BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY:

Introduction to the Darkroom Development

Home	Setup	Placing the Negative	Composing and Focusing	The Test Strip	Developing	The Final Print	Final Thoughts	Links

Composing and Focusing Your Image

Open up the lens

There is an aperture ring on the lens, just like on your 35mm camera. Turn this ring all the way to the left SLOWLY WITHOUT FORCE. You will feel the clicks at each setting, usually at 4 (largest opening), 5.6, 8, 11, 16, etc.

Once you can't turn it anymore, the aperture is all the way open. This lets the most light through, making it easier to focus your image.

Compose

Adjust the height of the enlarger by turning the crank on the right side. This determines the size of your photo and how you are going to crop it.

Frame the image in the easel because this is where your paper will go when you print.

Focus

Focus the image by turning the knob on the right.

Place the grain focuser on the easel to magnify a specific area and to check focus around the whole image. I like to check the focus of defined edges and high detail areas.

Evaluate

Scan the image and decide where to place the first test strip.

Pick an area that has important detail and equal lighting on the length of your strip (I make my test strips 1 ½'' x 8”).

You may need to make multiple test strips in different areas to get an accurate result with some difficult negatives.

Stop down lens

Once you have focused the image and have everything set the way you like it, it is time to “stop down” the lens. We do this by adjusting the aperture to a smaller opening. I generally print at “2 clicks down”, which is at F 8.0. This allows 1/4 of the light allowed at all the way open (F 4.0). Adjusting the aperture to a smaller opening lets you have more precise timing, making it easier to get an exact exposure.

Turn the aperture ring as you did before, but this time 2 clicks to the right to get the desired effect. You will notice the light getting dimmer.