black and white contrast filters?

Question

i bought developer for black and white photography. the problem is that i didnt realize it was for high contrast film and prints. its supposed to lower the contrast. so what i decided to do was use high contrast filters and then put it in the developer and its been working ok, but its a little grainy. however, there are still some pictures that come out too gray even with the highest filter i have.

if i layer two filters, will it work?

what else could i do to get crisper, non contrasty pictures?

Answer 1

Ok, I don't know of a b/w developer that is for both film and paper, but hey, something might have come out in the last couple of years since I went totally digital.

My suggestion: use d76 for your film and test to get the right exposure and development combination for your film (start with something basic like tri-x). Be sure to expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights. Read Henry Horenstien's excellent books on Black and White photography for more info (amazon.com)/. Getting a properly exposed and developed negative is 90% of the work.

Use Dektol for the paper at 2:1. Dektol can be diluted to 9:1 to lower contrast.

Contrast filters are of two types: the camera filters (Red, Yellow, Green) which lighten themselves and darken their opposites(ie green filter will make grass appear lighter, red darkens a blue sky).

2nd Type: Enlarger filters, which will increase contrast in steps. Start with a 2.5 filter. If the print is too flat, go to a higher filter, to contrasty go to a lower filter.

For now, use dektol at 2:1, 68 degrees F, 1.5 minutes for RC paper. Do this consistently and adjust the filter in the enlarger.

Answer 2

I agree that post-processing can eliminate the traditional use of filters as thought of back in the day. Applying a filter in software may not be exactly the same, but it's close enough. The only filters I consider anymore are UV or skylight to protect the lens, and the ones that have no digital equivalent, such as neutral density or a polarizers.

Answer 3

b/w contrast filters are yellow, orange or red color. this is to turn bright blue sky dark and allow white clouds to stand out. they do not enhance contrast otherwise. you need to use the correct chemicals to process your film.