Re: [Leica] Re: B&W technique - Rodinal

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

This is really difficult. I'm not sure that I know how to describe a
"feeling" or"look". I have friends that swore by Microdol-X. Their
photographs were, to me, generic. Everything seemed to fit in the normal
dynamic range of the film and paper. The overall look was smooth but a
closer inspection showed marginal sharpness.

My B&W photographs always seem to be of extreme dynamic range. Sharp
contrast boundaries. Bright backlight, hold the reflection highlights, and
hold the shadows. Rodinal when used at high dilutions and minimum agitation
exhibits some remarkable traits. The grain clumps, Mackie lines, and the
overall "look" , to me, is what I like. If any of you have seen Walter
Heun's 16x20 B&W photographs that he used to show during his lectures, you
know what I am talking about.

Besides Rodinal, I have also mixed my own brew's from some very old
formulae. Windisch's Pyrocatechol "Extreme" compensating developer. And the
W665 Orthophenylene diamine "ultra" fine grain developer. No mush like
Microdol-X. Sharp and fine grain. One just has to experiment with different
film/developer combinations, read books on the subject, and when you like
something, work on what you've found until you get it perfected.

Unfortunately, it has been a long time since I have done any B&W. My going
back to 4x5 for "fine art" work has spurred my interest again. I got tired
of running back and forth to my local lab for Cibachromes. Each print
seemed to take a dozen trips. And NO ONE can print your B&W for you. NO
ONE! Well... maybe someone somewhere, but they are hard to find. So I'm in
the middle of a darkroom re-model. I have found that no one can print a
print like you want it. And with B&W, no one can develop your film either.
Even my wife agrees. She said the stuff I used to do in my darkroom was
always superior to that which I got from my local (and very good) lab.

Jim

At 11:33 AM 11/9/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Jim Brick wrote: "I think Rodinal is a state of mind. Either you love it or
>you hate it. I
>have friends who hate the stuff. And other friends (including me) who love
>the stuff. It may depend entirely upon the type of photography you do and
>what you want (like) the result to look like"
>
>Would you elaborate on "the type of photography you do"?  Your comments are
>always thoughtful and informative.  Do you refer to subject matter,
>technical preferences or what? Thanks!
>
>Eric
>