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Delivering the entire exposure as a series of short, high-intensity 100w LED bursts (0.4–0.5 s each) triggered by a momentary desk-mounted footswitch used exactly like a computer mouse click, the method deliberately harnesses the intermittency characteristics of variable-contrast papers while sharply reducing internal flare.
The Problem That Started It All
Some negatives are notorious for being hard to print:
* uneven backgrounds
* high contrast between subject and surroundings
* mixed lighting
* thin skin tones
* black camera bodies with white lettering
In my case, the “test negative” was a self-portrait holding a camera: dark background on one side, bright reflection on the other, pale skin, a black camera with white lettering, and specular highlights. Traditional continuous-light exposures (even with filters) produced flat highlights, muddy midtones, or blocked shadows.
The 100w 2700k LED bulb worked—but lacked control at f/11, f/16, or f/22.
So I introduced a **foot pedal**, placed on the workbench like a “clicker,” and exposed the paper using short pulses.
What happened next was surprising.
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Why Burst Exposure Works
Burst exposure interacts with variable-contrast (VC) paper in ways that continuous light does not.
1. Highlights build slowly and cleanly
Short exposures prevent highlight runaway. This produces:
* whiter whites
* better highlight separation
* no dull gray veil
2. Shadows deepen quickly
The short high-intensity pulses strongly activate the paper’s blue-sensitive high-contrast layer. Result:
* deeper blacks
* crisp shadow edges
* excellent micro-contrast
3. Midtones become smoother
Between bursts, the paper “rests” microscopically, preventing flare buildup. Continuous exposures often cause:
* halation
* lens flare fog
* enlarger bellows glow
Burst exposures nearly eliminate these.
4. Repeatability becomes perfect
Each click is identical:
same time, same intensity, no warmup drift, no dimming.
This consistency gives you a “digital-like” precision while staying fully analog.
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The Results
The most difficult negative printed beautifully:
* blacks fully separated without blocking
* whites remained bright and clean
* skin tones printed smoothly and naturally
* the black camera body showed shape and texture
* the white lettering (“LEICA R3”) stayed crisp
* background transitions retained detail
* contrast increased without burning the highlights
Visually, the print gained the punch and clarity i needed for a 3D look.
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If you are with the band and would like to use any of the images, feel free to email me at AshleighBrooke.xo@gmail.com.
Triggered with PW+IIs.
1 580EXII, 1/64, 1/4CTO gell, 32" brolling shoot through, front left of subject 5 feet.
1 LP120, 1/32, right and behind subejct 8 feet.
Trigger is a very shy dog, but once he gets familiar with you, he gets really excited and super-friendly. He is very good with dogs. Trigger needs to go to a home with an owner who is patient and can help him socialize more confidently with people.
Earthquakes triggered by Nyiragongo eruption damage buildings, destroy property in Rubavu district / 25 May 2021
Had a goo chat with this man, he's someone very important like the president of the kingsbridge show, but he's also warfmaster for the MoD in plymouth and has and MBE! i thik this is the most well appointed person i've taken a photo of.
Read more about photos from the show in My Blog
a power pack for a prop in a show - amazing how, in this time, just a switch with batteries can look threatening.