438 HANDBOOK OF PHOTOGRAPHY 



It has been a mistaken fancy among the photographic profession that engravers 

 want contrasty prints. On the contrary, contrasty prints have black shadows and 

 high hghts of Httle gradation, which means that the engraver cannot possibly make a 

 reproduction containing the detail which is more than likely in the negative. The 

 engraver has little trouble in increasing the contrast of a print, but he cannot put in 

 detail which does not exist. He wants prints that are black and white, but this does not 

 mean contrasty. Prints of full scale, with plenty of detail and black and white tones 

 are the most satisfactory prints for reproduction. 



In ordinary half-tone reproduction black-and-white prints are most suitable. 

 Whether the actual color of the black should be an ohve tone or a blue-black tone is 

 mostly a matter of preference on the part: of the engraver. Generally speaking, 

 though, a good blue-black or neutral black is preferred. Red proofs or sepia prints 

 are not so good as black-and-white prints, but sepia prints are more satisfactory than 

 red proofs. However, if red proofs or sepia prints must be submitted, the situation 

 which demands it should be explained to the engraver in ord,©r that his full cooperation 

 can be secured on the job. Monocolored prints of this type^^should never be placed on 

 the same panel with black-and-white prints, and black-and-white prints in themselves 

 should be of uniform tone. •^ 



The success of producing good half tones from photographs resolves itself, there- 

 fore, into correct selection of surface, color, and contrast^. If that be done, the 

 engraver will have little difficulty. 



Printing Control Processes. — In this section are discussed several control methods 

 frequently used in projection printing to obtain special effects. 



Dodging, Masking in Projection.— M.a,iiy times a negative will produce a better 

 print if certain portions are exposed more or less than other portions, so that the final 

 print has a more uniform density, or so that one portion is lighter or darker than the 

 other portions. Local reduction and intensification {q.v.} may be employed. In the 

 printing process certain control methods are available which may produce the desired 

 i-esult without making recourse to corrective processes. 



If one portion of the negative is to receive less exposure in printing than other 

 portions, the light from the enlarger is kept from exposing the paper in these portions 

 by use of some opaque object, often the operator's hand. A portion of a print may 

 be made completely black by illuminating it, while printing, with a small flash lamp 

 or other source of illumination. 



If one small portion of a negative is to be printed deeper than the remainder of the 

 negative, a small hole may be cut in an opaque material and moved about in the light 

 from the enlarger so that all portions except that which is to be dark receive less 

 exposure than the selected portion. On the other hand, if one portion is to receive 

 less exposure than the majorit.v of the print, a small piece of opaque material of the 

 proper shape and size may be placed in the beam from the enlarger and moved about 

 so that a sharp edge between light and dark parts of the final print does not result. 

 This opaque material may be moved by fixing to it a small wire handle. 



If the dodging tool is made of red celluloid, the photographer may watch the entire 

 image on the printing paper and thereby better perform the dodging, but the blue 

 rays to which the paper is sensitive will be stopped by the dodging device. 



Practice and trial and error are the onlj^ means of determining whether the proper 

 amount of dodging has been secured. 



White borders around prints are secured by masking the edges of the negative, or 

 print, or both, so that these edges are not exposed. A sharper edge will be obtained if 

 the mask is placed over the printing paper, rather than if it is placed only over the 

 negative. 



