Printing Direct Positive Paper - ILFORD Photo Darkroom Guides

Our 7th video in the ILFORD Photo Darkroom Guides series takes a closer look at our HARMAN Direct Positive fibre based darkroom paper.

This fixed grade, fibre based, black and white darkroom paper produces direct positive prints without a film negative. This means that Direct Positive paper is perfect for large format cameras, pinhole photography, contact prints or photograms.

We invited @Rachel Brewster-Wright from Little Vintage Photography, a film photographer, educator, and host of the Sunny16 podcast, to take you through how to print with this paper and to show you what results you can expect from pre-flashing the paper before exposure.

[Ilfordphoto]

We are often asked about the Direct Positive paper and how to get the best from it, what pre-flashing does and, how prints on this paper look. We hope that Rachel answers all of these questions for you in this video. Please let us know below if there’s anything else that you’d like to know.

[alasdairdougall]

Always a joy to see Rachel doing Ilford knowledge videos!

[MichaelDiblicek]

Been having a look on the internet about this process and paper combination, and found all the answers in this excellent video tutorial. Clearly and thoroughly explained by Rachel. Simple and to the point. Well done Ilford, rachel and the rest of the team.

[lilib]

I develop HDP in caffenol to lower the contrast. it works quite well and adds a nice tone to the print as well.

[kennethwong.x]

Hi - I’m new to using DPP and pre-flashing, and this video has helped me understand a bit more. I noticed that you did the test strip based on an exposure duration of 2-3 seconds at f16 through your enlarger, and I was wondering - after preflashing the DPP, would I shoot the scene as normal (ie expose based on the desired shutter speed and aperture and assuming the ISO at 5), or do I need to underexppse the scene to make up for the pre-flash (and if so, how much should I underexpose?)

[CertainExposures]

I used this to print color slide film (in B&W) at home! I couldn’t figure out how to reduce the contrast sufficiently though…even with pre-flashing. A low contrast version would be nice 🙂.

[david_davinci]

Did a darkroom print on DPP with a 6x9 slide of Provia 100. Turned out great. I have also shot it in camera with interesting results. I like the high contrast, but I should try the preflash.

[BillySanford]

I have thought on multiple occasions that this (used with the Obscura) would be the way for me to get into 4x5 without having to also have a way to scan/print 4x5 negatives. It is still on my to-do list!

[Resgerr]

I have some DP paper so I’ll have to get using it!

[trainroomgary]

🚂 HI from Michigan - Can this paper be processed with Kodak Dektal - Cool demo 😎

[mjones]

The one part of the sample pre-flash and non pre-flash that I don't understand is why did you recover more highlights in the pre-flash? Did you also reduce image exposure time to recover detail in the brick wall? In my experience pre-flashing positive paper will recover otherwise lost shadows, where as pre-flashing negative paper will bring out otherwise lost highlights. I was confused about this when I first watched this video yesterday, but since then I have gone back through my pre-flash tests with Ilford positive paper and confirmed this rule.

[young-hoongihl]

Another great video. I wonder if the pre-flashed paper can be stored without any time limit until shooting. Thanks.

[yorkieinnz]

Just got hold of a Butcher & Son The MIDG NO.0 drop plate falling camera from around 1904? came with 12 plates. Originally used with glass negatives but would be interesting to try this paper out in it :-)

[pahalmandarji]

It is really a helpful video for use of Direct positive paper. I enjoyed and got idea to some extent. However I would like to know " What chemical did you use to dip the positive paper in the tray before you got the final print out ?

[danko]

I rewatched it upwards of 3 times before the logic of exposing to just above blackade sense, due to how much I habe used regular paper. It's not my first DPP rodeo, either.

[mikelalmazor]

Good video! You say to take the exposure before the solid black in your probe its the five or the sixth líne and you say 3"...sorry I dont understand

[rodocarda]

Now my stupid question of the day. I have just loaded my holders with harman 4x5, but unlike film they don't have a way to tell the correct size. Although I was using a red lamp, it was not straightforward to understand as a) it was the first time loading paper instead of film and b) it's been some 35 year since last time i printed and handled film paper instead of negatives :-)
So my best guess to tell which was the right side was to guess that the emulsion was on the reflecting side of the paper, while opaque was the back.
I didn't shoot, yet so I am still in time to invert the loading if I goofed :-D
Thanks for any suggestion and hint

[andyvan]

great alternative to slide film, but can you do a video on developing slide film, as it is quite simmilar, in that you get a positive out of the film, and you still can get slide or transparency film today ( Kodac E100, Fuji Velvia 50 & velvia 100) ; and this type of film is quite an old technology (so not as well known about, esp. how to process it in the darkroom).

[andyvan]

realy good video, but what asa do you rate the paper?, as for simmilar papers, like x-ray film they have a low asa of 3 or so, if what I have seen on other videos are correct. also with reciprocity for this paper, as what Rachel aluded to in the fibre based video, there is extra issues with the chemistry, ie the drying of the print and it's affect on the contrast.

[paulinovarela]

I use it for pinhole photography and the results are exactly as I expected. I rate the paper at ISO 5 as per exposure calculations. Any other comments and hints are welcome. Thanks for the sharing experiences.