Basic Photography Course

PH2 Myer III

302.260

Figure 12-3.Bessler Model 45A color enlarger.

filters either above the negative (CP filters) or below the
lens (CC filters) to control the color quality of the
exposing light.

Bessler color enlargers (fig. 12-3) are used in many

Navy imaging facilities. The Bessler Model 45A uses

pulsed-xenon tubes to expose the color printing paper.
The xenon tubes are mounted at the top of the head of
the enlarger above red, green, and blue filters. The

amount of red, green, and blue light is controlled by the
number of flashes through each color filter. By adjusting
the number or length of time that the filtered-light
sources flash, you can correct the color balance of the
print. The color head of the enlarger is normally

programmed to a color analyzer that is used to provide

acceptable color prints.

PRINTING COLOR NEGATIVES

For many years color printing was difficult to

achieve; however, through technical advances in

light-sensitive materials, chemicals, and printing
equipment, color printing is as flexible and practical as
black-and-white printing. The primary interest to you,
as a Navy Photographer's Mate, is to produce color
prints with an acceptable color reproduction of the
original scene.

Good color prints are not difficult to make. Anyone

who has normal color vision and can apply the principles

of color theory can quickly learn to make good color
prints.

NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE PROCESS

Like all negative materials, the images recorded on

color negative films are completely reversed from the
original scene as follows:

Darker hues are recorded as lighter hues;

Red is recorded as cyan;

Green is recorded as magenta; and

Blue is recorded as yellow.

To record the image as it appeared in the original

scene, you must print the color negative onto a second
tripack material-the color printing paper. If you need to
refresh your memory on the characteristics of color
printing paper, refer to chapter 2.

The theory of color printing is simple when you

think through the stages of color reproduction. Since the
colors reproduced in the color negative are
complementary to the original subject colors, a red car

is cyan in the negative. Cyan is a combination of blue
and green; therefore, the two emulsion layers in the
paper that are sensitive to blue and green are affected
when the negative is printed. Then during print
processing, yellow dye forms in the exposed portion of
the blue sensitive layer of the paper, and magenta dye
forms in the exposed portion of the green sensitive layer
of the paper. Yellow and magenta in combination
produce red; therefore, the red car is reproduced in its
original color. All the other colors form in the same way.

CUSTOM COLOR PRINTING

In black-and-white printing, the controlling

variables are primarily density and contrast. In color

printing, the variables include density and the color of
individual objects in the scene as well as the overall
color balance of the print. The mood of a color print can
be changed by altering the color balance. A winter
landscape may be printed on the blue side to intensify

12-5

contents

Basic Photography Course

<- previous page

next page ->


DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> PH2 Myer III 302.260 Figure 12-3.Bessler Model 45A color enlarger. filters either above the negative (CP filters) or below the lens (CC filters) to control the color quality of the exposing light. Bessler color enlargers (fig. 12-3) are used in many Navy imaging facilities. The Bessler Model 45A uses pulsed-xenon tubes to expose the color printing paper. The xenon tubes are mounted at the top of the head of the enlarger above red, green, and blue filters. The amount of red, green, and blue light is controlled by the number of flashes through each color filter. By adjusting the number or length of time that the filtered-light sources flash, you can correct the color balance of the print. The color head of the enlarger is normally programmed to a color analyzer that is used to provide acceptable color prints. PRINTING COLOR NEGATIVES For many years color printing was difficult to achieve; however, through technical advances in light-sensitive materials, chemicals, and printing equipment, color printing is as flexible and practical as black-and-white printing. The primary interest to you, as a Navy Photographer's Mate, is to produce color prints with an acceptable color reproduction of the original scene. Good color prints are not difficult to make. Anyone who has normal color vision and can apply the principles of color theory can quickly learn to make good color prints. NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE PROCESS Like all negative materials, the images recorded on color negative films are completely reversed from the original scene as follows: Darker hues are recorded as lighter hues; Red is recorded as cyan; Green is recorded as magenta; and Blue is recorded as yellow. To record the image as it appeared in the original scene, you must print the color negative onto a second tripack material-the color printing paper. If you need to refresh your memory on the characteristics of color printing paper, refer to chapter 2. The theory of color printing is simple when you think through the stages of color reproduction. Since the colors reproduced in the color negative are complementary to the original subject colors, a red car is cyan in the negative. Cyan is a combination of blue and green; therefore, the two emulsion layers in the paper that are sensitive to blue and green are affected when the negative is printed. Then during print processing, yellow dye forms in the exposed portion of the blue sensitive layer of the paper, and magenta dye forms in the exposed portion of the green sensitive layer of the paper. Yellow and magenta in combination produce red; therefore, the red car is reproduced in its original color. All the other colors form in the same way. CUSTOM COLOR PRINTING In black-and-white printing, the controlling variables are primarily density and contrast. In color printing, the variables include density and the color of individual objects in the scene as well as the overall color balance of the print. The mood of a color print can be changed by altering the color balance. A winter landscape may be printed on the blue side to intensify 12-5 contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
	WWW.DOFMASTER.COM © 2006 Don Fleming. All rights reserved.