Step-by-Step Instructions for Enlarging a Negative

Adjustments

• 1

  Set your negatives into the negative carrier. Be sure they face emulsion side up. The emulsion side will be dull in appearance.

• 2

  Place a sheet of plain test paper on the easel. The white side of the paper should face up. Turn on the enlarger. Make the projection cover the piece of test paper by adjusting the enlarger head up or down.

• 3

  Focus the project on the paper with the focus tool. Once focused, turn off the enlarger and remove the test paper from the easel.

Enlarging

• 4

  Turn off all lights except for tested safelights. Place a fresh piece of photo sensitive paper onto the easel, making sure that the proper side is facing up.

• 5

  Expose a test strip. Use a piece of white cardboard and cover a portion of the paper except for a 2-by-8-inch strip. Your first test strip should be exposed for three seconds. Move the sheet of cardboard over 2 inches to make a second test strip on the same piece of paper. Expose this strip for six seconds. Repeat this process until you have a total of six test strips, increasing the exposure time by three seconds at every strip.

• 6

  Determine which test strip is the appropriate exposure. Load a fresh piece of paper onto the easel, with the photo sensitive side facing up. Expose the print onto the sheet of paper.

• 7

  Wash the print in a developer bath for about 10 seconds, using tongs to agitate the print in the bath. Allow the print to hang dry, or use a blow dryer.