Final Project Proposal: HIgh-Contrast Litho Photography

Final Project Proposal

Art 651

David R. Sullivan

Title: High-contrast Litho Photography

Additional materials needed: Ortho litho developer, parts A& B and ortho litho film

Procedure:  High-contrast photography is a simple method of transposing an image from a continuous-tone negative to an extremely high-contrast film (ortho litho film).  This will produce a high-contrast positive that will transform all tonal values to total black and total white.  This positive is then used to create a high-contrast negative to create an image on photograph paper.  The result is a striking image where as all of the neutral gray tones are either dropped out of the image entirely or reduced to distinct black granular dots. 

There are 5 steps to this process to produce a high-contrast print.

1.     Photograph the desired image that best suits this process.

2.     Develop the film to produce a continuous-tone negative.

3.     Contact print the continuous-tone negative to a sheet of litho film and develop using litho developer to produce a high-contrast positive image.

4.     Contact print the high-contrast positive to another sheet of litho film and develop using litho developer to produce a high-contrast negative image.

5.     Print an image in the darkroom using the final high-contrast negative.

I had hoped to use one of the 2.25 x 2.25 film cameras at UNH to produce a larger negative than the standard 33mm negative.  2.25 x 2.25 negatives are easier to touch up before printing.  Unfortunately, both cameras I borrowed from the school did not work.

Therefore, I am going to use some of the black and white 2.25 x 2.25 negatives from my archives.  I am also going to use my 35mm Nikon N80 to shoot additional images.

I have recently experimented with a high-contrast positive I had in my archives.  Instead of chemically transposing it to a high-contrast negative, I edited the high-contrast positive in Photoshop and printed a digital high-contrast negative.  The results were satisfactory, but not superb.  More experimenting will be required to produce a polished product.  I may also attempt to produce a few cyanotypes with my high-contrast digital negatives for comparison.  

I experimented with this process when I taught a three-week creative photography seminar at a private school I taught at many years ago.  I always wanted to follow-up on this process, but never had the opportunity to do so.  Engaging in high-contrast helps you to develop an appreciation and eye for the subtle contrasts and tonal values of black and white as well as color photography.  I especially like the screen-print like images it produces.