newbie question: how to deal with scratches when printing big photo

[ziedrich]

Hi, as above, there are dust n scratches on the film and it looks unavoidable (is it?).

is it possible to ensure a clean looking image while printing big sizes like S8R in darkroom (and not convert to digital and ps)?

[waileong]

Hope you have a steady hand and are good with fine brushes...

Alternatively, you could also try to burn/dodge away the scratches, if that's not too obvious?

Wai Leong
===

Originally Posted by ziedrich Hi, as above, there are dust n scratches on the film and it looks unavoidable (is it?). is it possible to ensure a clean looking image while printing big sizes like S8R in darkroom (and not convert to digital and ps)?

[ziedrich]

Originally Posted by waileong Hope you have a steady hand and are good with fine brushes... Alternatively, you could also try to burn/dodge away the scratches, if that's not too obvious? Wai Leong ===

oh i see, thanks.

is there any lab that can do a good job at these? hmm, feifei? :P

[student]

Originally Posted by ziedrich Hi, as above, there are dust n scratches on the film and it looks unavoidable (is it?). is it possible to ensure a clean looking image while printing big sizes like S8R in darkroom (and not convert to digital and ps)?

1 Scratches are not unavoidable. The only scratches I get on my negatives are those accidental drop on the floor!

Now what to do with scratches?

1 You can try to paint over the scratches with pigment inks. Honestly I have no experience with this.

2 Do not use condensor lights.

3 Failing the above, there are a few other possibilities

3.1 Make the image blur to give the image a pictorial/romanatic appearance

3.2 Induce more scratches to give an 'artistic" twist to it. I am serious!

[sathea]

Originally Posted by student 1 Scratches are not unavoidable. The only scratches I get on my negatives are those accidental drop on the floor!

how do you remove water marks on your negatives after processing before they are left to dry?
i used film squeegee to remove the water droplets and sometimes, the negatives can be scatched.
is there a better way?

[student]

Originally Posted by sathea how do you remove water marks on your negatives after processing before they are left to dry? i used film squeegee to remove the water droplets and sometimes, the negatives can be scatched. is there a better way?

Last wash in photoflo, and then drip dry.

NEVER squeegee.

NO water marks.

[ziedrich]

Originally Posted by student 1 Scratches are not unavoidable. The only scratches I get on my negatives are those accidental drop on the floor! Now what to do with scratches? 1 You can try to paint over the scratches with pigment inks. Honestly I have no experience with this. 2 Do not use condensor lights. 3 Failing the above, there are a few other possibilities 3.1 Make the image blur to give the image a pictorial/romanatic appearance 3.2 Induce more scratches to give an 'artistic" twist to it. I am serious!

THANK YOU...

[hondasleeper]

Scratches?!!? Take your finger rub your nose, use the oil from your nose and apply it to the negative it should take care of the scratches, but make sure you clean the oil off before you put them back in the sleeve.

I'm sure some of you are thinking this guy is out of his freaking mind. It has been tested and proven. Basically the Edwal No Scratch is like an oil and so it the shiny stuff off your nose.

If all else fails start practicing with your spotting brush. Something that anybody that prints in the darkroom should and must know.

Water spots on your film, use photo flo, squeegee the film with your fingers, never had a problem with scratches or water spots. If you still have a problem with water spots rewash and squeegee them again.

[pipefish]

I use 'spot-tone' touch-up pens which are easier than using a brush. You can get them at BH Photo online. I would recommend practising first because it is not that easy to do it well.

[aimlessfool]

when talking about scratches, are you guys referring to the emulsion side being 'scrapped off' or the feint scratch marks on the non-emulsion side?

[student]

You got all the answers.

Last night I was reading a book. And this is what I am going to do. I am going to take a negative, and put it on the floor for one week. And walk over it with my shoes. After one week, I will take some of those stuff you use to wash dishes, and make more scratches on it. Then wash it and see what happen!

[hondasleeper]

Originally Posted by student You got all the answers. Last night I was reading a book. And this is what I am going to do. I am going to take a negative, and put it on the floor for one week. And walk over it with my shoes. After one week, I will take some of those stuff you use to wash dishes, and make more scratches on it. Then wash it and see what happen!

I think that might be taking the matter too far. I hope the guy is refering to the type of scratches that a piece of dust on the felt might cause when the film is being extracted or machine processed(one scratch line right across the entire frame)

If you did that, you had better be damn good at spotting your prints. Or to save yourself a whole lot of aggrivation, what I would do is not even bother printing that particular frame. Just my $0.02.

[student]

Originally Posted by hondasleeper I think that might be taking the matter too far. I hope the guy is refering to the type of scratches that a piece of dust on the felt might cause when the film is being extracted or machine processed(one scratch line right across the entire frame) If you did that, you had better be damn good at spotting your prints. Or to save yourself a whole lot of aggrivation, what I would do is not even bother printing that particular frame. Just my $0.02.

Who said anything about spotting prints?

I am talking about art. You may not bother printing that "frame", but there are others who can use scratches as art.

[Wisp]

Spotting? Nah with practise you'd be fine. I'm using marshalls dyes but for RC you gotta dry them out first..pick a lil on your brush and add abit of moisture..and add VERY lightly around that spot ..stippling in a circular motion.

If you can hold you camera steady, I reckon you can spot.

[hondasleeper]

Originally Posted by student Who said anything about spotting prints? I am talking about art. You may not bother printing that "frame", but there are others who can use scratches as art.

Oh ok, I guess I misunderstood your post. More power to you.

[student]

Originally Posted by hondasleeper Oh ok, I guess I misunderstood your post. More power to you.

Not any original thought from me at all.

These are well known approaches to different ways of doing things. One book that talks about such things is "Creative Vision". Can't remember the author. But have many interesting and quirky ways of making images.

[ziedrich]

Originally Posted by student Not any original thought from me at all. These are well known approaches to different ways of doing things. One book that talks about such things is "Creative Vision". Can't remember the author. But have many interesting and quirky ways of making images.

are you planning to post some of these works?

[pipefish]

if you want to see big scratchy pictures. look at sally mann's pictures. they are so 'imperfect' but so beautiful.

http://www.houkgallery.com/mann-last...stmeasure.html

[ziedrich]

Originally Posted by pipefish if you want to see big scratchy pictures. look at sally mann's pictures. they are so 'imperfect' but so beautiful. http://www.houkgallery.com/mann-last...stmeasure.html

are those effects caused by dodge and burn too?

[student]

Originally Posted by ziedrich are you planning to post some of these works?

I have never done these things before!

But I tell you what I had just done.

1 I had just taken two negatives and as I am writing this, my feet are stepping on them. I will trample on these negatives for the next week, and then I will make more scratches.

2 I has also taken another negative, and I will subject this negative to concentrated bleach, and see what comes out of this. I may even try to mutilate this negative a little more by burning it!

Hopefully I will have something to show by the end of the month.