Another question....Flashing. I have used it to give some tone to the highlights when burning in all the areas may cause an uneven result. And i imagine it lowers contrast. True? and any other reasons you all have used flashing? thanks kc

-- kc (dogdishz@prodigy.net), October 31, 2001

Answers

I use flashing when the highlights just can't make it with normal printing. I'm usually pretty close as I am careful NOT to overdevelop my film so the amount I need to pre-expose does not necessarily lower the overall contrast. Done right, the pre-exposure should only effect the very high print values. The only other reason I have done flashing was in college, and we were pretty lit.

R.

-- ricardo (ricardospanks1@yahoo.com), October 31, 2001.

Flashing will reduce the overall contrast of the print because the flashed paper will require less main exposure to render the highlight details you want. This means the shadow portions of the print will print slightly lighter. The key to using the technique is to determine the exposure threshold of the paper you are using and flash the paper up to that threshold, the point at which visible tone on the paper can be seen.

-- James Chinn (Jim1341@dellEpro.com), October 31, 2001.

Not sure, James. Most of the time I've used the same exposure for the flashed paper as before flashing. The very small pre-exposure will be just enough to bring in some detail to the high values that were missing before flashing. However, the very small pre-exposure is insignificant to the comparitively very large exposure the low values receive. If the picture is composed of a predominance of high values, it is possible that the flashing will have some small effect on the VIII-VI print values, but it is still possible to up the contrast filter a half grade to take care of this and not negate the pre-exposure. I think the key is finding that exact threshold exposure and getting as close as possible to it. Also, you have to keep in mind that you need to pre-expose in the same manner as was used to determine the threshold value, ie 8 half second exposures rather than one single 4 second exposure. RICARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDO.

-- r (ricardospanks1@yahoo.com), November 01, 2001.

"This means the shadow portions of the print will print slightly lighter"

Having never flashed before, I haven't a clue, but I have to say this sounds anti-intuitive. How can shadow areas of prints be lightened with the ADDITION of exposure by way of flashing? Maybe I'm missing the whole principle behind the process.

-- Michael Veit (pocoveit@yaahoo.com), November 01, 2001.

It is KC. I asked the question and I wonder as Michael does about the overall contrast. I tried it and I noticed the highlights do render more detail with flashing but I did not notice a much of a change in the shadow areas. My understanding at this point is it is easier to flash rather than burn in for multiple areas of Zone Vll-Vlll and that different amounts of flashing time(within reason so there is not fogging) can begin to bring in gray to the highlights and that way the contrast is lowered. Anyone else? I just tried it and observed. Not sure I understand it. KC

-- kc (dogdishz@prodigy.net), November 01, 2001.

I will clarify. The way I was taught, you determine the exposure threshold of the paper first. Then you perform you flash exposure. Then with the flashed paper you determine the highlights as with any print. The main exposure will be slightly less then a straight print on paper that has not been flashed. The resulting print should provide the highlight detail you want with a slight lowering of contrast. A photographer friend who has been printing for years and does exhibition work showed me how it works. I could always see the difference in contrast with his prints. I have never noticed any real change in my work other than the desired increase in the highlights.

-- James Chinn (Jim1341@dellEpro.com), November 01, 2001.

Okay, I've been making images for the last 7 years, but only got into the darkroom this year. On top of that I just started in a photography program. I have a negative that my prof. says was slightly overdeveloped. It is very high contrast. The subject is a log in water, with its reflection and ripples in the water. Very "artsy" but the ripples are dark on the negative, therefore, print absolutely white on paper unless there is extensive burning in. If I get the log the right density, the ripples don't show, and if I get the ripples to show, the log goes to black. I can't burn in properly, since the log has lots of interesting shapes that burn to black when trying to get the ripples to show in the water. With such a high contrast picture, can I use pre-flashing to get a good print, or is this outside the range of what even pre-flashing can accomplish. I know the principle (for the most part) and the procedure. I'm just wondering if it's even worth attempting for this picture.

-- Krish Mandal (krishmandal@focalwidth.com), November 09, 2001.

Flash it and see. Depends on how much flash is needed and you can make a contrast mask. And dilute the developer and increase the development time all these will work. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), November 11, 2001.