Darkroom Printing of Photographs. Lootens on Photographic Enlarging and Print Quality by J. Ghislain Lootens, F.P.S.A, F.R.P.S.

Baltimore: The Camera, 1944. No later printings indicated, presumed first edition. Cloth, very good, no dust jacket.  Illustrated throughout with author’s photographs.  258 pages.  Considered one of the classic texts on this subject, how to print exceptional monochrome photographs in the darkroom. Includes the basics like the enlarger, printing papers, chemical developers, fixing, etc., and also the use of test strips, dodging and burning, flashing for tone control, bleaching and intensification, combination printing, photomontage, retouching with New Coccine, blue and brown toning, and other specialized topics. The last chapter is a chemical formulary. Summary:

First published in 1944 by The Camera magazine, Lootens on Photographic Enlarging and Print Quality is considered one of the most influential "how-to" bibles of the analog darkroom era. Written by J. Ghislain Lootens—a master teacher and Fellow of both the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS) and the Photographic Society of America (FPSA)—the book codified the technical and artistic standards for black-and-white printing during the mid-20th century.

Core Focus & Methodology

The book provides a foundation for moving beyond basic chemistry to treat print-making as a fine art. Lootens’ philosophy was that a "good" negative is only the starting point; the final masterpiece is created through meticulous control during the enlarging process.

• The "Lootens Method": He popularized a systematic approach to print manipulation, emphasizing that a photographer should "interpret" a negative rather than simply record it.

• Print Quality: The text provides exhaustive definitions of what constitutes a "quality" print, focusing on maximum tonal range, rich blacks, and luminous highlights.

Key Technical Contributions

The 1944 edition detailed several techniques that were or became standard darkroom practices:

• Dodging and Burning: Extensive instruction on selectively masking or adding light to balance a composition.

• The Test Strip: A rigorous methodology for determining perfect exposure and contrast.

• New Coccine: Detailed guides on using this red dye for retouching negatives to hold back light in specific areas.

• Chemical Manipulation: Instructions on print intensification and local reduction (using Farmer’s Reducer) to pop highlights after the print was developed.

• Flashing: Techniques for pre-exposing paper to "tame" high-contrast highlights.

Legacy

"The goal is not to produce a print that looks like a photograph, but a print that looks like the subject felt."

Because of its clarity and "master-apprentice" tone, the book remained in print for decades, going through nearly ten revised editions well into the 1970s. For the 1944 photographer, it was the definitive bridge between being a hobbyist and becoming a salon-level exhibition printer.