Photographer making a print.
Soon after the use of negatives became common in the development of photos, photographers tried different manipulations to improve or alter prints. Some techniques work with color and black-and-white negatives. By becoming proficient with different techniques, a photographer can improve the quality and expand the presentation of his or her images.
Cropping
Cropping is printing a portion of a full negative. Raising or lowering an enlarger in a darkroom will show more or less of the negative. A photographer can use this method to control composition. This technique allows zooming in and printing a small portion of the negative. It also allows a photographer to view more area within a print, such as more space at the top or in front of a subject.
Print Exposure
The exposure of a print is similar to exposing a negative. Print exposure depends on time and f-stop setting. After cropping a negative, close an enlarger lens a few stops from wide open. Put a portion of printing paper on an area where light and dark areas of the final print will be featured. Cover all but one section of the paper with a piece of cardboard. Expose it for 5 seconds. The time chosen for this process depends on the size of print and the amount of cropping. Small enlargements will require less time. Move the cardboard to expose another strip and expose it for 5 more seconds. Do this process several times. Developing the paper will show rows of the print from underexposed to overexposed. Set time to create a test print. This will give an indication for using other techniques.
Burning In
Burning is a correctional technique that improves a print. If a negative has a "hot spot," or an area that received more exposure than the rest, a photographer can expose that part for a longer time to darken it and balance the print exposure. It's possible to burn in more than one hot spot. Make tools such as a piece of cardboard with various hole sizes or pieces of paper taped to a wire rod to use this technique. Paper cut to a shape that fits the requirement of the print will work. Hands also can work because movement of the hands or other objects is essential to blend one area with another.
Dodging
Dodging a print is the opposite of burning. Use this technique when one area prints darker than desired. This could be a shadow area appearing in a photograph. Holding light from it during printing allows more detail to become visible in the final print. Dodging also requires movement of the light to avoid leaving a sharp unwanted edge from appearing in the print.
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