Dodging and how to do it.

[Bob Carnie]

Dodging IMHO is probably the most underated part of enlarger printing.
Burning is ok but I would rather bring the density to a good balance for the upper mid tones, lower highlight region, or for those digitally savy just above the 3/4 tone or 80 on the L reading.. sorry I can't help myself I hope Sean dosen't purge me.

by giving the print a bit more density , and in conjunction with a very detailed dodge strategy, you can just Burn and pop in a bit of tone to nail the upper highlights with two filters, I use 0 filter to set **flash ** in some tone and the use the 5 filter to create local contrast within the highlight region.. the five does not affect the whites but it certainly darkens any dark area within a highlight which has the effect of showing more detail.

[Allen Friday]

I use an audible timer. It beeps every second. Great for dodging and burning. That way, i don't have to look at the timer and I can concentrate on the print. Count along with the beeps--"go, one, two, stop."

For contact printing, I use a cheap electronic metronome set to beep every second. I think it cost about $10.

[Greg Davis]

I tried the digital metronome once and just about went insane from the beeping. I liked the method of using a metronome from my piano days, so I got a small quartz one. They sound like tapping wood and I found it much more pleasing.

[PVia]

I had the same problem and ended up mouting the footswitch on the side of the enlarger cabinet and I hit it with my knee to turn it on.

I hope that cabinet is totally impervious to vibration...!

[Dan Henderson]

I hope that cabinet is totally impervious to vibration...!

It is a 6x3 foot L shape constructed of 2x4s, 3/4" shelving, a 1-1/2" top, and bolted to the concrete block basement side wall. The enlarger itself does not sit on the cabinet but is attached to the sidewall in 2 places above the cabinet. I am pretty sure that a tank battalion could pass by my house without causing vibrations!

But your point should be considered by anyone deciding to follow suit.