The DARKROOM COOKBOOK, Third Edition

126 THE DARKROOM COOKBOOK
The print should remain in the solution for 5 to 10 seconds. Pull the print from the solution
and submerge it face down under the fresh water. Do not try to judge the print until it
has been soaked for a minute in water. If standing water is used, use constant agitation, and
change it often.
After all traces of reducer have been removed and the action stopped, remove the print
from the water and carefully examine its condition. A good practice is to have an unreduced,
wet print available for visual comparison. If the reduction is not enough, repeat the process
for 5 seconds, but be careful. It is easy to eliminate all detail and texture from the highlight
areas. When you are satisfi ed with the results, rinse the print well and refi x in a fresh, nonhardening
fi xer, followed by HCA and an additional wash to remove the fi xer.
Local Bleaching Local bleaching is an invaluable technique for centralizing the interest, brightening
certain areas (for example, the sky, windows, etc.), adding contrast, and giving the image a
three-dimensional effect. Knowing that bleaching increases contrast in an area, you may even
want to refrain from dodging in order to both lighten and increase local contrast through
bleaching.
Instructions for Local Bleaching Under full-room light, place a freshly washed print on a fl at surface,
such as the back of a large tray or a piece of quarter-inch white Plexiglas®. Stand the
working surface up in your darkroom sink. Wipe the surface of the print dry with a sponge
or squeegee. If available, hold a sink hose with running water directly beneath the area to be
reduced. Slowly move the hose from side to side so that any bleach that runs down the print
will be diluted and washed away.
There are several ways in which to apply the bleach. One is to dip a piece of cotton into
the bleach and squeeze until it is almost dry. Beginning at the top, so the bleach will run
down over the area to be reduced, lightly wipe the cotton over the area for 2 or 3 seconds.
Do not use friction, which could abrade the wet print. Instead, let the chemical action do the
work. If you have the correct dilution of bleach it should take several applications to achieve
the results you want. However, if the print is exceptionally dense in the area being worked on
you can strengthen the working solution by adding more ferricyanide.
Instead of a cotton ball, there are a number of applicators that you can use. Try a #10
Winsor & Newton watercolor brush for large open areas. Jay Dusard (also known as
Captain Ferricyanide) uses a Japanese calligraphy brush.
To halt the bleach process use the hose, mentioned above, directly on the area being
bleached. If a hose is not available, use a water-saturated sponge. After the bleach has been thoroughly
rinsed with water, immerse the print in fi xer for a few seconds to completely neutralize
the bleach. You may repeat the bleaching process as many times as necessary. When the process
is complete, fi x in a fresh, non-hardening fi xer and wash the print thoroughly.
Spot Reduction Spot reduction is a basic form of print retouching. Spot reduction is useful for
the removal of small pinhole spots or other small areas that need to be lightened. The spot
method allows the photographer to add pleasing catch lights to eyes and to remove an occasional
unwanted element from the image.