More Advice Needed: Becquerels

[yowyip]

My continued efforts in making a perfect Becquerel:

I think I’ve gotten some better results than before, but Im not sure how to improve the image anymore, is this as good as I am going to get? My quandary is that I only have two plates and have to erase one of the Dags in order to shoot a new one. Plus there is always the danger of polishing the silver too much (I think each plate has been used 3 times each now, and im not sure how to tell when the silver layer is too thin). The first image had an uneven iodine layer because of a problem with the iodine fuming box (it wasnt sitting in it properly, and wasnt airtight). The second image I decided to go to 2nd cycle purple for a less contrasty image, but Im not sure the results were any better.

I am shooting in bright sun which I think creates a lot of contrast. It is also quite hot out right now, so sunning the plates for development is a bit dicey (even though I have two fans on). I am considering shooting in only shade in order to get more blue light and a less contrasty more even exposure.

Any suggestions? Glaring omissions?

2m 15s – f 8.0 – bright sun – first cycle magenta

3m 15s – f 8.0 – brighter sun – 2nd cycle magenta

[phuphuphnik]

It looks like the plate needs more time in the hypo. Try 2nd cycle rose

[yowyip]

phuphuphnik, thanks for the tips.

do you think its possible to try to put it back in the hypo after I’ve already took it out and dried it off? or should I just re-shoot it completely? I’m scared to kill my plate.

Ive been developing it in the sun 2 hours, not under lights, its pretty hot out though so I put two fans on it.

[phuphuphnik]

You should be able to put it back in. Yeah, there is a lot of overhead with dags, which is why I don’t often gild. Why risk another 3+ hours of work to redo a plate if it is OK not gilt. I’ll check my notes on times in the sun when I get home. (I’m working the weekend)Too bad too, good shooting weather.

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