REMEMBER: Photo paper is light sensitive. Never open your photo paper in white light or while your enlarger light is on.
Ms. Brown Photography 1 Darkroom Assignment #1
POSITIVE / NEGATIVE PHOTOGRAM STEPS
1. Make a TEST STRIP of your POSITIVE photogram 1. Place glass in the center of your enlarger base. 2. Adjust height so that the light shines on the entire glass surface. 3. Turn aperture to widest setting (brightest light). • Remember the apertures are located on lens of the enlarger. 4. Adjust focus so the edges of your rectangle of light are crisp. 5. On the lens of your enlarger click aperture down to f/8 then turn timer OFF. 6. Put test strip (8” x 2” strip of photo paper) under the glass. 7. Arrange objects on top of the test strip (choose solid and transparent objects). 8. Cover the entire test strip using the mat board at your station and set timer to 5 seconds. 9. Start timer and expose ¼ of strip at a time, unblocking ¼ more of your test strip every 5 seconds. 10. Unblock strip FOUR times, every 5 seconds for a total of 20 seconds. • ALWAYS KEEP TIMER OFF WHEN ADJUSTING 11. Process your test strip through the chemicals and look at it outside of the darkroom in a tray. • You may need to make a new test strip based on the results of the first one 12. The average time for a photogram is 8 - 10 seconds. You are looking for an area of your test strip that has dark blacks contrasting with light white areas and several shades of grey. 13. Write down final info: . Enlarger Height . Best Time . Aperture Setting REMEMBER: Photo paper is light sensitive. Never open your photo paper in white light or while your enlarger light is on.
2. PRINT your 8” x 10” POSITIVE photogram 1. Timing is based on the results of your test strip. 2. DO NOT CHANGE HEIGHT ADJUSTER OR APERTURE! 3. Put a piece of photo paper under the easel and arrange your objects on top. 4. Set timer to the time you determined from your test strip. 5. Expose your objects on a full sheet of printing paper for the time you determined from your test strip. 6. Develop exposed paper in chemicals. 7. Once your print is processed through chemicals and rinsed put in tray and take out into classroom to view. 8. If you need to reprint, adjust the TIME and expose again and develop in the chemicals. 9. You should have one finished 8” x 10” print of your positive photogram.
3. Make a TEST STRIP of your NEGATIVE photogram (on a different day) 1. Place glass in the center of your enlarger base. 2. Adjust height so that the light shines on the entire glass surface. 3. Turn aperture to widest setting (brightest light). • Remember the apertures are located on lens of the enlarger. 4. Adjust focus so the edges of your rectangle of light are crisp. 5. On the lens of your enlarger click aperture down to f/8. Turn OFF your timer and switch from “focus” to “time”. 6. Put your positive photogram face down on top of 8” x 2” test strip so that they form a “sandwich”. • Clear glass should cover the “sandwich”. 7. Cover the entire test strip using the mat board at your station and set timer to 5 seconds. 8. Start timer and expose ¼ of strip at a time, unblocking ¼ more of your test strip every 5 seconds. 9. Unblock strip FOUR times, every 5 seconds for a total of 20 seconds. • ALWAYS KEEP TIMER OFF WHEN ADJUSTING REMEMBER: Photo paper is light sensitive. Never open your photo paper in white light or while your enlarger light is on.
10. Process your test strip through the chemicals and look at it outside of the darkroom in a tray. • You may need to make a new test strip based on the results of the first one 11. Write down: . Enlarger Height . Best Time . Aperture Setting
4.PRINT your NEGATIVE 8” x 10” Photogram 1. Timing is based on the results of your test strip. 2. DO NOT CHANGE HEIGHT ADJUSTER OR APERTURE! 3. “Sandwich” your positive photogram face down on a full piece of photo paper (shinny side up) with clear glass on top. 4. Set timer to the time you determined from your test strip. 5. Expose your “sandwiched” papers for the time you determined from your test strip. 6. Develop exposed paper in chemicals. (do not reprocess your positive photogram print in the chemicals again) 7. Once your print is processed through chemicals and rinsed put in tray and take out into classroom to view. 8. If you need to reprint, adjust the TIME and expose again and develop in the chemicals. 9. You should have one finished 8” x 10” print of your negative photogram.