Portstewart Strand

Not a bad place to find yourself in:

Portstewart Strand.  HP5+ on Ilford FB Classic paper

Not too busy on the Strand these days, as you can see.   This print needed a little work - the sand was dodged quite a bit (it still appears darker in the scan than in the print, for some reason).  The sky was burnt in as well as dodged at the same time - two hands were necessary and the foot switch is also a very handy accessory at times like this. I was holding back the lighter part as otherwise it would have all gone a bit uniformly dark.

I’m not a ‘print by numbers’ guy.  I don’t mark up the first print like some would appear to do.  I just think - a bit lighter here and maybe here...quite a bit darker there...and then I get to it. The one you see here was the third print...first is nearly always just a straight print, or maybe straight plus a very rough dodge/burn. I’m getting better at reading a negative and so have a fair idea what will be needed.  Second print gets closer but is typically too much or not enough. Then hopefully the third print is there, or thereabouts.  At that stage I’ll sit back and think Is this negative really worth any more time and money? Most times the answer is a ‘no’ but occasionally - very occasionally - I’ll work on to get it as best I can. I see this as not just an indulgence but more as a ‘something that I need to do’.  If I never do it, then I won’t build that knowledge & skill.  It's a subtle craft, darkroom work and as I’ve said before, the more time I spend doing it the more intuitive printing becomes. 

Afterwards, I might make a few rough notes on a sticky in the negative file but to be honest that’s rare. If ever I do return to re-print a negative I usually start from scratch again...although I’ve a pretty good memory so maybe scratch++.