selenium toning process

<p>I have been having my photos printed by millers lab onto ilford express black and white paper http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/product.asp?n=64&t=Photographic+Papers+Digital. the paper is a traditional silver based rc paper, but is developed with lasers instead of the traditional process. I would like to start selenium toning my prints both for a small color shift and to achieve archival standards. Could somebody please give a step by step idiots guide to selenium toning a print. insuring there is no residual fixer will not be an issue i dont think. i need everything from which selenium you recommend to how long to leave it in there. I basically need a detailed description of how to do this. please somebody help me out, or point me in the direction of some more information. thankyou</p>

<p>Mix the silenium with water as directed. The basic silenium solutions are different strengths so try what the manufacturer recommends and adjust from there. A warmer solution tones faster. Wash the prints first, but you can mix the silenium with Permawash to save time. Then wash for 1 hour. Although there are exceptions, it is better to stop the toning before it becomes purple.</p>

<p>Just tone and wash as Bruce describes. With RC paper it won't need an hour of washing but it won't hurt either. When toning my prints, especially in winter, I'd fill the bathtub with warm water and set my container of selenium toner in the water to warm it up. I used a tall plastic container with a lid for toning, like a Rubbermaid food container. Besides keeping down the odor it helped with more even toning since I didn't need to continually poke the print under the solution in an open tray. Prints up to 8x10 in size will slip in sideways and stay put in something like a plastic cereal keeper or pasta keeper.</p>

<p>do i need to put them in anything before i put them in the selenium solution? what exactly is the process of washing prints. Does soaking the prints in the selenium solution require agitation?</p>

<p>If they are dry soak in water first. Yes, agitate.</p>

<p>so i should soak them in a tray of water, then transfer them to the try with selenium, then transfer them to a tray that has water running through it? how long do i need to presoak it? thank you for your quick responses by the way</p>

<p>Never heard of laser developed paper, any one able to explain the process? Selenium toning procedure works on paper exposed to normal lighywaves from traditional light sources found in enlargers. By all means please try and let us know the results.</p>

<p>It's a laser printing process on light sensitive paper (usually RC). At least a handful of labs have offered this service for several years. Processing is done the usual way: developer, fixer. I've had these prints done years ago from my medium format Portra B&W negatives. I think the lab used a Durst Epsilon or Lambda, I don't recall. The RC prints were very good.</p>

<p>they are done on a durst printer, i figured since they are true silver prints that the reaction between the silver and the selenium would occur without a problem. they look very good straight from them, but i feel like they need a little extra and i think selenium toning might be just that</p>

<p>Thank you Lex, Kameron.</p>

<p>Lex, is this also called LVT printing?</p>