Exposure The virtues of Zone System discipline may seem unavailable when each frame is not to be individually developed. It is, however, possible to preserve a good bit of Zone System rigor with several useful tricks.

When the luminance range for each frame in the roll is within acceptable limits, and highlight tonality can be achieved with normal (N) development, exposure of each frame can be determined on the basis of low value placement by traditional Zone System methods.

In an environment where differences in the luminance range will require abnormal development of select frames within the roll, expose as if selective development WILL be possible and BE SURE to note exposure AND development data, as if single negatives were being made.

When the roll is finished and the range of development (N minus to N plus) can be assessed, develop the roll for the frame requiring the lowest contrast Contrast Index. The key here is to expose AS IF YOU WERE using a view camera - "Expose for the shadows!"

Development For ROLL FILM, the old mandate to "Expose for the shadows. Develop for the highlights." is easily followed for the former, probably impossible for the latter. As a result, post-processing contraction or expansion is the only available option. - I have chosen expansion.

1. Determine the minimum development needed for each film/developer combination, while maintaining optimal printability with various paper/developer combinations. What is the maximum N-minus development.
   
   
2. Devise procedures for achieving N-plus results.
   
   
   • Selenium Toning
     • Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner not only alters the tone of silver prints but also silver negatives. In the process, the density of silver rich areas of the negative is increased. There is no change where there is no silver, and the appearance of grain is not increased. Sounds like the perfect intensifier.
       
       
     • As per my original notes, I use 1 part Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner and 2 parts Heico Perma Wash working solution. Ansel Adams, in his book "The Negative", suggests 1:2 or 1:3. Depending on the film, and degree of intensification, I swirl individual frames in a beaker for up to 5 minutes. If the entire roll needs treatment, I use the developing tank and agitate constantly.
       
       
     • Each film/developer combination will react differently. Tech Pan developed with Rodinal is quite active and CAN achieve N+2 to N+3 results. At the other end of the spectrum, film (including Tech Pan) developed with PMK Pyro shows little to no enhancement.
       
       
     • Since Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner is a solution of ammonium thiosulfate (same stuff as Kodak Rapid Fixer), you have essentially just re-fixed the film and must go through your wash cycle again. It is interesting that early on, the suggestion was made to mix Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner with Hypo Clearing Agent or PermaWash - now Kodak recommends plain water - and I doubt that it makes any difference. It is simply that after a half-century, I'm too old to change

Digital Negatives for Contact Printing Computer control over imagery provides unlimited opportunities and demanding constraints. Just as traditional photography requires a negative with sufficient information, so too does the digital "file". The quality of the final image is indeed tied to the quality of the source - "There is no free lunch!" BUT, the opportunities are indeed limitless and the introduction of "archival" inks and paper, and the ability to make traditional prints from digital negatives, make this one of the most exciting advances in the history of photography. It certainly adds a new dimension to the use of roll film.

Printing

1. Bleaching

   W. Eugene Smith was the absolute master of this, described in detail by Mr. Smith himself in Darkroom. The bleaching effect of potassium ferricyanide is greatly enhanced by the addition of sodium thiosulfate (hypo). The potassium ferricyanide working solution shown above, when used by itself, will work VERY slowly - BUT IT WILL WORK!. If hypo is added to the ferricyanide solution or if hypo is applied to the print, the bleaching action is accelerated. Control over the process is gained by alternately applying bleach , water, and hypo in varying amounts. One can apply several bleach cycles without seeing any change, then immerse the print in hypo, and discover either a thing of beauty, or horror. It all depends on the amount of bleach still in the print emulsion when applying the hypo. It DOES take a while to master the process, but the results can be rewarding.

   Stock solution - 75g. potassium ferricyanide, water to make 1 Liter
   Working solution - (1:10 dilution) 91ml stock solution, water to make 1 Liter.
   Hypo - 240g. sodium thiosulfate, water to make 1 Liter

   Dry Bleaching

   Ansel Adams, in his book The Print, mentions "clearing the highlights" with a Farmers Reducer solution. When a dried, but not toned, print is immersed in the working solution of potassium ferricyanide, for a limited time (5-30 seconds), the high values are affected first as the solution soaks into the emulsion. The print is then immersed in water to neutralize the bleach, then hypo to finish the bleaching process. Little if any result may be seen during the initial "bleaching" process, the final result depending on how long the print is immersed then rinsed prior to being treated with the hypo. With care, the process can be controlled to effectively increase the overall contrast of the print.
   
   
2. Variable Contrast printing paper.

   Contrast control can be achieved with variable contrast printing paper in 3 ways. The results of each technique, using the same paper, will be quite different, and the results of any of the three processes with different VC papers will also be quite different.

   1. Using filtration of a single color for the entire exposure.
      • The traditional method of exposing variable contrast paper, where varying amounts of yellow or magenta filtration simulate the various grades of printing paper.
   2. Using different filtration for the low, and high contrast emulsions.
      • Method where pure yellow filtration is used to find the proper exposure for the highlights, then pure magenta filtration is used to darken the low values.
   3. Use of special developers to adjust contrast.

Time honored contrast control - Beers Two-Solution Developer - Dektol & Selectol Soft.

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