Color enlarging

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Originally Posted by perkeleellinen

I learnt how to do it from reading posts on here, I made a file full of information on colour balance and then I printed it out. I still refer to it now. However, I think I would have taken a lesson if it was convenient - it's more social isn't it?

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Maybe you could share the information you put together? I'd love how to do it.

You guys have convinced me. I'm going to go for it. And, as I said before, it's not a class but someone showing me the steps of color printing.

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Originally Posted by BMbikerider

Basically RA4 processing when you get the hang of it is actually a doddle. It is a balancing act between temperiture - exposure-color-balance-film-printing paper-and chemicals.

Get one set of materials that suits you and stick with them. Get one set of chemicals to process the film and one set to develop the paper and stick with them. Make sure your temperiture is consistent and the remainder will come naturally. You can 'dodge and burn' in the same fashion as B&W but you run the risk of odd areas with different colour balance. It is all a matter of practice. That $60 fee to teach you looks like a good deal. There is nothing like someone to show you the ropes

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They provide the chemicals for printing and I don't know what they use. I only had to provide my chemicals for developing because they don't offer that. I don't know what kind of chemicals they use.

Thanks.

For the tutorial, will they start with one of your negatives and then work through determining the correct filter pack and exposure? If you have your own darkroom, how similar is your setup to the one that you will be using for the tutorial?

C-printing is hard. I did one print and that was enough for me. I've watched a few people who are great at it, and gotten to see the work of some others who are masters of it. It's a dying art, in large part because color processors are so rare now. Word to the wise: Chemistry for C-printing is bad stuff. You don't want your hands on it. Gloves are a must.

Dear Mario,

Do the search anyway unless you will continue to have access to the processing machines after your tutorial. I assume you will want to print color at home using your new enlarger. Further, as noted above, if you do process at home use gloves. Also find out where your household chemical waste collection site is. In the Chicago area we have several that will collect hobby chemicals for free.

Neal Wydra

Color printing is hard and you really need a color analyser to get good results. Then there is the need for a dichroic enlarger head or silters, etc. Color paper is expensive and unlike BW paper it does go bad. I tried it for awhile and decided it was too much hassle and too expensive. One has to be very determined to print color.

Ignore the naysayers.

I find color printing quite easy. I too thought I needed a color analyzer and bought one but now I only use it for exposure determination when changing print sizes as with a little experience I learned to color balance quickly by eye. Learning color theory will help with this. You can determine a starting filtration for each film type you will be printing (which with today's films are very close to each other) then tweak from there. Not that hard!

The use of trays and room temperature developer makes making small test prints quick and easy. Don't use drums or high temperatures.

Color paper can be frozen extending the life for years. Color chemistry, stored properly, can last as long as B&W.

Color printing may seem problematic at first but once you get experience it is just as easy as B&W and very rewarding.

A good book, a box of color paper, proper chemicals, and an evening to yourself will be a good start. Printing at home may be very different that the process they do. Different chemicals, paper, enlarger or printer, method of delivering the chemicals, example, machine vs tray or drum. Its not hard to learn, it does take effort and commitment.

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Originally Posted by Gerald C Koch

Color printing is hard and you really need a color analyser to get good results. Then there is the need for a dichroic enlarger head or silters, etc. Color paper is expensive and unlike BW paper it does go bad. I tried it for awhile and decided it was too much hassle and too expensive. One has to be very determined to print color.

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I respectfully disagree. The color paper is half the cost of BW rc paper and dirt cheap compared to fiber. Kodak's color chemistry lasts forever after it is mixed and is reasonably cheap when you buy it in bigger volume. This makes for low cost experimentation. I find I enjoy color printing much more because of the lower cost, so I can experiment much more without worrying of paper/chemistry wastage. Yes you should have a dichroic enlarger for easier filtering. But I find color analyzer unnecessary. I do have it, but rarely use it. Color is all in the mindset. Just find the quickest possible way to process test strips, and remember that color paper is cheap. Most important to have fun with it. Yes, color paper goes bad, so the solution is to use more of it so you can go through it quicker :D

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Originally Posted by Neal

Dear Mario,

Do the search anyway unless you will continue to have access to the processing machines after your tutorial. I assume you will want to print color at home using your new enlarger. Further, as noted above, if you do process at home use gloves. Also find out where your household chemical waste collection site is. In the Chicago area we have several that will collect hobby chemicals for free.

Neal Wydra

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Mmm? I'm not sure what search you're referring to? In any case, I don't have a home darkroom and, for the foreseeable future, I won't so I will continue using the facilities at Rayko. I don't have to worry about getting chemicals on me because they don't use the tray system. It's a machine that does the processing.

Thanks.