Making a Contact Sheet

Yr 11 Photography

Making a Contact Sheet

Overview

• Also called a proof sheet• Place negatives in holder• Use enlarger to process• Expose a test strip• Develop test strip• Check which test is best and use

this exposure time for full contact sheet

• Clean up and rinse trays

Making a Contact Sheet

The enlarger

• Turn on enlarger

• Raise and lower enlarger head so that light will cover entire contact print

• Set aperture – turn to full light and then turn back 2 or 3 clicks

• Focus enlarger – check that light produces ‘crisp’ edge

• Turn off enlarger (or use filter over light)

Making a Contact Sheet

Making a test strip

• Place film in negative sleeve on the enlarger

• Take a ‘test strip’ of photographic paper and place this under a good negative strip that you want to test

• Make sure all other photo paper is in the box away from light

• Cover all negatives with cardboard leaving a 1cm strip exposed

• Press timer for 2 seconds exposure. Slide cardboard along 1cm. Set timer for 2 seconds. Repeat until test strip fully exposed.

Making a Contact Sheet

Developing test strip & Contact sheet

• Chemicals– Developer (120 mls rodinal : 1080 mls water @ 20°)– Stop bath (water @ 20°)– Fixing agent (120 mls fixer : 1080 mls water @ 20°)– Hypo clearing agent (wash – water @ 20°)

• Follow the same process as for developing negatives– Developer – 2 mins – gently agitate– Stop bath – 1 min – gently agitate– Fixer – 2 mins – gently agitate– Wash – as long as you possibly can under running water

Making a Contact Sheet

Safety precautions

• Avoid contact with skin and eyes• Wash hands after using chemicals• Use tongs to transfer photos between trays• Use red safe light• Light indicator outside darkroom• Don’t eat or drink in darkroom

Making a Contact Sheet

Some resources• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw3qM4ABPfk• http://www.artisticnetwork.net/arts/1012/how-to-print-a-contact-sheet-fro

m-negatives-black-and-white-photography-darkroom-skills.html• http://www.ehow.com/how_8232070_make-contact-sheet-enlarger.html• http://www.halfhill.com/proof.html