spent a very enjoyable 20 minutes going through all of your site.

I suspect this thread holds its greatest promise for the Ultra Large Format photographers, of which I hope to be someday. It's a lot easier getting 16x20 and 20x24 paper than film to fit the 8x20 and 12x20 holders. 8x10 and 11x14 are also very promising.

How cool! One of the things I love about this site is learning about techniques I'd have

never thought to try :-) Very inspiring, indeed!

 

I've never heard of using paper instead of film like this. Where can I get more information??

Thanks!

Ellen

Just cut some paper to 5x4, I used Ilford Multi G IV Resin Glossy, and load it into your dark slides under safelight conditions.

Set your Aperture to F16 or F22.

Using daylight, in my case indoors using window light, give 10 to 20 second exposures.

Experiment, it's cheaper than using film.

Process your paper negative as you would normally process a print and scan the resulting negative then convert your image to a positive in your computer, simple as that.

Most of all lets see some of your results !!!<div></div>

Thanks Alex!

 

Now refresh my memory... (I'm developing my own negs but I don't do the traditional

printing thing; I scan the film then go from there or send it out as I don't have a darkroom)

What chems are you using to develop your paper with?

 

p.s. You are getting some awesome images :-)

Ellen

I'm assuming you are using a 5x4 camera for this.

I'm not sure how much darkroom experience you have had !!

This is a really simple process to do.

You will need Black and White printing paper, which you will cut in the darkroom under safelight conditions to 5 x 4 to suit your film holders.

So instead of film you are using the printing paper in your camera to make your negative, expose as I stated earlier in the previous posts.

Now you need to go to darkromm remove the paper from film holder and process as a normal black and white print.

You end up with a negative image on your processed paper, which you then scan and convert to a positive in the computer.

Thats basically it.

You don't even need an Enlarger for this to work for you.

3 trays, a safelight, and some print developer in one, water in the second for a stop bath, and fixer in the third tray.

2 minutes in developer tray, wash in second for a minute, 2 minutes in third tray of fixer.

Wash the paper negative with running water, dry with hairdrier if you wish, then your ready for scanning.

Note your negatives, might not look that exceptional to look at but wil look great when you scan and convert them to the positive image.

 

You won't get these developed in your local lab.

You have to do these yourself.

 

I hope this is of assistance to you.

 

If I can assist you any further please email me.

alexcoleman@eircom.net.

Thanks again Alex :-)

 

I've actually done some darkroom printing before (had my own darkroom back in the day)

but it's been years. It's amazing what you forget. Curiosity got the best of me so I started

digging around for my old notes. Eureka! Now I wonder if I can unearth any of my old

paper.... Hmmmm, I think I'm gonna go dig some more ;-)

This is a common thing some places in the world. You should check out this website, it's pretty interesting:

 

http://wwwsshe.murdoch.edu.au/intersections/issue8/mchoul.html

Seen similar methods used in Havana, Cuba. Interesting results!