We have been on a quest for that little something extra in the photographic print. There are great prints, then there are prints that have that magical something. Printing comprises a great deal of the quality of the finished print, but you have to have the information on the negative before you can make the print. We have used Pyro film developers for some time now, and every time we find a new formula we do a little film testing and then eagerly head to the field to see what we have.
We have had great luck with several of the modern Pyro developers, but it has become confusing as to exactly what each formula did that made us change. So we have embarked on an all-inclusive, side-by-side, test of our favorite four Pyro developers.
This has turned into a little more of a project than originally anticipated. We had to design and build a film sensitometer. Then we had to gather data, plot curves and evaluate them. Then it was off to field testing. No laboratory test will tell you what the real world result will be. But knowledge is power and squeezing every little bit out of your film is what makes great images. You have to push the limits and find the boundaries.
This has been quite an experience, all in all, and I would not suggest anyone go to such lengths unless you are really curious. The bottom line is, don’t get too hung up on testing. You can waste a lot of time testing. Sometimes you are better off just getting out and making photos. Make the mistakes in the real world, find the answer, solve the problem and get on with your work. You can look at what you bring back and make the necessary adjustment on the fly. Or, you could build a sensitometer and do the testing. It is up to you just how far you really want to go. Just remember, do not let the testing get in the way of your creativity!
In a nutshell: Do not spend a disproportionate amount of your time testing!
JB
