Bruce Barnbaum - The Art of Photography - An Approach to Personal Expression

One final word about papers in general: double weight paper is more durable than single weight paper. That is obvious, but it also means that in the long run, double weight paper is probably cheaper and less frustrating, for fewer prints are damaged during development and subsequent handling. Also, because it can endure rougher handling, double weight paper can be worked on in the developer, with hand rubbing of specific areas to enrich blacks or bring out the most subtle highlight gradations. I don’t know of a single fine art photographer who uses single weight paper over double weight (or “premium weight”), and there’s an important lesson in that fact!

Variable Contrast vs. Graded Papers

The greatest change that I have encountered in traditional photography came between 1990 and 2000 with the widespread production of high quality variable contrast papers (also known as multicontrast papers). It amounted to nothing less than a revolution in photographic possibilities. Today, even after carefully watching digital processes improve over the years, I am still convinced that a good gelatin silver print is unmatched by any inkjet or other digitally created image. That’s the reason I continue to work with traditional processes in black-and-white. (Besides, the traditional darkroom is also my sanctuary, where I can block out the world while I engage in my creative dreams.)

I used to print all of my images on graded paper, but I completely switched to variable contrast papers by 1995. Variable contrast papers exhibit whites that are every bit as white as any graded paper and blacks that are equally rich and brilliant. Thus, they are equal to graded papers in overall tonal quality. Beyond that, there are two advantages to variable contrast paper. The first is a reduction in your need to stockpile vast amounts of paper, since each sheet can be printed to any desired contrast level. Second, you can print an image with one level of contrast in one area and another level in another area, smoothly meshing the two (or more) contrast levels with careful burning and dodging (see below for more information on this topic).

The contrast level of a variable contrast paper depends on the color of light that hits the paper. The color—and therefore the contrast level—is changed by placing filters below the enlarging lens or above the negative inside the enlarger (which is the preferred method because it doesn’t interfere with the optical qualities of the lens). Many enlargers are made with filters built into the system, allowing a continuous increase or decrease in contrast from the highest level (maximum magenta or blue) to the lowest level (maximum yellow or green). Thus each portion of a print can be exposed to your desired contrast, offering a remarkable level of flexibility never achievable with graded papers.

The way it works is relatively simple to understand. All variable contrast papers contain two emulsions: high contrast and low contrast. Magenta light activates the high contrast emulsion to the greatest extent and the low contrast emulsion to the least extent. Yellow filtration activates the low contrast emulsion to the greatest extent and the high contrast emulsion to the least extent. Thus, by varying the amount of magenta or yellow filtration, you can control the contrast level of the paper. There is never a reason to use yellow and magenta filtration together, for one serves to negate the other, but doing so does lengthen the exposure under the enlarger due to the neutral density effect of two filters being used simultaneously (more on this below).

Today, anything that can be done with graded paper can be done with variable contrast paper simply by setting its contrast level to the equivalent of the graded paper. Of course, many of the prints I make can still be done equally well on graded paper because the entire image is printed at one contrast level. Some images are simply easier to print—and often are superior in overall quality—on a variable contrast paper. But a few are possible only on variable contrast paper. Because I try to maximize my options in all areas of my photographic endeavors, variable contrast papers have become my logical choice and I strongly recommend them for all printers. The discussion that follows is based largely on variable contrast papers, but everything still applies to graded papers, except where the added flexibility of variable contrast papers come into play.

Fiber Base Papers vs. Resin Coated (RC) Papers

Fiber base silver gelatin papers offer the ultimate in quality and longevity. They are the gold standard by which any paper is measured, including digital papers of any sort. Resin coated (RC) papers were developed for those who need to get prints quickly, have them dry almost immediately, and lay flat on the table without mounting. They were perfect for newspaper use, for example, but now digital processes are even faster; the prime purpose of RC has been superceded in a span of about 20 years.

RC papers have improved significantly since they first hit the market. Initially, images appeared to be a bit fogged and the papers had a short lifespan, lasting no more than 10 years before the plastic base began to crumble, taking the images with it. But great strides have been made over the years in image quality and longevity. However, RC papers still lack the last step of brilliance and are still not as permanent as fiber base papers. They are unlikely to ever reach the quality level of fiber base papers.

Another problem with RC papers is that they develop fully within 60 to 90 seconds. Additional development has no effect on the image. As a result, exposure alone determines the image. This means that development is purely a mechanical process, and the print lacks the subtle variations of tonality that make a fine fiber base print shimmer.

I use fiber base papers exclusively. I see no reason to compromise on quality at any stage of the artistic process, especially the all-important final step: the finished print.

Black-and-White Paper Developers

There are a number of developers available, and each has different properties. The most popular packaged developer is Kodak Dektol, and for good reason. It develops papers to high levels of richness and contrast, and it has a long shelf life once mixed. Kodak’s Selectol-Soft, which is warmer in tone and much lower in contrast, is also quite popular and has some important qualities that will be discussed below. Ilford’s Ilfobrom developer is similar to Dektol in quality, but slightly colder in tone and even a bit higher in contrast. It, too, is excellent. Other developers abound, and experimenting with them (using, perhaps, Dektol as a standard of comparison) will help you determine which is best for your general use. I’ll use Dektol as the standard throughout the ensuing discussion because of its high quality and widespread use. Some developers bring out a warmer tone in papers, whether they are initially warm tone, neutral tone, or cold tone papers. These are worth working with to achieve your desired look. Ultimately you may want to use various combinations for different types of prints.

With graded papers I regularly used two developers, Selectol-Soft and Dektol. Selectol-Soft developed the paper to a contrast level lower than a full grade below Dektol. By starting development in the softer developer, then switching to the harder developer, I was able to control the inherent contrast of the print depending on the length of time in each developer. Now, with variable contrast paper, I just use Dektol, altering the contrast level via filtration built into my enlarger.

In addition to the pre-packaged developers mentioned above, there are formulas for mixing your own developers available from a variety of sources. I won’t delve into these here. If you’re interested, there are books available about the formulas. I believe that the pre-packaged materials possess all the variety of the formulas, and they are far easier to prepare.