Image resolution and film format are very closely connected. Generally speaking, the larger the film size the higher the image resolution. It can also be generally said that the larger the film size the heavier and bulkier the camera and peripheral equipment.

The 35 mm camera is highly portable and uses short focal length, fast lenses facilitating a high degree of spontaneity in image making. Due to the small size of the 35 mm negative, however, resolution is rather lacking and grain is very evident in prints made from negatives of that format if they are enlarged to any degree.

At the other end of the spectrum, the 8x10 camera renders images of extremely high resolution even when using fast film. Contact prints made from 8x10 negatives can be breathtaking. The 8x10 requires long lenses but, with the movements that can be employed with all view cameras, depth of field is manageable. It is a delight to see an image on the ground glass of an 8x10 camera, but due to its size and weight it is slow.

Gelatin Silver Photographic Paper

"Gelatin silver prints" are made on paper that is precoated by photo manufacturers and readily available in stores. In the manufacture of these papers, a coating of clay, called "baryta", is applied to paper and then a silver-halide emulsion is coated onto that. The paper is exposed through contact or enlargement and then developed in a developing agent. The two basic paper types are graded and variable-contrast.

Graded Paper

Graded papers generally come in two to five contrast grades, depending on the manufacturer, with the lower numbers being softer and the higher numbers being harder. The contrast grade of the paper is matched to the contrast scale of the negative. You must buy a full package or box of each grade so papers on the extreme ends of the scale might become outdated before they are used up.

One can fine tune contrast between grades through the use of a mixture of a high contrast developer such as Kodak Dektol and a low contrast developer like Selectol-Soft. Controlling local contrast with this type of paper is difficult though not impossible.

One way to lower local contrast is through "flashing," where a piece of opaque plastic is placed below the lens and the target area is exposed to diffused light after the main exposure has been given. It is possible to bring out delicate highlight details using this method but care should be taken not to give too much "flashing" exposure. This technique is particularly difficult since it is impossible to see precisely where in the image the "flashing" is being applied.

Variable-Contrast Paper

The primary difference between graded and variable-contrast papers is that, with the latter, filters are used to control contrast. It is not necessary to buy a different box of paper for each contrast grade and it is not necessary to mix hard and soft contrast developers to match the scale of negatives that fall between contrast grades. You can generally standardize on one developer and use it for all contrasts.

Besides being a lot easier to work with, variable-contrast paper offers a major advantage over graded paper and that is control over local contrast. One can apply a low contrast filter to an area in an image that is lacking in highlight detail. This is similar to "flashing" but you can see the area in which you are working. Likewise, a high contrast filter can be applied to an area lacking in contrast or in a shadow that requires more darkness and depth.

Because of the current popularity of variable-contrast paper, graded papers are starting to fall by the wayside. Grades are being discontinued and then entire product lines are disappearing. There are a number of excellent papers on the market today, each with its own look and feel, so finding a good paper to print on is not a problem.

Fiber-Based vs Resin-Coated

Graded and variable-contrast papers are further broken down into fiber-based and resin-coated or RC. Resin coated papers differ basically from fiber-based papers in that they have a polyethylene coating, preventing chemicals from soaking into the paper fibers. Processing, washing, and drying times are far shorter with RC papers and when they are dry they are perfectly flat. They have a much glossier surface than fiber-based glossy papers. RC mat surfaces are also available.

Print Color

In a so-called "black and white" photograph true blacks and true whites are rare. Blacks range from deep blue to yellowish brown and whites from silvery white to creamy yellow. The color of the print can add to or detract from the mood of an image and therefore controlling it is a necessary element of successful print making. The biggest determining factor of print color is in the make-up of the photographic paper itself and this basic color can be enhanced through the use of toning baths.

Why Tone?

Besides the obvious reason of changing the mood and feeling of an image, there is another benefit that can be gained through toning and that is protection of the print from bad elements in the atmosphere. When a printer puts the energy into a fine print that is demanded, he or she wants the print to last.  More so than ever before, oxidizing gasses present in the atmosphere can do harm to photographic prints. Toning in selenium or sulfide toners can greatly slow down this deterioration process. These toners actually convert the image silver to a more stable state.