[LargeFormat] Using development controls vs. varying contrast of VC paper

[Paul Butzi]

This past week, materials testing has continued here at
Atelier Butzi, in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

This week, I've been trying to find the answer to the
question "Given that we can now control the contrast of the
print easily by varying the contrast of our VC paper, do we
really need to continue to use the development controls of
the classic Zone System".

For some time now, I've been suspecting that there are
significant differences in results between:
a) Expose the film, develop it to relatively soft contrast
(e.g. give a negative that would normally get N development
N-2), then print it on VC paper dialed to higher contrast to
compensate and get a 'normal' print.
b) Expose film to the same scene, develop to normal
contrast, print on the same VC paper dialed to 'normal'
contrast.
c)  Expose film to the same scene, develop the film to high
contrast, then print on the same VC paper dialed to softer
contrast to compensate and get a 'normal' print.

I tested this for both the papers I routinely print on -
Kodak PolyMax IIrc and Ilford Multigrade VI fb.

The results are that (a) and (b) produce nearly identical
results, but that (c) gives a print with quite a different
look. So, from my point of view, the bad news is that you
can't just discard development controls and adjust the
contrast of VC paper to handle things, because you get a
different tonal distribution in some cases.  On the flip
side, the good news is that I've found a new creative
control.

Naturally, I've written this all up and put it on my web
page at www.butzi.net/articles/zoneVC.htm

I'd be very interested to hear if anyone else is exploring
this, or any comments or observations folks have on the
article, the tests, the results, etc.

-Paul