THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

6. Place the negative file over the
photo paper.
Be sure that all the negatives and
the label area are within the
paper's borders.
7. Place the glass over the negative
file.
Hold the glass by the edges to
avoid finger-printing the image
area. Gently press the glass down
against the paper to ensure full
contact. You may want to use a
cloth for this, to keep your
fingers off the glass.
8. Turn off the enlarger.
9. Swing the safelight filter out of
the way of the enlarger lens.
10. Expose the contact sheet.
For your first contact, follow the
procedures for making test strips
(see below). Later, once you
know the exposure that works for
you, you probably won't need a
test strip except for film shot in
tricky lighting situations.
Test Strip
/. With the enlarger light on and
covered by the safelight filter,
place a piece of photo paper in
the image area.
When you make your very first
test strip (of a contact), you may
want to use an entire sheet of
photo paper. Later, you'll be able
to save paper (and money) by using
a smaller piece (such as 1/3
of a sheet). Always be sure that
the test strip area covers a representative
sampling of the photograph's
contrast. In addition,
be sure that the most important
elements of the photograph are
represented (for example, the face
in a portrait). Generally, this can
be accomplished by placing the
test strip diagonally across the
center of the image area.
2. Cover all but one narrow band
of the test strip with an opaque
card.
3. Make a 2-second exposure.
4. Move the card to uncover
another narrow band of the test
strip.
5. Make another 2-second
exposure.
6. Repeat until you have made a
total of at least 8 exposures and
the entire test strip has been
exposed.
Processing 235