Using darkroom paper in a large format camera creates a distinctive aesthetic and provides an opportunity to experiment with a hands-on process. It’s an approach worth exploring if you’re looking to break away from your usual workflow.
Coming to you from Kyle McDougall, this fascinating video explores the process of shooting with Ilford Multigrade RC paper in a 4x5 camera. McDougall explains how paper negatives differ from film, highlighting their slow speed and higher contrast. He walks through loading the paper into film holders, shooting in the field, and developing the results in a darkroom. This method delivers images with pronounced shadows and highlights, which can give your work a bold, minimalist style. McDougall's approach emphasizes trial and error, acknowledging the challenges of learning a new technique.
The video also touches on technical considerations. McDougall shares his experiences with bowed paper, which he worried might affect sharpness, and the unexpected quirks of paper-based photography. He notes how even minor changes in light can dramatically impact the final image due to the paper’s limited dynamic range.
The process of developing paper negatives involves additional steps compared to film, such as adjusting exposure times and compensating for high contrast. McDougall shares his observations about uneven development and how different filters, like a yellow-green filter, can subtly influence the final results. He also demonstrates how to invert and edit the scanned negatives in Lightroom, showing how to refine the images digitally. Check out the video above for the full rundown from McDougall.
