PRINTING BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS is like tango dancing,
says Brian Young. Each step of the film development has a rhythm.
Or it’s like making a flan: Each chemical mix is precise in measure-
ment and temperature. Young began printing in black and white in
the 1980s and got hooked on “the ability to control everything,” com-
pared with color photography. Today, in his Connecticut studio, it
may take two hours to turn a piece of film into a print. “It’s not about
being quick, easy, or convenient,” says Young. “It’s about being
difficult, slow, and something you have to learn.” —NINA STROCHLIC- Print developing tray
Three trays—develop, stop,
and fix—hold chemicals
needed to make a print. - Rubber-tipped tongs
Without them, your
fingernails would turn
black from the chemicals. - Thermometer
A single-degree shift in
the chemicals can alter
how a negative develops. - Dodging tools
As the film is projected
onto paper and exposed,
moving the tools over dark
areas reveals detail. - Squeegee
It removes rinse water
from a developed print. - Timer
A print stays in the
developer chemical for 90
seconds to three minutes. - Grain focuser
This tool zooms in to
ensure the negative’s
grain is projected sharply. - Antistatic brush
The negative must be
swept clear of dust. - Loupe
Magnifying the negative
shows scratches or specks. - Negative carrier
Inserted into the enlarger,
this holds the negative
steady as it’s magnified
and projected onto paper
to make a print. - Measuring beaker
Chemical-to-water ratio
in the trays determines
development time.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK THIESSEN910116
78AUGUST 2020 29