Digital Negatives: Using Photoshop to Create Digital Negatives for Silver and Alternative Process Printing

Abstract

Digital Negatives Introduction Why digital negatives The advantages of Photoshop Renewing challenging processes A simpler wet darkroom The handmade print Can prints from a digital negative match a traditional silver print Thinking beyond mimicking the silver print 1. The Basics of Digital Negatives Photographic processes are non-linear Why this has worked well for so many years Trying to create a linear workflow in the digital world Correcting for each printing processes 2. Capturing the Optimal Image Sources from a digital camera Exposing onto film Scanning issues Color or black & white originals Processing in Photoshop 3. A Basic Workflow for Silver Printing The Ingredients Preparing the image Printing the negative Exposure Development What might go wrong 4. A Basic Workflow for Palladium Printing The Ingredients Coating the paper Preparing the image Printing the negative Exposure Development What might go wrong 5. Exposure Your Light Source Printing the step table Determining the base exposure Measuring exposure 6. Creating Correction Curves Why we need to create individual correction curves Identifying a good printed step tablet Scanning the step tablet Set the End Points Measuring the data Making the correction curve Testing a correction curve How we track our curves/processes/prints 7. Calibrating the System Configuring Grey Working Space Calibrating your monitor 8. About Printers Working with some specific Printers we have used - Epson R2400, 2200, C86 (4000, 4800) Configuring other types of printers - Determining the best settings for your printer - Issues regarding printing - Print Media 9. Notes on Equipment and Workspace The Wet workspace Light Sources for exposure Is Visible light or UV light printing easier? 10. Tuning the Fine Digital Negative Print Variable Contrast Paper for Silver Printing Contrast agents for Palladium Printing 11. Manipulatory Miseries Some common problems, how these arise and how we address them. 12. Platinum over Color Printing A new process for color images CMY - K separations Printing the color separation Printing the negative 13. Finishing Techniques Coating the print - wax, varnish, acrylic Edge treatments Framing 14. Experimenting with the Unknown A list of some experiments that we have tried, our results, and some possible next steps for further experimentations. These include: color & cyanotypes, printing with two negatives, gold prints, uranotypes, digitally creating silver darkroom negatives, localized solarization.