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Images From Contrast
Masking Workshop Participants
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Gerard Sheridan |
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Final Print (after masking) |
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e-mail
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Jerry brought an 8x10 negative of this image to the February 2009 Contrast Masking workshop. This was the first attempt at making 8x10 contact prints with masks that we have done at these workshops and the results and ease of the procedures were remarkable. The straight print on standard paper grades (here we used grade 2 Kentmere) showed far too much contrast overall and the indian petroglyphs in the middle of the print were almost invisible in the dark rock shadow. We decided to make a Contrast Reduction Mask to raise the shadow values overall which worked beautifully to brighten the shadows and reveal subtle detail without affecting the highlights. We also made a pin-registered Highlight Mask which was designed to locally enhance the brightness of only the central petroglyphs (in the dark middle shadow area). We were able to easily bleach out all surrounding detail on the 8x10 Highlight Mask, leaving only the petroglyphs intact so that brightening would only affect the petroglyphs. The final print was made using a sandwich of the original 8x10 negative, the Highlight Mask and the Contrast Reduction Mask. Some burning and dodging was done on the final print. The result was seamless and the final print was a vast improvement over the unmasked print. Lynn Radeka |