overexposed photo in the darkroom

hi,

 

i just did some exposures in the darkroom and found all my exposures too dark. Overexposed.

 

Did an exposure of 1 minute light with the enlarger.

 

Developed the photo in Ilford Multigrade developer for 1 minute on Ilford RC `Multigrade paper.

 

The enlargers lens was on f8.

 

Here under you can find aphoto of what i did.

 

OK . . . This isn't rocket science . . . If 60 seconds was too dark, try 15 . . . Every negative you print will be different, as was explained in your other thread.

i tried 10 seconds but it still gets too dark . Once in the developer , after 15 seconds the darkening goes extremely fast too.

If you don't care to make test strips by systematically uncovering paper during exposure, search on line for Kodak Projection Print Scale - plenty of these available - effective and inexpensive old tech.

You have to make trials by a ‘test strip’ (Google this) to ensure you get the correct exposure. It is just the same as what you do in the camera, adjusting the lens aperture and the time duration to get the exposure correct. Check you have full darkness by checking for light leaks after half an hour sitting in full darkness. Are your chemicals and paper fresh? Your print looks like it might have been made on old, and fogged paper to me. Best of luck.

Hi, I'm guessing that you're fairly new to this?

 

First, the normal rule for developing photo paper is that you should let it substantially to completion, which is likely about one minute, or perhaps a bit more. If you do not do this, you won't be able to get dark blacks on the paper. So normally, you want to give your paper "full development," even for test strips.

 

Next, what most photographers do is to make a series of tests to find the best printing exposure. You said that you tried a 10-second exposure, and this is too dark. My approach on this is to make initial tests in multiple jumps of either 2x or 1/2 times the exposure. So what I'd do, knowing that 10 seconds exposure is too long, is to plan to do several test exposures of, say 5 seconds, 2.5 seconds, and then 1.25 seconds.

 

However, these exposure times are probably too short to deal with in a hobbyist darkroom. So I think, how can I make the exposure time longer? Well, you said your lens is set to f/8. The general rule is that each full f-stop change in the lens will double or halve the exposure (depending on which way you go). I would suggests that you close the lens down by two full stops, from f/8 to f/11 then to f/16. This reduces the intensity of the exposing light by a factor of 4 times, which means that the exposure time likewise needs to increase by 4 times. So... the test exposure sequence from before, that used to start at 5 seconds, now should start at 20 seconds. So, what I would do is to use an exposure test sequence of 20 seconds, 10 seconds, and then 5 seconds. Hopefully one of these will be close, and you can refine your next test exposure based on these. For example, if 10 seconds is too dark, but 5 seconds is too light, you make another test in between these times.

 

One comment on stopping the lens down - going to the smallest apertures, like f/16 or f/22, etc., will very slightly degrade the finest detail of your test print, so you might want to find ways to reduce the light output of your enlarger. There are two basic ways to do this. First is to use a weaker lamp, if the manufacturer makes one. Second is to obtain some filter, called "neutral density," to put into the light path. Ideally it would be prior to the negative, where the optical quality of the filter is not very important. You COULD put it below the lens, but then you need a higher quality filter, equal to the sort you would use for a camera. In the lingo of neutral density filters, a rating of 0.30 cuts the light in half, and each additional 0.30 cuts it in half again. So a 0.60 ND filter cuts the light to one-fourth, etc.

 

Finally, on making test strips, I would not use full sheets of paper; I don't want to waste the money. I might cut off a strip, say 3 inches wide. I'd find an important part of the negative that includes both black and white parts; this is where I will place the test strip. Now, to get the test exposures I mentioned, 5, 10, and 20 seconds: I would set the timer for 20 seconds and begin the exposure. But... I have an opaque card in my hand; after 5 seconds I move this partially in, above the paper, to shade about 1/3 of the test strip. After a total time of 10 seconds I move the card in another 1/3 of the way across the test strip, and hold it there until the lamp turns off. The result is that my test strip will have three sections, with exposure times of: 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 20 seconds. After developing for the full time, you use these to judge what your next test should be. When you finally get a good exposure test, then expose a full sheet of paper.

 

Hope these instructions help get you going.

Find the exposure setting for pure black. Put a clear negative in the enlarger to account for base color. Set the enlarger for f/8 or whatever you desire at a certain enlarger height. Put a photo paper under the enlarger and turn it on. Cover the paper with a dark cardboard. Every one second move the cardboard down one half inch. When you get to the bottom, develop the paper. The developed paper will now show strips going from white to light gray to dark gray to black. If at the 12th mark is black and the 13th mark is just as black and it is black all the way down then 12 seconds is the ideal time to get the correct exposure at f/8 and the set height.

 

This naturally works best for properly exposed negatives. If you can't get or don't have good negatives then just hunt and peck with test strips.

Looking at your photo, I would say the negative is too badly underexposed. The photo looks dark but there are no blacks in the photo as there should be with those dark shadows. The look is of a badly underexposed photo that has been tried to be saved by giving less exposure in the enlarger, so the blacks are not black but the mid tones are a bit lighter. I imagine that is a very thin negative.

The developing time for print paper is between 60 and 90 seconds. If your developing time is shorter than this range, the resulting print will have reduced contrast. Choose a negative, place in the enlarger and compose and focus. Set the lens aperture at the smallest (dimmest) setting. Expose a test print (OK to use a tiny scrap of your paper), for 10 seconds. Place in the developer face down (don't look). allow to stay 90 seconds. If too light, open the lens 1 click. If too dark, shorten the exposure to 5 seconds. Using this method, by trial and error, discover a combination of lens aperture and exposure time that will allow 90 seconds developing. Don't forget to read the developer's instructions as how to dilute to make a working solution.

Kodak Projection Print Scale - I couldn't live without one.

standardize your development time to 3 min no matter what your exposure is. then make a test strip n choose the best of the strip n that will be your exposure time.

 

as james and bill mentioned above, try doing a print with the clear part of your negative to get the first black on the test strip. use that as your starting point n adjust from there.

 

your example looks like you didnt develope long enough and tried stopping it too soon in a panic to save it... because it looks washed out n blotchy as well as overexposed.

 

btw each time you increase a stop, you are cutting the exposure time in half.

Edited September 29, 2018 by paul ron

No, for Multigrade RC paper in Multigrade dev diluted at 1+9, 1 minute is correct.

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file_id/2010/product_id/709/

Dustin McAmera,

 

I read the Ilford text and noticed that my developing temperature was a little higher then it should have.

Ilford recommends 20 degrees celsius fo Multigrade developer. My temperature was 23 or even 24. Maybe t caused it far a part. I will try again and lower the temperature with ice cubes.

You're still 'tinkering' around the edges and striking out wildly instead of systematically varying one factor at a time.

 

You are running before you have walked.

Ilford recommends 20 degrees celsius fo Multigrade developer. My temperature was 23 or even 24. Maybe t caused it far a part.

 

No, this is not a big deal for paper (it WOULD BE for film). The difference is that for paper you aim to develop nearly as far as it will go; this means that raising the temperature or adding time makes little difference.

 

Something that I've always done with a new paper is to test how far the development goes. I might expose a largish test strip in a part of the image that will get into some dark areas. Then, before developing, cut it in half. Develop both halves together, but at one minute (or whatever time is called for) take out ONE strip; let the other half go on for another half minute or so. Then look at the two side-by-side. Did one get significantly darker than the other (this will be more obvious in the darker tones)? If they ARE different, this means that the first development time was probably too short. If you find that there is little to no difference between the two, this means that the first development time was long enough.

 

Note that these fairly short times, a minute or slightly more, are for typical RC papers; fiber base papers typically should go longer. A couple of tests will show what times are significant. Once you do this test you'll understand what I mean.

 

I want to emphasize that FILM is a different situation. With film, the development will continue on and on. With film you are trying to reach a certain degree of development, so the time and temperature are important.

Again,no. Ilford Multigrade RC paper comes with instructions, and they say one minute development. You're not supposed to develop it to completion, or by inspection. I *guess* this is to do with how the variable contrast works; but it makes it a really easy way to start printing. When I was using it, it was also comparatively cheap.

 

The OP didn't mention what grade he was using the paper at. You must use one of the grade filters in the enlarger. Grade 3 is a good middling place to start.

 

As JDMvW says, be systematic, and patient.

hi,

 

i just did some exposures in the darkroom and found all my exposures too dark. Overexposed.

 

Did an exposure of 1 minute light with the enlarger.

 

Developed the photo in Ilford Multigrade developer for 1 minute on Ilford RC `Multigrade paper.

 

The enlargers lens was on f8.

 

Here under you can find aphoto of what i did.

 

[ATTACH=full]1264691[/ATTACH]

It seems that, maybe, you have never done this before.?

Part of your troubles might just be simple procedure.

There are LOTS of good videos on Youtube that show a "beginner" how to get started with Enlarger and Lens settings, Test Strips and Chemicals.

Have you watched any of those.?

You might find it very helpful.

Good Luck :)

There is also some beginners' stuff at Ilford's site:

Printing

... and at Kodak, the document AJ-3 here might be of interest if you're using Kodak stuff. I like that they have advice about using printing frames!

KODAK PROFESSIONAL BW Films - Tech Pubs

The print is clearly underdeveloped and overexposed. A good print should have a small area of solid black and a small area of near pure white.

 

If you're not getting solid blacks, then you're under developing, and if the whites are muddy you're overexposing. The print you've posted shows both muddy highlights and shadows. And if it's really as brown in colour as is shown, then there's something wrong with the developer. Using a film developer for prints will typically give you a brown print.

 

Expose less and develop more.

Basically you shouldn't be able to overdevelop a print. It should be developed to finality.

The OP didn't mention what grade he was using the paper at. You must use one of the grade filters in the enlarger. Grade 3 is a good middling place to start.

 

I'm guessing probably none at all.

 

Ilford paper will print to grade 2 under an incadescent source if no filter is used. At least I'm extrapolating that from the table of filter values for using a color head. With that said, I use the "two filter" table with my color head so that exposure times stay the same.

 

I consider grade 2 a good starting point, and it's where a lot of my prints end up.

hi all

 

I did the test with the coin.

I put a coin on the RC paper and turned off the light even de safelight for 90 seconds. The paper i developed was complete white.

So this proves there's no extra light coming into the darkroom. It is now completely dark.

 

But i did a nomal test (60 sec exposure with test strips)and with paper and developed it.

20,40 and 60 seconds bands.

 

Why are the whites , after certain time getting black as well??

 

You can see the image is still very dark.

The exposure must have been too strong.

Also used the magenta filter on my Enlarger . Did put it to 100/of the max of 130.

 

Why are the whites , after certain time getting black as well??

 

You can see the image is still very dark.

The exposure must have been too strong.

 

Yes, the exposure is still too strong, even the shortest of your 20, 40, 60 seconds test.

 

I would suggest another exposure test of perhaps 10, 5, and 2 or 3 seconds. I'd guess that one of these will be pretty close.

I should use an ND filter by: Cyan= Magenta= Yellow

Equal amounts of each filter.. is ND filter.

Will try it later

No offense, you seem to be jumping around a lot, almost trying to luck into a result. This stuff isn't all that hard. Along with a lot of others I was doing at 12 yrs. First get a good negative - if you haven't got one you think is good, I'm sure someone would mail you a strip. Then methodically follow instructions and expose, preferably with a timer and test strips (or the previously mentioned Kodak Projection Print scale). Develop at paper at suggested chemical concentration, temperature and time. When your results aren't pleasing, stay with the same chemicals, paper, etc. and adjust methodically. A good investment would be the Kodak Master Darkroom Dataguide.

It will be worth all the trouble when you see your first good print come up in the developer. May your efforts bear fruit!