Arches National Monument Prints: Dead Cedar re-Print and Hand Coloring

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It turns out that once you print your work in the darkroom and decide you have the perfect or at least the best print you can achieve it is not over. Ansel Adams reprinted much of  his work even after a print became famous. I suppose he saw something in the subject that revealed itself later.

So it is with me. I periodically reprint past work. Mostly because my technique has improved and my taste in what I print changes.

Arches Dead Cedar

Back in 2013 my wife and I holidayed in the Colorado and Utah not far from where I grew up. Southern Utah is a favorite place and I wanted to show her the unique landscape there. While out on a hike in Arches National Park I took along my Mamiya C220 with a 65mm lens. (since sold as I have a Rolleiflex 2.8f as the C220 was a beast to carry.) I had loaded some Ilford FP4+ film and took essentially some snap-shots on the hike. It was a long and hot hike in July.

When I developed and scanned it I liked it immediately and printed a version that hangs in my bathroom. I liked the patterns of the wood and the range of tone expressed in the pattern and patina in the sandstone wall behind and the various textures of the surrounding vegetation. The form of the tree has a kind of dynamic structure I try and bring out with the composition. Originally I printed it at very high contrast on VC RC paper. Below is a photo of the framed print.

Original Print
I set about reprinting from scratch. I decided on an new composition printing it to 12x16" again. I also would follow my newer print methodology. I started this printing session on Ilford MGFB glossy paper.


  Here is the actual burn plan.
Burn Plan
So I made a print 1/2 stop darker.
  • #5 45"
  • #0 45"
  • 1 seconds flash
  • Burn plan as above but timings are 1/2 stop so 22 seconds for each half stop. 
The darker print.

Good success and not a lot of paper used up! So I wanted to explore more contrast. This I boldly decided would be #5 filter only.

 Very similar to the original.
High Contrast Version
  Finally I was satisfied enough to want to try some Ilford MG ART 300 paper. I have been experimenting with this paper lately and like it for many subjects. It is highly textured being 100% rag cotton paper similar to watercolor paper. It is variable contrast but the emulsion in my experience is slightly warmer.

I ran a quick #0 filter test strip with no neutral density (ND) filters and determined if I added one ND filter I could get the same timings as the MGFB Classic paper. (This would indicate the paper is one stop faster.) I then guessed the #5 filter would be the same and used the same exposures as before now.
  • #5 45"
  • #0 32"
  • 1 second flash
  • Burn according to earlier plan. 
Wow I really nailed it.
MG ART 300 Print
I then did the 1/2 stop darker version.
                 MG ART 300 Print 1/2 stop darker than previous

Of the prints the MG ART 300 ones are the nicest. They seem to have a better range of tones and the texture of the paper complements the complex textures and tonal ranges of the image.

Hand Coloring a Print

I then took the lighter print and decided to hand color it. The paper has a strong texture or tooth. Previously when I have tried hand coloring with pencils I had found normal photographic paper resistant to taking much color. Gloss paper... forget it. Matte or Pearl is a bit better but still difficult.

I used cheap colored pencils I got from a stationary store. The paper delivered on the ability to get the color onto the paper consistently.

The result is the muted colors one sees in old hand tinted or color work. I left the dead cedar gray as the wood was that color. The canyon wall rendered in orange, the bushes in shades of green as I would imagine them. The grass in yellow. I was very pleased for an hour's work.

Hand colored print with colored pencils. 



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