[tambourine_man]

It's possible to print large negatives from digital files. The results are stunning if you manage to get the curve right.

I've done a few times, lots of trial and error and I never could get a curve that worked perfectly on multiple setups or even on multiple shots with the same setup. A bit of tweaking is required for every shot, in my experience.

It's just that the whole thing is slow, expensive and error prone in every step of the way. It's a labor of love and it shows.

[nkozyra]

> It's possible to print large negatives from digital files.

You can actually do it on your home laser printer, onto transparent sheets.

You can then go even easier and make salt prints (also uses silver) and the sun. They come out very interesting.

[EvanAnderson]

This sounds like a great use for the laser transparencies I bought at Goodwill having no particular use in mind. Thanks for the idea!

[frostburg]

If you're going to buy platinum / palladium reagents, which aren't cheap, I suggest printing the digital negative on Mitsubishi Pictorico OHP. Check which of the inks in your printing system is more opaque to UV to improve dynamic range.

Use the media that your already have to dial in your pre-processing to some extent.

[tambourine_man]

It depends on the resolution and shades of gray your home printer can output. It will work, of course, but you may be disappointed with the harshness.

Last time I printed on an Epson 9600 @1200dpi. It looked awesome.

Salt prints are great fun and have a distinct look. Very different from palladium and platinum.