Fixing skin imperfections in darkroom

[tkamiya]

I have a model portrait that I like. This frame was shot in B&W. Looks good except the model's face has some imperfections that are somewhat distracting. For example, forehead area has bumps that shows and right next to her lip there is an area where some discolorations exist.

Other than hand coloring, are there any darkroom technique to minimize the impact?

[hpulley]

I don't see the picture but sometimes the solution is how you take the picture. Make-up, lighting, soft focus, pose, expression, wardrobe, angles, placement of hair and hands can reduce or eliminate unwanted aspects.

Otherwise, use a 'pro' film with a re-touchable emulsion surface and/or print to a re-touchable fiber paper which you can touch up.

[Mick Fagan]

You can make a slight difference by making the focus on the enlarging lens slightly out, this will also lower contrast a little.

Another possible technique that I have used, is special effects filters. Although they are often gimmicky, they can sometimes can be used to hide either a blemish or an eyesore part of a building or machine.

I have some large film that has these special effects, like steel etchings, mezzanine tint, concentric circles, that kind of stuff.

Use of the filters which are placed on top of the paper and enlarged through, often lower contrast a fair bit.

One then does a photo copy of the print then enlarges that onto paper, doing this allows you to control the contrast very well.

Mick.

[Mike Wilde]

An option is to dupe onto 4x5, and retouch by pencil on the copy negative. Two good Kodak mid 80's books I have on this area are "copying and duplicating ' and 'retouching'.

[Neal]

Dear tkamiya,

Back in the industrial darkroom of a railroad products company I worked for, they used to make a large print (16x20 and up), clean it up by hand using airbrushes and the like, then photograph the modified print. The same technique was used to make Power Point like slides for use with a Magic Lantern projector. Obviously, that was a long time ago and the "models" were much larger. :>)

Neal Wydra

[jeffreyg]

You might want to try an "adjustable diffuser" held under the enlarger lens. Take two 1/4 inch pieces of glass with smooth or taped edges and put a few drops of baby oil between them, rub them around while the focus light is on so you can see the effect. You can remove or add oil as needed, tilt or rotate one piece of glass over the other. The negative should be sharply focused so the eyes or other features are not blurred. I have used this to lighten freckles and eliminate peeling skin from a sunburn etc. It doesn't jeopardize the original negative. It may take several test prints until you get what you want but it does work.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

[tkamiya]

Thanks everybody!

[F/1.4]

Why not just scan it and retouch in Photoshop?

If you still want a silver print, you can print your photoshopped image onto Pictorico and do (up to) an 8x10 contact print in the darkroom.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Why not just scan it and retouch in Photoshop?

If you still want a silver print, you can print your photoshopped image onto Pictorico and do (up to) an 8x10 contact print in the darkroom.

Because this is a forum for film and darkroom technique, and your suggestion is not in line with that. Digital techniques are best discussed at places like www.dpug.org

[Athiril]

Because this is a forum for film and darkroom technique, and your suggestion is not in line with that. Digital techniques are best discussed at places like www.dpug.org

They're not best discussed at DPUG, there's a million and one photography forums, no need to add more so late in the game.