Printing a positive for Hand Tinting.

[Pacco J Pompei.]

Printmaking is the most exciting aspects of Photography. Black and White Print making lends itself towards a leisurely creation. You can fine tune the image-by enlarging it and altering the tones of White through Black. You can also reduce or increase the contrast between them. Cropping the edges readys the Print for final viewing. Photo Printing Paper is coated with a light-sensitive emulsion containing crystals of silver atoms combined with bromine or chlorine atoms or both. Light is passed through the negative and onto the paper. After the print is exposed it is placed in a developer where chemical action converts the crystals into a dark metallic silver. Then the Print is place in a stop bath to halt the action of the developer, then fixer, which removes undeveloped and unexposed crystals, and finally it is washed and dried.
All of my Black and White Photos are in the range of zone "IV" through zone "VII". This allows the Hand Tinting to take on it's on Mood. The colors have a tendency to jump from the Paper.
What makes my Black and White Photo Art Unique ? I use only color film to my Print Black and White Photos the Classic way. It gives me a wonderful guide to know the true colors of the scene for future Tinting. With Black and White film you will only have shades of greys for reference.
Color films has more contrast due to the nature of it emulsion. In color film red is red, blue is blue, and yellow is yellow. Black and White Print paper responds well in the toe and shoulder areas. Density becomes more apparent in the shadows zones.