Thank you Phil. I enjoy a BW conversion now and then. Some I've seen just use desaturation of the colours but there's a lot more involved in getting a good result.
I'm not understanding what "grade harder paper" is Hans or what you were trying to do with your edit - did you make it darker?
Oh mate ..... the things "us ol' buggers" got up to in the dark(room) past that you miss out upon today
From the densitometric curve of the negative ... ie: the slope from lower left to top right, one determines the contrast range of the negative's image and balances that with a Contrast Grade of paper. Grades ranged from 1 to 5, with most people using 2 or 3 as their base and moving up or down as needed to match tonal ranges
A 'flat' negative has a contrast-curve at about 30 degrees of slope ... a 'normal' neg about 45 degrees and a 'hard' neg has about a 60degree slope. You will recognise the descriptions as matching "Curves" in PS
When one had a 'normal' neg but wished to increase its contrast a bit, one chose a Grade higher than the usual one ... My usual was Grade-3 and so I went for a Grade-4 for more contrast in the final print ~~ this was used regularly when the viewing distance was more than usual so that the image stood out more clearly for the viewer - often behind a rope barrier at the exhibition or whatever I was involved with
Perfectly explained for an old timer Phil Most of the things I got up to in a dark room had nothing to do with photography. I do fully understand the curves adjustments and its use so I now understand what the different paper grades did for working with contrast. Thank you very much sir!
I didn't think the plant as the point of interest as it was mainly in shadow The original just looked a bit grey. How else would you increase contrast if you were happy with the whites?
This pushed a bit further of my copy now copied from a previous screen copy. Did not attempt to even sharpen.
Better a full bottle in front of me
than a full frontal lobotomy.
Hans
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