Where’s the image?

[Javi]

Dear all,

this is my first and shy post to this forum, so hello everyone. My name is Javi, from Spain (currently in Japan), and even though I was a film restorer, I always felt intrigued in daguerreotypes since I first met them at the GEH in Rochester, NY. I am well aware that the road to success requires patience, time, money and a little bit of help from our friends. This is the reason why I am posting here to implore for help from you.

It’s been a week since I started Mr.Bec’s proccess and, of all the 7 attempts, none has come up with an image. Not even the slightest, faintest of the images. Zero. I know there are so many variants so I try to simplify steps and try to be as constant as possible. I ordered the 4×5 plates from a very helpful daguerreotypist in Japan so they are not the issue. No matter how bad I hand-buff the plates, it cannot be the blame for not getting an image. I decided to be consistent with sensitizing and all plates were sensitized at around 21ºC temperature for 1’45” (1st yellow cycle). I believe that even by not getting a good sensitizing I should get an image, am I right?

Finally, the only other variants remaining are exposure and development. I tried different exposures (20 seconds, 2 minutes, 20 minutes). No image. For developing, I try to do it under direct sunlight, but sometimes I have no choice but develop under shade conditions. Also, I don’t have Rubyliht but a Red plastic film (dark enough). It shouldn’t be a problem either.

I was thinking of uploading an image, but there is no image!, only that dreaded layer of iodine (before fixing).

Has anyone encountered a similar problem? Can anyone hint a possible solution?

Thank you so much for your help!!!

Javi

[photolytic]

Dear MR Javi,

1’45” @ 21C should easily give you a second yellow color if you have enough iodine in your box.

2nd yellow should be OK but Pobboravsky has shown that thicker 110uM plate coatings may be as much as 16 times less sensitive to light (4stops) than thinner 30uM coatings.

Just to be sure that this is not the problem, you should try masking off part of the plate with paper and fuming portions of the plate for 40” to magenta, and for 80“ to light blue and then for 105” to second yellow..

You don’t mention the aperture you are using but even 20min at f/8 might not be enough if the light is less than 13EV. If you have an exposure meter, use it! Despite claims that Dags are only sensitive to UV, Pobboravsky has shown that Dags are also sensitive to light up to blue 450uM so a meter reading is a good start.

Lastly the red plastic may not be as good as Rubylith for developing Becquerel Dags.

You don’t say whether your Dags have no image particles, which indicates underexposure, or that they have a whitish coating, which indicates overall fog.

[Javi]

Hello again,

thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I masked off two plates as you suggested. One plate I exposed it at f4 for 2′ and the other plate at f4 for 20′. I still didn’t get any image at all. The EV (at 100ASA) was of 14. I am starting to wonder if it is the red plastic film I use that fogs everything. I inspect the plate during developing with suspicious eyes but there is no hint of image whatsoever. I will try to buy a proper red or amber masking film for developing and pray for the best.

Javi

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