Fibre based paper- Advice needed!

Dr.Louis

Hey all, I'm submitting a portfolio to college in a few months and want to print my B/W photos using fibre paper... But I've heard it's tricky to work with... Anything I should watch out for? Is the exposure time longer/shorter etc?? Does it take longer in the fixer??

Thanks

Fajitas!

Check out the manufacturers details on their website, usually it'll give you a fairly good idea.

How are you mounting the photos? Reprinting them on fibre based papers might be a waste of time if it's going behind plastic sheets.

Dr.Louis

crap... really?

I have to present it in a portfolio case- so I think I have to mount them on card and then put them into big plastic covers...

Onless I mount them on card and get a hole puncher (the portfolio case is like a big ringbinder) and just put them in like that? Do you think that might work?

Ohh and checked out ilfords site (but no tips about fibre paper)

Fajitas!

Hmmmm...Ilford are usually pretty good, keep an eye out for their forums...http://www.ilfordphoto.com/photocommunity/forums/theforum/default.asp

Someone should be able to help you there!

Curtain mounting could work alright. Would look pretty good too! Different aswell, but your gonna have to consider how many mounts you'll be able to fit into a portfolio then!

Remember to keep a notebook with all your experiments, feic ups and methods in it. Colleges like those

Where are you applying if you don't mind me asking?

Alexco

Fibre based paper will need extra exposure under the enlarger but also takes long for the image to appear in the developer, best give it about 3 minutes to develop fully.
Stop and fix as normal, if you want to be really archival some people use a 2 bath fix, moving from one to the other.
Biggest problem with Fibre paper is washing, it needs much longer than resin coated paper, because it soaks up the chemicals, also it doesnt dry flat, it tends to curl. You will need some heavy books to flatten it when its dry. Another problem with Fibre Paper is Dry Down, where the print actually looks much darker when it dries, you need to reduce the exposure by about 10% to allow for this, or use a microwave to dry your test strips to give you an idea how the final print will look.
A well exposed and printed fibre print does look very nice, but under glass its harder to tell them apart from resin coated.
Good luck with your printing.

Burago

I printed all of my portfolio stuff on Agfa multigrade RC paper. The satin finish works really well under the plastic sheets in the case, dont use gloss on any of your prints. I used fibre paper quiet a lot in college and the results are nice but not always worth the effort.

Dr.Louis

I'm applying to DIT and IADT... and maybe the one on Kevins Street (at least I think thats where it is)

So keep a notebook of everything I do in the darkroom? Like my exposure times for each photo etc??

I'm going to use an A3 portfolio case and mount them on A3 Slate Grey card (A3 so I can have portrait and landscape the same way up! and I like the extra room)...

So is curtain mounting just mounting the photos onto the card and attaching the card to the ring binder? Also if I do that I'd have to do it for any shots that I'm not printing myself...

Thanks again guys!

Fajitas!

Yep, uniformity is a good thing, so you'd kinda either have to have them all curtain mounted, or all in plastic binders.

Curtain mounting is basically using mounting card and cutting a hole in it to fit your photograph, and 'hanging' your shot inside it...like a curtain

I would reccommend you keep a technical notebook to show what you can do, even if it isn't in your most presentable work, and an ideas notebook to show sketches, designs and general ideas.

Basically, they're looking for people that have ideas, are flexible, and interested.

Slate grey sounds nice if you're going for B&W's anyways. Just make sure you have enough room in the portfolio They fill up much faster than you think!

Alexco

For Black & White pictures, it's hard to beat a plain white bevel cut window mount to give your pictures a lift. I this case I would also get some High Quality Secol Print sleeves for your portfolio case and present your work this way.

Dr.Louis

cool thanks guys

I'm starting printing on tuesday (only free day!!) If the whole fibre paper doesn't work out I'll bring some resin coated for back up!