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The perfect combination by Eddie Ephraums, from Ag26 |
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The results: As the various screen shots testify, by far the best results were achieved using the red channel. It produced the smoothest result with the least need for manipulation. We only have to look at the screen shots of Levels to see how different the pyro image looks in the red, green and blue channels. So, if I were looking for an image with a smooth tonal gradation with the least possible grain, then I would view the pyro negative in the red channel before saving it as a monochrome image. If, however, I was after something altogether grainier - say for a lith effect - then I would use the blue channel and save that image as my monochrome file before using the Duotone tool to get the desired lith colour. Once in Duotone mode I would use its Curves tool to get the distorted tonal gradation of lith, ie strong black shadows and peachy-coloured, low-contrast highlights. So, did scanning pyro negatives live up to expectations? The answer is an emphatic YES. Not only do they print well on silver, but they also scan extremely well and by going through the Red channel I was able to get an altogether less granular result. On screen the difference is really quite apparent; how well that difference will reproduce in print in a magazine may be another matter. So, are the results enough to convince me to switch from using both XP2 and Delta 3200 to exclusively using Delta 3200 film with pyro? Well, there is no doubt that the scanned pyro-developed Delta 3200 has the apparent granularity of a much slower film. In fact, I would say it was almost comparable with XP2 negatives of the same format. So for the extra speed it certainly seems worth the change. Also, I would say that the combination scans far better than other conventional silver-based films and that if one wants traditional grain, rather than smooth tonal gradation, then the blue channel will do the job as it filters out the stained image. One doesn’t have this choice with more standard film/developer combinations. So, yet again, pyro delivers another pleasant surprise. What next? Eddie Ephraums |
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• Using the Automatic density setting in Fotolook gives a promising looking image. This pyro-developed Delta 3200 negative has a strong, stained image colour that should respond well to treatment using the Colour channels tool in Photoshop. © Eddie Ephraums Page 4 0f 4 |
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