Lith Prints: On the Nature of Daylight
The last two days I had finally had the evenings for myself! First time this year I could actually work on my own photos. Sometimes I think I ought to quit my job 
Not long before those evenings I also finally came around to developing some film I had laying around from last year. The contact prints made me wanna grab my lith paper so I did. The prints are untoned and so on, test prints actually to see which way this series would go on lith but I love them already. This will be continued but I felt like sharing them anyway with some more inspirational stuff.
Kodak T-Max 100 I Hasselblad 500C/M + 50mm CF FLE I Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB I Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 I Exposure: f5,6 5 sec I Development: about 7 min. 36 sec I Untoned
Kodak T-Max 100 I Hasselblad 500C/M + 50mm CF FLE I Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB I Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 I Exposure: f5,6 5 sec I Development: about 7 min. 35 sec I Untoned
Kodak T-Max 100 I Hasselblad 500C/M + 50mm CF FLE I Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB I Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 I Exposure: f5,6 5 sec I Development: about 8 min. 06 sec I Untoned
Kodak T-Max 100 I Hasselblad 500C/M + 50mm CF FLE I Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB I Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 I Exposure: f5,6 5 sec I Development: about 7 min. 20 sec I Untoned
Kodak T-Max 100 I Hasselblad 500C/M + 50mm CF FLE I Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB I Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 I Exposure: f5,6 5 sec I Development: about 7 min. 35 sec I Untoned
Kodak T-Max 100 I Hasselblad 500C/M + 50mm CF FLE I Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB I Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 I Exposure: f5,6 5 sec I Development: about 7 min. 35 sec I Untoned
The title of the series comes from Max Richter. I’m such a big fan of his work. He made a remix of his original song combined with the lyrics of Dinah Washington’s song dating from 1960.
“This bitter Earth
Well, what fruit it bears?
Ooooh
This bitter Earth
And if my life
Is like the dust
Oooh, that hides
The glow of a rose
What good am I?
Heaven only knows.
Lord, this bitter Earth
Yes, can be so cold
Today you’re young
Too soon, you’re old
But while a voice
Within me cries
I’m sure someone may answer my call.
And this bitter Earth
Ooooh, may not
Ooooh, be so bitter
After all.
This bitter Earth
Lord, this bitter Earth
What good is love
Mmmm, that no one shares?
And if my life
Is like the dust
That hides
The glow of a rose
What good am I?
Heaven only knows.”
I hope you enjoy this post!
-Indra
Toner vs No Toner
I promised I’d show the difference between a toned and an untoned image. Please keep in mind that the untoned and toned images are slightly different prints so there’s a difference there as well, albeit very small. You can see the coloration and the -coming-to-life of the image. Both images were printed on Rollei Vintage paper 131, developer in Rollei Lith developer 1+1+24 and the toned images are on the left and toned in Selenium 1+4 at approx. 20 degrees.
“Weird-Square-in-Florence-But-Good-For-Portfolio” Liths Toned
Hmm, weird title but I mentioned it somewhere before when talking about this particular series. Where would the world be without consistency, right
Anyway, the prints finally received their toning. I used Kodak Selenium 1+4 for about 1 and a half minutes per print. Besides the archival aspect of toning it would be cool to see what the coloration would be like…nothing short of color with the combination of Rollei 131 & toner! I’ll most likely print these again and try some split toning when I receive my Tetenal Gold toner which makes things even more exciting. I can then combine blue and brownish on one print which offers a broad range of possibilities on its own again. Enough talking…
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 22 sec. Filter 3, Development: about 6 minutes, Selenium Toned: 1+4 1 1/2 min.
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 2+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 16 sec. Filter 3, Development: about 4 minutes, Selenium Toned: 1+4. 1 1/2 min.
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 20 sec. Filter 3, Development: about 5 1/2 minutes, Selenium Toned: 1+4 1 1/2 min.
The toning causes them to jump to life even more, even though they were not lame before but still. I like it quite a bit although I wouldn’t mind further fine-tuning even if it’s just for experiment’s sake. I’ll even HAVE to fine-tune and experiment to get better and gain absolute control of what I do. Theory means nothing on its own but you’ll need the theory to support your creativity and to be able to use in your advantage. So…I’ll be spending some more hours in my kitty-dork-dungeon
Oh, and not to be like an advertorial person but the book of Tim Rudman that I bought…wow….contains lots of useful information and give you a glimpse of how easy and foremost, how difficult the process is. Lots of variables and such… To anyone wanting to play around with lith printing I can wholeheartedly recommend it!
Emotional Film Part 2: Selenium Toned
It took me a while but I now that the holidays, birthdays and the likes (or dislikes) are over I finally have time to spend in my lovely darkroom. This part I spent toning already printed images. I’ll post the results of the first series here (see former post for more details on them).
Toner used is Kodak Selenium dilution 1+4 for about 2 minutes. With this Rollei 131 paper the toning happens very rapidly and the color was even more evident while wet. The images also became a lot more powerful, not only because the blacks became a tad blacker but it also seemed to affect the highlights as if these parts got a bit lighter. I’m not completely happy with these images qua color (a tad too warm for my taste), but also when looking at the images themselves. I think this will be the last time I’ve printed them anyway.
I toned Ilfords MGW.1K paper before and there it was very easy producing split toned images by diluting very moderately and leaving them relatively short in the bath. With this Rollei paper I have yet to find a proper manner to get them split toned without having Selenium followed by another toner such as Gold for example (which I have also ordered). They just seem to absorb the color like mad!
1+4 Selenium Toner +- 2 minutes
1+4 Selenium Toner +- 2 minutes
1+4 Selenium Toner +- 2 minutes
Anyway, I like them a whole lot better than the untoned versions but the color is a but too warm with this subject.
Emotional Film Part 1
Some time ago I wanted to wind a film onto my reel for developing but something went wrong. I can not really stand things going wrong especially not when I’m in the dark (kind of scared of the dark, very handy when working darkroom and stuff ) Instead of the film getting winded I got winded and it turned out in me abusing the film vigorously, finally slamming the film in my developing tank and leaving the dark in a furious mood. My boyfriend was so kind to enter the dark and put it on the reel for me instead. Actually, he does it with all my films now as I just can’t stand being in the dark, failing to get that film on the reel. Saves a lot of stress on both sides!
Anyway, I developed the film and of course it was completely damaged with cracks, dents, oysters, strikes, you name it. But despite all that I kind of liked the results and decided to keep it for further use under the name: “Emotional Film”. Yesterday I thought it to be nice to lith them. And I did. A bit more difficult negatives to print properly and I am only really happy with one so far. I’ll post the other 2 as well for experience-sake and to show you what flaws look like On to the good one:
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 22 sec. Filter: - Development: about 5 minutes Not yet toned
The two next ones still require some work but I was too tired to finish the session. They are a bit too dark, don’t like the contrast = closing up blacks.
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 19 sec. Filter: - Development: about 6 minutes Not yet toned
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 19 sec. Filter: - Development: about 6 minutes Not yet toned
Photos taken with a Rolleiflex T on T-Max 100 film
Anyway, to be continued again!
Lith Printing: Part 1
17-11-10, Maastricht
The day my first lith printing adventure began. It was wonderful! So much more interesting that regular black-and-white. The book would’ve been handy to start with but I just couldn’t wait until it arrived. Google is your friend anyway (and the people who wrote about it of course )
The influence you have on the photo by combining choice of paper, exposing (duration), developing (snatch point, temperature etc) and toning afterwards give you much more control and enable you to fine-tune more than with a regular black-and-white print. This makes this process a hell lot more interesting. Also the grain you can get gives more structure and feel to the photo, of course depending on your subject. I have a lot to learn and experience but I love it already!
The 2 golden rules in lith printing:
- Image colour and contrast are related to grain size in the paper emulsion – which in turn is related to its stage of development. Small grains of early development are soft and warm. Large grains of late development are hard and cold. The progress of development is affected of course by dilution, temperature, time and freshness.
- Highlights are controlled by exposure.
Shadows are controlled by development (‘snatch point’).
Regarding the latter point I’d like to add that the whole process of Lith printing relies on a property of Lith developers known as ‘infectious development’. This is different to the way normal developers develop a black and white image. In simple terms, infectious development means that the darker a tone becomes, the faster it develops. The faster it develops of course, the darker it becomes, and so it develops even faster still. This leads to an explosive chain reaction where the shadow tone development speeds away from the slowly progressing light and mid tones, which lag way, way, behind. The print is ‘snatched’ from the developer when it reaches the point required by the printer.
On to the photos of day 1 (well, the ones worthy of showing ) They still have to be toned. Kodak Selenium toner I’ll use for this.
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 20 sec. filter 3 Development: about 5 1/2 minutes
Paper: Rollei Vintage 131 FB Developer: Rollei Vintage Developer (Lith) 1+1+24 Exposure: f5,6 22 sec. filter 3 Development: about 6 minutes
Some links to more information on lith:
Thanks for watching and be ready for stuff to come soon! Tonight I printed some more, also tried out FomaBrom 111 and my regular Ilford MGW1K paper. Will post results hopefully tomorrow.
The book I ordered from Tim Rudman arrived, only the wrong one. He most kindly offered me to keep the book and will send me the correct one. If you want a book with great examples of lith prints make sure to check this out; it’s beautiful!
Tim Rudman's "The World of Lith Printing"
Have a good night!
Rollei Vintage 131 & Fomabrom 111 FB
Today my papers for lith printing arrived! I decided to go with the Rollei Vintage 131 paper (supposed to be the same as Fomatone MG Classic 131 FB) and the Fomabrom 111 FB. Just to see what the differences are and for that reason I might also try my trusted Ilford MGW.1K paper (if I feel like it).
As developer I’m using the Vintage developer by Rollei, as can be seen in the former post. Maybe I might try and make my own using the “Darkroom Cookbook” I have laying around here somewhere but read that it’s prone to difficulties such as streaks and all but it sounds like fun mixing some of my own.
Anyway, hope to start soon; I’m still making a selection from my negatives and have to clean that darkroom again
I also ordered a book by Tim Rudman, The Master Photographers Lith Printing Course, to help me get started. You can sign up to his newsletter via email and you’ll receive a list with all the available papers out there for lith printing including a short description. Also mentioned are the developers and their makers.
I hope to be able to show some cool stuff soon!!
Graduation Work 2009
As I want to use this work on Collodion I thought it to be wise as to post the real graduation work first. This body of work was made during my specialization grade at the Academy of Fine Arts Hasselt and is, simply said, about the superficiality of today’s society. It’s a series of 8 photos and a small poem written by me.
Dismissed
The manipulated image imposed by the media.
People try to become that image but fail miserably.
The photoshopped image will always be better than yourself, no matter how your surroundings feel about you.
You will never believe you’re pretty when you can’t compete with the beauty that’s being hold out to you.
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 1/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Rolleiflex T
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- Film & Developer: Kodak Tri-X 320 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toner
Expired
Expired, old, in other words, you no longer exist.
From about 30 years old, depending on how soon your exterior characteristics bail out on you, you’re done.
In the fashion industry and Hollywood sceneries you’re no longer interesting.
Unless you decide to modify your external age in a way you fit within the image again.
I have chosen for a not too old looking person, who is in a fragile, delicate and introvert position.
Even bigger the contrast is becoming between text and person and hopefully will be a little shocking as to make people think a little further.
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 3/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Hasselblad 501CM with 120 Macro
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- Film & Developer: Kodak T-Max 100 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
Work in Progress
The most wide spread media-spitting machine.
It’s here you learn what to look like.
Pimp this, pimp that. And if by then you still don’t know what it should be like…
From an early age on you get these images pumped into your head.
Fast and merciless snatches of images are being fired at you.
Naive to think it as no influence on you.
Disturbing to realize the images contain so little real content.
Scary to see people so massively numb sucking up this footage.
The matrix sounds more plausible every day.
We are being so manipulated by this seemingly harmless looking box while it contains so much pressure.
Whether or not aware we are being exposed to this propaganda of which no one will manage to escape.
We are a work in progress.
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 2/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Rolleiflex T & Black Light
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- Film & Developer: Kodak Tri-X 320 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
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- Filter: Green to get to see the UV light properly on film
Classified
People like to form groups, place people in different groups, probably to hide their own insecurity, wear the same clothes, share the same opinion etc.
Each box has their own “dresscode” so to speak and each of them looks patronizing at the other. People who fall outside their rules of normalities are being laughed at, and worse.
We claim to be so unique yet we are all so the same….
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 4/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Rolleiflex T
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- Film & Developer: Kodak T-Max 100 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a business management strategy, invented by Motorola, and is being applied worldwide.
Ssix Sigma is meant to track down defects and errors on the basis of 6 criteria and eliminate them.
My Six Sigma is meant as a parody on the cosmetics industry.
In this industry the problem is being created en thereafter they create the solutions in shapes like make-up, plastic surgery and diet pills.
Lucrative business this cosmetics industry. The mirage they hold out everybody wants. No problem, a few bucks and your dream is within reach.
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 5/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Rolleiflex T
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- Film & Developer: Kodak T-Max 100 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
Under Construction
Breasts too small? A shot of botox works wonders.
Also for your lips they are an indispensable boost.
Ugly nose? We break and mould it to your desires.
Husband not satisfied with your derrière? After today merely jealous!
Messy vagina? Even when you’re 15? Sure!
It’s all fixable.
Harsh? No, mere reality.
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 6/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Rolleiflex T
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- Film & Developer: Kodak T-Max 100 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
According to Specifications
The need to live up to certain exterior looks is of great importance these days.
A doll head with large eyes, therefore, was my goal, especially to emphasize the numbness en to create an unsettling feeling.
The content looks attractive, but as soon as you look at it, it would get to you, as if you would feel guilty about the feeling it provokes.
You would be sorry for them to be made victims. You would be sorry for them because you made them victims
by looking at them in a certain way.
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 7/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Hasselblad 501CM with 120 Macro
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- Film & Developer: Kodak Tri-X 320 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
Overruled
The finale image
“The pressure to live up to society prevailed”
An overdose of reality madness
I can try as hard as I can, it will never be enough.
In the end I have to let it go. Give it up. Quit.
I can’t take it anymore.
Self Portrait
Part of the Graduation Series “Limited” 8/8
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- Location: Studio
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- Equipment Used: Rolleiflex T
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- Film & Developer: Kodak T-Max 100 & HC110 dill. B
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- Paper & Developer: Ilford FB Warmtone & Amaloco AM6006 & Selenium Toned
The guiding poem I wrote
Epilogue
This is a subject very close to me. I don’t believe in mankind as a whole. Our superficiality and our need, our twisted desire to improve whatever we can to our so called benefits, our need to adjust the surroundings to us instead of adapting to our environment, which will ultimately make us a weaker species as we have become so depending on technology, these needs will be the end of us. Probably a virus of some kind will wipe most of us of the earth. That is what I believe. And that has nothing to do with God nor pessimism but sheer realism; people should take their own responsibility and it’s just the sum of events that will herald the end. I actually find the thought very soothing.
That doesn’t mean I’m a depressed person although these observations and feelings got me down more than once. Of course these thoughts surpass the superficialness as portrayed through the images above; it goes much further than that.
But I do have to say I love my life, I like making people happy around me to make life enjoyable and, so to speak, worth wile. But I strongly believe that we, as a whole, are a lost cause.
A New Adventure….
I have ordered Rollei Lith developer because the examples I saw looked very promising. I have yet to start with it but the idea of going back to “standard” black & white negative printing, even though being done in a professional archival worthy manner, seems totally boring now that I’ve begun with Wet Plate.
Rollei Lith Developer
Lith printing seems like a relatively easy way to start doing another alternative way of processing and still being able to use my film footage of which I have a lot. A lot that needs to be printed too. I will post my newly acquired adventures when I do so here. I hope this blog will grow out to be a development of myself into the wonderful world of alternative photography. An interesting book that I use as a guide through the wide variety of processes is this one:
Christopher James – The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes
I hope I will get myself to start with this soon but I have a lot on my mind lately, one of them is creating a new website. It’ll be in the style of Wet Plate qua design and a bit more fun and personalized. One of them is something else to which I’ll dedicate an entire new category as I hope it to grow in the (near) future.
Indra
