While digital workflows dominate commercial expediency, the tactile resonance of a finely crafted silver gelatin fiber print remains unmatched for exhibition collections. In our Senja studio darkroom, winter evenings are dedicated to working through medium format 6x7 negatives developed earlier in the season.
Split-Grade Printing Strategy
We print using variable contrast cold-light enlargers paired with Ilford Multigrade FB Classic glossy paper. Rather than relying on a single compromise filtration grade, we employ split-grade printing:
- Grade 00 Soft Exposure: Establishes delicate high-key gradations across snow banks, clouds, and frost textures without blocking highlights.
- Grade 5 Hard Exposure: Injects punchy, deep D-max blacks into deep crevices, shadow basalt, and dark sea water.
By splitting the exposure into two discrete passes, print contrast can be tuned with surgical precision across localized dodging and burning zones.
Archival Washing and Selenium Toning
Longevity is non-negotiable for fine art prints. Following two-bath rapid fixing, prints undergo an initial wash, a three-minute bath in sodium sulfite hypo-clearing agent, and toning in Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner diluted 1:19 at 20°C. Selenium toning imparts a subtle, cool-plum deepening to maximum blacks while converting vulnerable silver particles into silver selenide, dramatically boosting permanence against atmospheric contaminants.
Prints are then washed for 60 minutes in an archival vertical print washer before drying flat on fiberglass drying screens.