How to make a darkroom print

A silver gelatin print is the most common type of black and white photographic print to create in a darkroom.

A suspension of silver salts in gelatin is coated onto a support such as glass, flexible plastic or film, baryta paper, or resin-coated paper (Wikipedia)

To make a print you will need access to a darkroom and the following equipment:

1. Negatives
2. Puffer brush
3. Photographic paper
4. Focus finder
5. Timer
6. Thermometer
7. Measuring cups
8. Gloves
9. Trays
10. Tongs
11. Contrast filters
12. Enlarger
13. Easel
14. Chemicals: developer, stop, fixer

Preparing Your Chemicals and Working Station

To start, you need to mix your chemicals. Take the measuring cups, and mix enough liquid to ensure your paper will be fully immersed. Follow the instructions for the ratio to blend. The temperature must be 20° C. Prepare the trays and check that they are of different colors for each step. Decide in which order you like to work – from left to right or vice versa. For simplicity always follow the same order. Do not mix the tongs and for each step use them with the correct clips. Mark them to be sure to never misuse your materials in the dark.

After you have made your contact sheet and you know which frame you want to work with, it is the time to choose your negatives. Use the puffer to gently remove any dust. Make sure the frame carrier in your enlarger is also clean.

Sizing and Focusing

Now is the time to focus on your image. Select the desired size of your print and set the enlarger. Use the back of an old print, and position it on your easel, the paper texture will help you see the focus better. Now use your focus finder and set your focus on the grain of your film to be sure the picture is sharp. It is best to do this with the aperture on the enlarger lens fully open to see clearly. Once you have focused, carefully switch the lens aperture back to f8 to have an extra sharp print.

Choosing Paper and Making a Test Print

Choosing which paper to work on is a decision to make before your printing session starts. There are many different papers, but we will consider mainly two kinds: resin coated and fiber based. For this explanation, we have considered the developing time of an resin coated paper, as this kind of sheet is easier to work, faster, and more economical.

Make your first test print to find the correct exposure time. Cut one piece of paper into many strips and use one. (Make sure to always close your paper box and take care to fold the black plastic bag, or you’ll risk fogging the paper.) Position it on an area that can cover a good range of the picture between shadows and highlights. For your filter select a n. 2 filter, which is often a good starting point. Give 5 seconds to each section, then take a piece of cardboard and block one area after the other, moving across the paper, until you have used the entire strip. This is a good technique because contact prints are so small, it is difficult to see detail.

It is important to choose a sample area of the photo that has a good amount of highlights and shadows, and various gradations in between. This will allow you to better determine the overall exposure. Afterwards you can go back and look at the strip to dodge and burn specific areas, while looking at what time to use in each area.

Developing and Fixing the Test Print

Now you need to develop your paper. With Ilford chemicals you can develop for 60 seconds, then move to the stop bath for 10 seconds, and then move to the fixer for 30 seconds. Finally wash for a minimum of one minute. Make sure to avoid cross-contamination between the chemicals and for each step use the corresponding clips. Now you should have a good idea of the best time for your print.

Making The Print

Get a fresh piece of paper, set it on your easel, and make your print. The steps will be the same as you followed for your test strip. If you notice that there is a need for some dodging and burning in your frame, now is the time to make these adjustments. Also, consider which filter is right for your print. Work on your image until you achieve a satisfactory result.