Combination Printing

Combination printing is probably the most rewarding and demanding control technique. In combination printing you use two (or more) negatives to make one good print. The most common use of combination printing is adding clouds to a cloudless sky. Here's how to do this:

Select a cloud negative making sure that the direction of the lighting on the clouds is the same as the direction of the lighting on the subject in your foreground negative. Often you can reverse the cloud negative if necessary in order to make the lighting in the two negatives correspond.

To add clouds to a sky, proceed as follows:

1. Determine the correct exposure for each negative with the enlarger set at the degree of magnification you're going to use. Record the enlarger position (degree of magnification) and the correct exposure for each negative.
2. Expose the foreground area of the print and at the same time use your hand or a card (cut to the contour of the sky) to hold back light from the sky area within about 1 inch of the horizon and any foreground buildings or trees that project into the sky. Hold your hand or the card a few inches above the easel and keep it moving. This leaves a gray-tone margin into which you can blend the clouds.
3. Replace the foreground negative with the cloud negative. Print the cloud negative and at the same time use your hand or a card (cut to the contour of the foreground -- use the other half of the piece you used to hold back the sky) to hold back light from the previously-exposed foreground area. Hold your hand or the card a few inches above the easel and keep it moving so that the edges of the two images blend smoothly.

The result should be a well balanced combination print from two negatives.