ThePhotoCourse
Back to Course Overview

Wiltshire College & University Centre

Adult Education — Darkroom Course

WEEK 8

Practical Printing &
The Zone System

Three printing skills tonight:

Contact Sheets, Test Strips, First Print.

Plus the theory behind it:

Middle grey, the Zone System.

[ Hero darkroom image ]

Today's Mission

1

Contact Sheet

A proof of all negatives, to evaluate and select your best shots.

2

Test Strip

Determine the correct exposure time for your chosen negative.

3

First Print

Produce your first finished photograph on photographic paper.

Each task builds on the previous one. Master these three and you'll print with confidence.

Before we start: questions? Anyone want to order film or paper?

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 02

The Stock Room — Price List

Materials Available

Ilford Photographic Paper
25 sheets (8×10")£35
100 sheets (8×10")£100
Student Deal (repackaged 25 sheets)£25
Kentmere 400 Film
35mm, 24 exposures£5
Payment & Collection

Payment must be made via the College Shop.

Collect your materials from Paul Zaglen or directly from the tutor during class.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 03

The Contact Sheet — Your Negative Map

A contact sheet is a proof print: the entire strip of negatives placed directly on paper and exposed.

Why Contact Sheets Matter

  • Evaluate all negatives at once.
  • Compare similar shots side-by-side.
  • Identify exposure and composition issues.
  • Organise negatives systematically.
  • Save time and materials on test prints.
CONCEPT: Think of it as a visual index of all the images you shot.

[ Real B&W contact sheet image ]

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 04

Test Strip for a Single Negative

1.
Select one negative

Your test subject. Clean with antistatic brush.

2.
Set up the enlarger

Contact frame on baseboard, even illumination, lens at f/5.6.

3.
Load paper and negative

Paper test strip in the contact frame, single negative on top, emulsion down.

4.
Create the test strip

Cover most of the paper with card; expose 2s; shift; expose 2s more; repeat (2, 4, 6, 8, 10s).

5.
Process and evaluate

Develop, stop, fix. Find the band with best detail and contrast. Note the time.

2s
4s
6s
8s
10s

Banded test strip example

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 05

Making the Full Contact Sheet

1
Prepare all your negatives

Clean each strip with an antistatic brush; arrange them in order.

2
Set up the enlarger

Use the exact same settings as your test strip (height, aperture).

3
Load paper and all negatives

Full sheet of paper on baseboard, all negatives on top (emulsion down), heavy glass over.

4
Expose with your test time

Expose for the optimal time found on your test strip (e.g., 6 seconds).

5
Process and dry

Develop, stop, fix. Rinse thoroughly, then dry.

6
Evaluate and select

Review under good light. Mark the best frames for enlargement.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 06

The Test Strip — Finding Your Exposure

Without Test Strips

  • Guess at exposure time.
  • Waste expensive paper on failed prints.
  • Inconsistent results.
  • Trial and error frustration.

With Test Strips

  • Test multiple exposures on one small strip.
  • Identify the perfect exposure time.
  • Save paper and chemicals.
  • Predictable results, every print.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 07

Reading Your Test Strip — The Sweet Spot

Test Strip Proxy

Too Dark

Underexposed

Image is too dark overall, with no detail visible in the shadows.

Action: Increase exposure time for the full print.

Test Strip Proxy

Just Right

Perfect Exposure

Full tonal range achieved, with clear detail in both shadows and highlights.

Action: Use this exact exposure time.

Test Strip Proxy

Too Light

Overexposed

Image appears washed out, with blocked or blown-out highlights.

Action: Decrease exposure time for the full print.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 08

The First Print — Complete Workflow

1
Insert and focus negative

Place in the carrier; focus on the easel to your desired size.

2
Set aperture and timer

Set to your test strip's optimal exposure time.

3
Place paper on easel

Emulsion side up, safelight on.

4
Expose the paper

Safelight off, expose for the predetermined time.

5
Develop

Paper into developer 1–2 minutes until the image appears.

6
Stop and fix

Stop bath 30s, fixer 5–10 minutes.

7
Rinse and dry

Running water 1+ minutes, hang or rack to dry.

[ Side-photograph of enlarger with paper on the easel, image projected ]

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 09

Common First-Print Problems

Print too dark

Underexposed negative or overexposed print, resulting in blocked shadows.

Solution

Decrease exposure time by 2–3 seconds; check aperture is open enough.

Print too light

Overexposed negative or underexposed print, resulting in washed out, blocked highlights.

Solution

Increase exposure time by 2–3 seconds; check safelight isn't too bright.

Image out of focus

Blurry print lacking sharp edges and fine detail.

Solution

Refocus the enlarger carefully; check that the negative carrier is seated flat.

Dust spots / marks

Distinct black or white spots appearing on the final print from dust or debris.

Solution

Use an antistatic brush on the negative; use lens paper on the enlarger lens.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 10

Camera Theme — Colour to Tone in B&W

Colour: red flowers in green foliage
B&W: tones merge

B&W film has no idea what colour is. Every colour renders as some shade of grey.

Without a filter, two very different colours can render as the exact same grey, causing subjects to blend into their backgrounds.

WHY THIS MATTERS: A clear blue sky often prints as pale and washed out, with no contrast against white clouds.

Approximate Tonal Renderings

Red→mid-grey
Green (foliage)→mid- to dark grey
Blue (sky, water)→light grey (often lighter than expected)
Yellow→light grey
White→white (to near-white on paper)
Black→black

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 11

Camera Theme — Contrast Filters on the Lens

The Core Principle: A coloured filter on the lens darkens its complementary colour and lightens its own colour in the final print.

Yellow

(Y2 / 8)

  • Mild contrast boost.
  • Slightly darkens blue sky, separates clouds.
  • Good general-purpose landscape filter.

Orange

(O / 21)

  • Stronger sky darkening.
  • Creates more cloud drama.
  • Hides skin blemishes in portraits.

Red

(R / 25)

  • Very dark sky, near-black.
  • Strong cloud separation.
  • Foliage darkens; great for graphic landscapes.

Green

(G / 11)

  • Lightens foliage.
  • Separates green tones effectively.
  • Highly useful in dense woodland scenes.
THE COST: Filters reduce light entering the lens. You must compensate by opening 1–3 stops (known as the filter factor).

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 12

Camera Theme — Landscape Composition

Foreground / Middle / Background

Landscapes work in three planes.

Anchor the foreground; lead through the middle; reveal in the background.

[ Example: planes ]

Light Direction

  • Sidelight (early/late) gives texture.
  • Backlight gives drama.
  • Front light flattens. Avoid noon.
[ Example: sidelight ]

Patience

The best landscapes come from returning to the same spot in different light.

Plan to revisit your locations.

[ Example: patience ]

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 13

Exposure Triangle Recap

Aperture

The size of the lens opening.

Effect: Depth of Field

Shutter Speed

The duration the shutter remains open.

Effect: Motion Blur or Freeze

ISO

The film's sensitivity to light.

Effect: Grain Structure

ApertureShutter SpeedISO
THE GOAL: Balancing the three is the key to a perfect exposure.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 14

Metering on Classic 35mm SLRs

Centre-Weighted TTL

Emphasises the centre of the frame. Best for general photography, portraits, and everyday scenes.

Match-Needle / Manual

Use the in-viewfinder needle or LEDs to match the recommended exposure by adjusting aperture or shutter speed.

AE / Auto Exposure

The camera helps set exposure automatically (often shutter-priority, as seen on the Canon AE-1).

NOTE: Evaluative/matrix metering is typically a later feature. True spot metering is not standard on a Pentax K1000 or Canon AE-1.

Centre-Weighted Viewfinder

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 15

The Zone System — Core Concept

"The negative is the score, and the print is the performance."

— Ansel Adams
[ Portrait of Ansel Adams or classic print ]
Developed by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer in 1940.
Divides the range of tones from absolute black to pure white into 11 zones (0 to X).
It allows photographers to visualise how a scene will appear in the final print before clicking the shutter.
By placing important subject tones in specific zones, you gain complete control over contrast and detail.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 16

The Zone Scale — 0 to X

0
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
0Pure black
VILight skin
IITexture hint in shadow
VIIHighlight detail (concrete in sun, snow with texture)
IIIShadow detail (the darkest part where you still want detail)
IXPure white texture limit
IVDark skin / dark foliage
XPure white
VMiddle grey (18% — the meter's assumption)

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 17

The Golden Rule

"Expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights."

The Why

Film records shadow detail based entirely on exposure.

If you underexpose, the shadows are completely blank (Zone 0). No amount of development time can bring back detail that was never recorded.

The How (Practical Application)

  • →Find the darkest area where you still want detail (Zone III).
  • →Meter that specific area. The meter will suggest settings to make it Zone V (Middle Grey).
  • →To place it correctly in Zone III, close down 2 stops (e.g., change from f/5.6 to f/11).

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 18

Understanding Middle Grey

The Core Problem: Your camera's light meter is stupid.

It assumes that whatever you point it at is Middle Grey (18% reflectance, Zone V).

It will always give you an exposure recommendation designed to turn that specific subject into middle grey.

Point it at pure white snow?

It underexposures to make it grey.

Point it at a grey card?

It exposes perfectly.

Point it at a black dog?

It overexposes to make it grey.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 19

Exposure Compensation

Because the meter assumes 18% grey, you must override it in extreme lighting conditions to get the correct exposure.

Snow / Beach

Very bright scenes. The meter wants to darken the bright white snow to middle grey, resulting in underexposure.

+1 / +2stops of exposure

Backlit Subject

Bright background, dark subject. The meter reads the bright background and underexposes your main subject.

+1 / +2stops of exposure

Night / Dark Scenes

Very dark scenes. The meter wants to lighten the black night to middle grey, making the image muddy and grainy.

-1 / -2stops of exposure

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 20

Part 2 Summary

01

18% Grey Bias

Camera meters are "dumb." They assume the entire world averages out to middle grey (Zone V).

02

The Zone System

A framework of 11 zones (0 to X) used to pre-visualise and control tones from pure black to pure white.

03

The Golden Rule

Expose for the shadows (place them in Zone III), and develop for the highlights.

04

Exposure Compensation

You must override the meter for tricky lighting: add exposure for snow/backlight, reduce for night scenes.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 21

Practical Project — Zone System Landscape

The Assignment

Shoot a high-contrast landscape (e.g., a bright sky with a dark foreground).

Use a contrast filter (Yellow, Orange, or Red) if you have one available.

Remember to apply the filter factor to your exposure if your camera does not meter through the lens!

Bring the undeveloped roll to Week 9

The Metering Exercise

1.Find the darkest area where you still want to retain detail (Zone III).
2.Meter that specific area closely.
3.Close down 2 stops (to place it in Zone III instead of the meter's default Zone V).
4.Take the shot.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 22

Resources & Week 9 Preview

Recommended Reading

"The Negative"

Ansel Adams

Classic guide to the Zone System.

"Way Beyond Monochrome"

Ralph W. Lambrecht

Technical reference for B&W processes.

Ilford Photo Website

Online Resource

Data sheets for film and paper.

Coming Up in Week 9

→

Multigrade Printing

Contrast filters to control print tones.

→

Split-Grade Printing

Dodging and burning with graded filters.

→

Camera Theme: Portraits

Lighting, focal length, and interaction tips.

Wiltshire College | Week 8 | 23