John E. Simmons.com
A fine art site of visual and aural imagery

Articles | About/Contact | Writing | Formulas | Galleries | Graflex | RB67 | Music | Typewriters | Home


 Using Ansco 130    Tuesday, January 25, 2005   

I've begun using my Miniature Speed Graphic quite a bit, shooting 2 1/4x3 1/4 (6x9 cm) negatives.  I develop in Pyrocat HD using a minimal agitation method. Then I contact print them.  Yes, these small negatives are contact printed.

A couple of months ago, I tried printing a few of them with Ansco 130 developer. I didn't pay a lot of attention.  Then a couple of weeks ago, I printed some using Michael A. Smith's amidol formula and liked the prints a lot.  I took them to work where I can set them up under light and live with them all day.  I still liked them. Then, in rummaging through my desk, I found a print of the same negative - this print developed in 130.  Both prints were on grade 2 Azo.

The difference is noticable. The amidol print has a cold tone that's what I always thought I wanted in a photograph.  The 130 negative is noticably warmer - the shadows are much more brown than in the amidol print. 

Then came a realization. I liked the 130 developed print better.  There's something about the warmer tone that seems to work better with these small negatives.

As Fred Picker would have said, "Try it."





(c) 1968-today John E. Simmons