All my tools are really simple.
That's one of the things I like about darkroom - no software to buy
or update... nothing can crash, I can improvise freely.
All I need is some black construction paper, scissors (or an E-Xacto blade),
black tape, some thin but resilient wire..and that's it.
It's all stuff you can buy for a few bucks.
I bought a 50 sheet packet of black construction paper 25 years ago - I'm just now
getting to the end of it, all $2.99 worth!
Below is my 'below-the-lense' filter and dodging tray contraption.
It's like a filter holder for a camera, adapted to an enlarger.
All you need is some black matboard ( yes, make it black,
so it won't bounce any light around) an E-xacto blade,
and some black tape.
It's got two 'trays' - one for the contrast filter,
the other for the dodging strip.
And the 'dodging strip' doesn't have to be straight, like the one below,
it can be any shape you damn well please, placed wherever you want.
Also, remember that the f-stop of your enlarger lense changes
your exposure.
This leaves you hands free to do more dodging, if necessary.
This is the second tool:
Who knew a black piece of construction paper could be so useful?!
I call this the 'spatula' cause that's what it looks like.
You hold the left end, & the wire is so thin, it doesn't show up in the exposure,
all that matters is the right end, which dodges, as you wish.
The distance between enlarger lense and paper determines the size and
softness of this tool, same as for any others.
The closer to the easel? the sharper the edges of the dodging tool become.
Closer to the lense? it's softer, larger.
You can also hold it at various angles, so it is narrow, or fat, as you wish.
Another thing I do that has proved to be quite useful -
I set my enlarger timer to 2 second exposures,
so I can break down any particular over-all exposure to, let's say, something like:
4 'hits'(on the the exposure button) - full image...
Another 3 hits, burning in something...
another 2 hits, dodging back something else.
HAPPY PRINTING!
Improvise freely!!! It's like jazz, you just do it, go with your instincts!
