Proof Print Poll

[ic-racer]

Poll for proof prints

[ann]

i make a contact sheet for every roll of film. this is more for keeping track of images then anything else.

[Anon Ymous]

I find it terribly boring, especially if you do "proper" contact prints, but also find it very useful. I always do.

[DanielStone]

contact sheet for every roll, unless I know its destined for the bin in the next week or two. or I know I'll never print it, but want to keep the negs but no proofsheet.

-Dan

[jnanian]

i did for maybe 9 years
then i ran out of $$ and used
the paper for printing.
i got used to just looking
at the negative ...
i've been thinking of doing it again though ...

[Shawn Dougherty]

I only make contact prints from my 120 film. =) The right images really have a presence trimmed and mounted on good board.

[Roger Thoms]

I'm actually revisiting contact proof sheets. For a long time I didn't do them, recently I started doing them again. I'm finding that it is nice to have a positive to look at. As far as the negs I print I always inspect them closely with a loupe, checking for focus and any defects that might ruin the image.

Roger

[Jerevan]

Late in the game, I have found out that doing contact sheets makes sense for me. I find that I am more productive and I get a better sense of how and why the exposures look like they do.

[Rick A]

I use contact proofs for cataloguing purpose only. I prefer to read my negs.

Rick

[BobNewYork]

Never could read my negs - and still can't after all these years. My contacts are all done Grade 2, minimum exposure / maximum black and help me keep an eye on my entire process. I use a channel on my analyzer to meter between the frames and the enlarger set exactly the same each time - same lens, same aperture, same height and same lens extension. If there's a variation in the reading it gives me a heads up that something's changed. First thing I check on tee proof is the frame numbers and writing - the writing should be very clear and the clear film shouldn't be distinguishable from the black surround. If not there's something wrong with the process. Then the photos. Those negs that that are incorrectly exposed are really obvious and indicate a metering error. I can then work out what it was I did wrong. It works for me as a control over the entire process - in addition to seeing if there are frames worth pursuing.

Bob H