AD5803 - Printing Notes

Since I really need to get familiar and confident about the printing process, I decided to write all the steps and precautions that I need to take everytime I go to the printing room. Yesterday I went to print for the second time after two weeks and I lost plenty of time for pointless mistakes and distractions, this should not happen anymore so I really need to crack on with this this process and make the most out Jane's printing sessions.

1 - WHAT I NEED WITH ME

Enlarger tray

Enlarger lens

Red filter (safe light)

Negatives

Printing paper

Scissors

Glass tray

Black cardboard

2 - SET THE ENLARGER

Place the enlarger tray in the enlarger

Put the lens

Set the aperture to the widest position and close the aperture two stops (for example from f 11 to f 5.6)

Regulate the enlarger accordingly to the size of the print

Put the red filter and place the paper for a test strip

Set the timer (3sec in a good start)

Take the black cardboard and cover the light leaving only a strip, expose each strip for +3sec

3 - BATHS

Put the sheet in the developer, agitate for 2min

Move it into the stop bath for 30sec

Put it in the fixer for 5min

Place the sheet onto a tray a check the results at light (you can do it right after putting it the fixer for a few seconds)

Rinse in the first bath of water for 5min

Rinse in the second bath of water for 15min (for resin coated prints) or 40min (for fibre based)

Useful links:

http://www.guidetofilmphotography.com/black-and-white-darkroom-printing.html

http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/products/AJ-3.pdf

https://emulsive.org/articles/darkroom/printing/an-introduction-to-black-and-white-darkroom-printing-by-marta- beltowska

First test strips