I am sure this has come up before because all of my photo friends have seen it or have had it happen to them but none know how to solve it. I consistently get an irritating veil or cloudiness on my blacks when I use Ilford glossy RC papers. It is only noticable when you look at the print from an angle or the light is at an angle. I was wondering if anyone has figured out how to solve this in air dried prints. Most of the people I know who have solved it say it went away with when they started using a print dryer. I have this happen no matter what the age of the chemestry and across multiple paper batches. Any help would be great. My setup is:

Ilford MGIVRC Ethol LPD Sprint stop bath Kodak Rapid Fixer without the hardner.

thanks

-- Robert Boyer (rboyer@mindspring.com), August 15, 2000

Answers

I get the same results with all rc papers. I have always assumed that it is characteristic of this type of paper (along with lack of image stability).As a result I I only use RC paper for contact sheets and proofs. All my "keepers" are printed onto fiber base paper.If anyone has suggestions to overcome these flaws, I would be happy to hear from you. RC certainly is convienient!

-- Robert Orofino (rorofino@iopener.net), August 16, 2000.

I think the effect is known as "blooming". I had it happen to me, too, mostly on glossy papers. Like Robert, I use FB for all serious prints, but looking back at the RC stuff I have recently printed (mostly contacts, and a few working prints, so I may be wrong), my impression is that using any surface other than glossy will solve the problem. Paper brands also seem to be prone to the effect to varying degrees, so try a different brand.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), August 16, 2000.

The answer is to use FB paper for good prints. I've had all of the problems associated with RC. Cracked emulsions, brown spots in 3 months, veiled look, and others. I used RC papers because I did not have a good darkroom set up to wash prints. With a new darkroom with all of the necessities, I've gone back to FB and my prints look much better. A dry mount press is almost a necessity for working with FB paper.

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@worldnet.att.net), August 16, 2000.

RC glossy is almost like cheap plastic, and reflects like hell. Even if I get deep blacks on RC glossy, looking at it from almost any angle produces specular reflections from light sources. Try RC satin or pearl (Ilford) or any matte finished RC paper. Like the other posters, I use FB glossy or matte for most prints. FB glossy, when not ferrotyped or glazed, does not shine like hell, and gives a smooth and even finish - quite different from RC glossy.

-- Sriram (r_sriram@bigfoot.com), August 16, 2000.

I find Ilford Multigrade RC Deluxe pearl finish to be a fine paper to use with no veiling at all. I have tried other surfaces without satisfaction, especially glossy. For my uses RC paper is very satisfactory, and the pearl finish is excellent. I have had no problems with cracking, staining, fading, discoloration, or other horrible plagues. When I use FB I usually go to the other extreme and use Luminos textured paper.

-- Todd Frederick (fredrick@hotcity.com), August 17, 2000.

Robert,just to redouble what you have already figured out, yes the veiling is common with glossy rc papers that are air dried. In the absence of a print dryer, you might try taking a hair dryer to an already dried print and hit it with high heat. This will give it a high gloss and help eliminate the veiling, though it may not give an even finish to the print like a print dryer would.

I concur with previous posters that using a pearl finish paper eliminates this problem because of the paper's texture, but sometimes you want those black blacks that nothing but a glossy print will give you.

-- Paul Swenson (paulphoto@humboldt1.com), August 17, 2000.

I use Ilford MGIV RC Pearl finish and it has veiling when compared to Ilford MGIV FB. I air dry the RC, use heated drying for the FB.

Like many of the others answering this question I confine RC to contact prints, first look prints, and when I need to turn out 25 or 30 prints in a hurry (it once happened, now I avoid that).

-- Don Karon (dkaron@socal.rr.com), August 18, 2000.

Greetings,

I have noticed this problem with air dried RC prints too, however I found that Oriental Seagull RC paper offered the densest black and did not have this problem when air dried. As all of the previous posters already stated, Pearl/Satin/Semi-Gloss finishes do not have this problem and Fiber offers a much nicer/lasting look.

Regards,

-- Pete Caluori (pcaluori@hotmail.com), August 22, 2000.