The DARKROOM COOKBOOK, Third Edition

Photographic Reduction and Intensifi cation 127
Instructions for Spot Reduction I was originally taught spot reduction by photographer Boyd
Wetlauffer of Canada in 1974. Boyd always used a wet print. I prefer to use a dry print as I
have found spotting a wet print hard to control. Try both methods, and see which works best
for you.
You will need spotting brushes and blotters. Be certain that you only use these brushes
for bleaching. For small areas, use brushes as small as #000, or a toothpick; for larger areas, try
a #3 brush. Photowipes® and Kimwipes®, available in camera stores, make good blotters.
Start with a strong viewing light, at least 75 watts, and either a wet or dry print. The published
method calls for a strong solution of Farmer’s R-4a: 1 part A to 2 parts of B, without adding
water. Boyd used what he referred to as a “supersaturated solution” of straight ferricyanide
in water and dispensed with solution B altogether. To make Boyd’s supersaturated solution
add ferricyanide to 30.0 ml of distilled water at 125F/52C until it stops dissolving. When no
more ferricyanide will go into solution, fi lter the solution through a chemically untreated coffee
fi lter. This is not a true supersaturated solution, as any real chemist will be quick to point
out, but call it what you will it works.
Place one blotter on the right side of the print and hold a second in your left hand
(reverse if you are left-handed). Dip the brush into the reducer and wipe it on the blotter to
the right of the print, drawing it across and turning it to a fi ne point several times. Hold the
brush 90 degrees to the print and carefully touch the area to be reduced with the tip. As with
local reduction do not use pressure; let the chemical action do the work. If you get a bit careless,
use the blotter in your left hand to stop the action.
Having deposited a very small amount of ferricyanide on the area to be reduced, watch
it for a few seconds. The spot will slowly become lighter. The action will automatically
cease because the small amount of reducer will become exhausted. Repeat the procedure as
needed. If you are using the traditional A/B solution instead of Boyd’s supersaturated solution,
and feel the action is too slow, add more solution A. If you inadvertently carry the action too
far, you can darken it with spotting dyes available from darkroom suppliers.
When all black spots have been removed, catch lights added, and satisfaction achieved,
rinse, fi x, and wash. This must be done for even the smallest spot, otherwise the color of the
print will eventually change.
An alternative to Farmer’s Reducer is medicinal iodine tincture. Use as you would Farmer’s
for removing dark or black spots. It can be applied with a toothpick and can reduce the intensity
of a dark spot, without going all the way to white, depending on the dilution with water.
Black fogging along the border of prints can also be removed by carefully applying undiluted
iodine tincture, making sure that it does not touch the image itself. Remove the resulting silver
iodide by immersing the print in hypo, just as you would with Farmer’s. Fix and wash normally.
Fixer and the Bleaching Process
Fixer acts as a neutralizer, halting the bleaching action. How quickly it stops the bleach from
working depends on how much ferricyanide is in the solution. However, the fi xer also acts as
a catalyst, even while it is neutralizing the bleach. This means that if the print looks perfect
on the board it will probably be too light after it is placed in the fi xer. This is another reason
it is important to work up slowly to the lightening you want.