Ralph Gibson over exposure and overdeveloment question?

[stradibarrius]

This is an experiment trying to learn and use Ralph Gibson method of over exposing and over developing Tri-X.
I just shot a roll of Tri-X 400/ Arista Premium at ISO 200. That is a one stop overexposure.
Now to over develop it should I use a time for ISO 800 which would be a 1 stop overexposure from normal ISO 400?

[Greg Davis]

Try developing the film 20% longer than the time given for ISO 400 in your developer as a starting point. I am getting that number from a chart in T-Max 400's tech sheet that suggests that time increase for increased contrast on page 8.

[stradibarrius]

I have a time from the Massive Development Chart for Tri-X 400@800 of 16.5 min @20C. ISO 400 @400 is 14min, 20% would be 17.5???? Which do you think would be better as a starting place?

[Greg Davis]

My math comes to a new time of 16.8 minutes. 14x60=840 sec., 840x1.20=1008 sec., 1008/60=16.8 min.

[stradibarrius]

Thanks Greg for pointing me in the right direction!

[Greg Davis]

I hope it works for whatever you are doing!

[chriscrawfordphoto]

EI 800 is underexposing, not overexposing, so what you're doing is pushing the film one stop.

[Lyn Arnold]

Max Marinucci might chime in here. Not long ago he posted in a thread about Ralph Gibson. According to Max, Gibson exposes Tri-X @ 100 and uses Rodinal 1:25 for around 11 minutes. You might be able to find the post.

I tried this a couple of days ago. The day was cloudy with a bit of rain in the city -- lots of bright reflections on the wet pavement.

Most of the negs look awful -- very overexposed. But I guess I didn't follow directions very well -- Gibson uses Sunny 16 and exposes for the highlights -- I just relied on my in-camera meter.

I'll get to the darkroom after Christmas and see what they can produce in the enlarger.

[Gim]

I read an interview once where Gibson said he rated tri-x 200-400 and developed as above. Rodinal 1:25, 11 minutes. I'm sure another interview, over the last 40 years, can be found where he said different.

Jim

[Trask]

Flipping to page 63 in the book "Darkroom" by Lustrum Press, where there's a whole interview with Gibson about his technique, he says he rates Tri-X from 100 to 400, develops in Rodinal 1:25 at 68F for 11 minutes, with ten seconds agitation every 90 seconds by rolling the tank on its side. He writes:

"To develop Tri-X, I use 10cc of Rodinal for every roll. If I am developing two rolls of film in a two-reel tank, I fill the tank with water at 68F to within a quarter of an inch of the brim. Then I pour in 20cc of developer and stir...An 11 minute development time with agitation every minute and a half for ten seconds yields a contrasty negative having the appearance of blocked highlights...the only negative that I consider interesting is the overexposed, overdeveloped one."

There's a whole chapter by Gibson, so if you're interested in his work, you may wish to pick up a copy.