The Variable Contrast Printing Manual

By Steve G. Anchell

Book Overview

The Variable Contrast Printing Manual is the only comprehensive resource for photographers printing with variable contrast papers. Anchell provides a wealth of techniques and information to enable photographers to achieve the best possible results, and express their unique personal vision. As in his best-selling The Darkroom Cookbook (Focal Press), Anchell has provided the reader with an easy-to-follow approach to a medium that now dominates black-and-white printing. Stephen G. Anchell has been a freelance and commercial photographer, writer, and instructor for over 25 years. His fine-art black-and-white photography has been internationally exhibited and collected. He teaches workshops and seminars privately, at universities, and for companies such as Agfa, Cachet Fine Art Paper Company, and Sinar-Bron. His writing on photography has appeared in View Camera, Shutterbug, PIC (Great Britain), and PhotoPro magazines. He was a contributing editor to the former Camera and Darkroom magazine, and is a current contributing editor to PhotoWork and Outdoor Photographer magazines.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0240802594
• ISBN13: 9780240802596
• Release Date: December 1996
• Publisher: Focal Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A great history & current very usable information.

I bought and read every page of all three of Steve Anchell's black and white photo information books: The Variable Contrast Printing Manual, The Film Developing Cookbook, and The Darkroom Cookbook. Why? Because he gives a mix of an historical view plus tells what to pick of the best current chemistries. He does this without bogging down in the actual complexities of a college chemistry course keeping it at a usable technicians level. Since he also tells you why you are using various chemicals or paper his books do not dumb down but instead give you fascinating useful information. Anyone serious about darkroom work will appreciate his insights and commentary about chemistry use. He lists so many historical and current B & W chemical formulas and their use that any B & W experimenter will find the books useful.

Easy to read and informative

As an intermediate beginner in photography, and having now readmany books on the subject, I rate this publication as excellent.Even for a novice it is clearly written, well explained and gavesome good sources for shopping. Until reading this book I was unaware of filter compatability and the ease of using chartsfor plus or minus filtration. Many books on photograpy are a repeat of others, but not this one.

Wonderful reference for serious photographers

The Variable Contrast Printing Manual is a wonderful reference book for those photographers that want to control the photographic process from exposure to printing. It explains the main features of variable contrast print materials and describes the best processes to get great results from the material. I especially like the chapter on split printing. Mr. Anchell has taken a rather complex subject and made it very comprehensible. Definitively a must have for every darkroom enthusiast.

This is the only up to date in depth study of film developem

The competant research and clear explanation of a complex subject sets this book far above any other book of its type. Anchell has proved once again to be the leading expert on Black & White processing. I highly recommend this book for any serious photographer who takes pride in darkroom skill and craft

VC gets its due

Variable contrast paper has long been looked down upon by photographers. That has been changing over the last few years and this book should finally convince everyone of VC's role in the printer's toolbox. Everything is covered--from printing techniques to currently available paper brands and VC enlarging heads. The text is informative, accurate and readable. A winning combination.