New Paper Test ~ Final Image

Sometimes when testing out a variable, you end up with a twist to an image not expected, nor anticipated, yet acceptable as a finished print. That might sound rather blase discussing a salable print, and should that be in your thinking I would invoke Ansel Adams 187 versions of "Moonrise Over Hernandez". The first and last have little in common beyond subject matter.

I have an image in my head for how "Stagecoach on Main Street" will look when I have tampered with every aspect of that image in creating 'my version' of what that image should look like. Another printer might likely alter things to suit their own tastes, perhaps even changing toner. After seeing the finished print of the horse head, I have changed plans for toning that image. I will be using gold toner. But first I will be adding density to the lower tonal ranges and reducing density of the highlights by just a smidgen, to better print for a gold toner, which will deepen the shadow area and below like nothing else. Palladium toner lightened the very same shadow areas, considerably. The warm palladium tone for the white horse leaves a sort of dirty look to the white horse. It did make the harness look good, but then the gold toner will also make it snap, and make the shadow area and lower tones a deep black. Weston's Amidol black, and that would make the image more visually impactful.

Sharing the darkroom printing days now with PJ leaves a finite ability to print. We work quite well together, sharing space and printer, and processing. We average three prints each per print session. Today's session was a paper test, using the same negative. What was printed on Platine, or Arches 140 lb hot press paper, sized with the standard 2g/liter sizing with the 2 1/2% salt, coated twice with 13% solution silver. This print run we used the new Revere Platinum paper, which is pre-sized, as is Platine paper. What I printed on today was Revere Platinum paper, with two levels of sizing. The standard sizing that comes with the paper, soaked in the salting solution, and, same paper in a salting solution that also had 2g gelatin, or, a second sizing of the paper.

What I found out, is that the paper continues to coat quite well, evenly absorbing the silver over the same amount of time, roughly, with all other variables held the same. The print, however, is quite a bit more contrasty than the earlier version printed on Arches paper (with the sizing). That image printed in the full tonal range of the negative in 15 minutes. This print image on the double sized paper printed 25 minutes, with Zone 7 not fully in to my liking. A fine tuning thing, but still not what I am looking for.

Paper; Revere Platinum ~ Binder solution; 2g gelatin, 2 1/2% salt (25g) ~ Sensitizer; Silver 13% sol
The finished print was digitally photographed, then transferred to Lightroom for straightening and prepping and hopefully toning correctly to be very close to the finished print, next to the screen with my patient wife (who is a watercolor artist, and sees all the colors) for guidance.

Palladium toned Salted Silver Print ~
"Stagecoach on Main Street" ~ 8"x10" ~ 1/5
Tombstone, Arizona