I promise I'm not here to offend...

[jimsphotoart]

I have come across this site so many times when searching for info on papers, film, etc. I thought it was time I joined.

I understand that this is an 'analog site'. That being said, I will very briefly explain my process and let y'all tell me if I should proceed with questions about specifics.

I will say at the outset that I have tremendous respect for all that are shooting traditional processes...

I shoot 35mm b/w film, process the negs myself. I am no longer able to use a traditional enlarger setup, due to my living conditions, space, etc. However, I am not satisfied with any type of digital output, so this is what I have been doing...

I have been scanning my negs and doing VERY MINIMAL adjustments in the computer - I have a strict rule for never doing anything other than cropping, contrast adjustments and exposure - things I normally did under the enlarger.

I have been printing the files onto 8x10 transparency material with the hopes of doing some contact printing, as I appreciate the archival qualities of this process.

If i am being heretical or out of line let me know, and I will go away quietly... However, if this much 'modern' influence is allowed, I look forward to hearing about proper papers and procedures for this whole process.

THanks so much!

[Rick A]

Welcome to Apug. Shooting film is shooting film. I understand you cannot print traditional methof, thats forgivable.

[pbromaghin]

Not to worry. The owners of this site have something made just for you - DPUG.ORG. It's a mirror of this site, but for discussing hyprid workflow such as yours. Just click the button at the very top of this web page.

[keithwms]

Welcome! I agree with Rick; stay here on APUG. To the extent that you shoot and discuss film, you'll certainly find camaraderie here, and it's good to have you. Yes you can go to DPUG and talk about the very last part of your workflow, if you feel so inclined, but frankly... DPUG is 99% what scanner should I buy. Sorry to say that but it's true.

To show your work here in the galleries, it'd be best to use straight scans.

Welcome!

[Jeff Kubach]

Welcome to APUG! Like the post before check out DPUG.

Jeff

[Sim2]

FWIW I think that you should be very welcome here to discuss the use and development of film and as others seem to have missed, the contact printing of the transparency material onto traditional papers. I think an interesting workflow. Just keep questions on photoshop or scanning to other well established sites. Moderators will tell me if I am wrong with this!

Welcome to APUG and where are you from etc.

Sim2.

[jimsphotoart]

Actually have very little in the way of questions concerning the digital side of things. Not that I'm an expert, but as I stated earlier, I do very, very little in that arena other than the basics.

My interests is in learning the best papers to use for contact printing, best ways to expose the papers, etc. (my experience with contact printing was always just making contact prints for my negs).

When I can, I will put up a couple of images so at least you can see where I'm at with my work...

Thanks again!

[ntenny]

I think a lot of us here have hybrid workflows at least some of the time. The digital stages are off-topic, of course, but clearly there's no problem with people talking about film development when their target is a scanner rather than an optical print, and I don't see any problem with talking about contact printing even if the negative had a digital source at some stage. (After all, photograms are on-topic, right?---and a contact print is arguably just a photogram of an unusually complex object.)

That said...contact printing in medium format is perfectly feasible. 6x6 and 6x9 were normal output formats not that long ago. Get yourself a TLR or a folder and give it a try---but it's addictive and can lead straight into large format, so don't say nobody warned you. :-)

-NT

[Whiteymorange]

Hey, lots of us also shoot the big "D", or work with mixed processing, or make dig. negs, or whatever. It's not that we think it's evil, it's that we have this space to discuss the film side of it all, without a lot of discussion of the overwhelming (at times) technical side of computers and printers. We simply go to other sites to discuss that stuff. Here we glory in the analogue side of life - whatever we are doing on the side to make the art we make.

Welcome aboard, jimsphotoart. No need to go away.

[bblhed]

Welcome!

As others have said, this is the place to get the information about turning photons into images, DPUG is the place for turning electrons into images. Honestly unless your question is about how to get a photo into or out of a computer this is where you should ask.

As for printing, I am in the same boat as you in that I can not have an enlarger to make prints so I have to contact print. If you want to go straight film then Medium or large format is the way to go. I have tried the DIY negative on transparency paper, and it just does not cut it for me.