Sunflower Solarized Print
4x5 negative contact printed on 5x7 Ilford MGFB Classic photographic paper. Ilford MG developer at usual concentration of 1:9.
Initial exposure for 7 secs (one second underexposed) with burning of center for one second. Development for 25 secs - 10 second water bath - re-exposure to light for two seconds - then development continued for 95 additional seconds. Stop, Fix, and Wash.
The finished print was photographed with the Nikon D850 and Nikkor 105mm/2.8D Macro lens. The WB was checked with a gray card, and there was no B&W conversion. There are minor adjustments to the Black and White points - otherwise, no global changes to contrast were made, and there was no local dodging and burning.
Solarization, as rediscovered and practiced by Man Ray and Lee Miller, is a technique in which the partially developed positive image is briefly re-exposed to light, leading to interesting effects which include a partial reversal of tonality, particularly in the light tones (which contain less exposed silver halide.) Strong black or white "Mackie" lines may occur at borders between areas of high contrast.
The Sabattier effect, discovered in 1862, is similar but is said to have been produced in photo prints only partially developed, as opposed to the full development practiced by Man Ray. Solarization of negative film is a somewhat different process in which very long exposures lead to complete tone reversal.
This project (and it was a project...) arose from a discussion at the Brooklin, Maine Camera Club. Thanks to Stephen Greenberg and Russell Kaye.
Sunflower Solarized Print
4x5 negative contact printed on 5x7 Ilford MGFB Classic photographic paper. Ilford MG developer at usual concentration of 1:9.
Initial exposure for 7 secs (one second underexposed) with burning of center for one second. Development for 25 secs - 10 second water bath - re-exposure to light for two seconds - then development continued for 95 additional seconds. Stop, Fix, and Wash.
The finished print was photographed with the Nikon D850 and Nikkor 105mm/2.8D Macro lens. The WB was checked with a gray card, and there was no B&W conversion. There are minor adjustments to the Black and White points - otherwise, no global changes to contrast were made, and there was no local dodging and burning.
Solarization, as rediscovered and practiced by Man Ray and Lee Miller, is a technique in which the partially developed positive image is briefly re-exposed to light, leading to interesting effects which include a partial reversal of tonality, particularly in the light tones (which contain less exposed silver halide.) Strong black or white "Mackie" lines may occur at borders between areas of high contrast.
The Sabattier effect, discovered in 1862, is similar but is said to have been produced in photo prints only partially developed, as opposed to the full development practiced by Man Ray. Solarization of negative film is a somewhat different process in which very long exposures lead to complete tone reversal.
This project (and it was a project...) arose from a discussion at the Brooklin, Maine Camera Club. Thanks to Stephen Greenberg and Russell Kaye.