Great news … you now have a print your happy with! Whether it is one you originally made and mounted, or a redo that has been done after further evaluation (see Step 17), it is essential to make sure there are no pesky little white spots on the print due to dust that accumulated on the negative and/or glass negative carrier (if you use one like me) and were not removed prior to exposure. A really good way to avoid most if not all of this is to simply use an anti-static brush to remove the tiny dust particles from your negatives and carriers before inserting them into the enlarger.
Even with the best of care it is still possible to get a white spot that shows up on your print. Let me be absolutely clear; in my opinion there’s nothing more bush league that looking at someone’s finished prints and seeing dust spots! Think about it … you’ve gone to all the trouble to produce a print you’re truly proud of, but you don’t care enough to finish the job? Even if you never show your work, why would you want to look at something done in a half assed manner?
You’re so close to the finish line! Now is not the time to get lazy!
Here’s what I do. I carefully examine my prints under a bright light. If I see a spot, then time to get to work. There are a number of products out there you can use. In year’s past I used Spotone #3, diluted as appropriate in water, and applied to the print with a sable art brush having the narrowest (e.g., the fewest hairs) of tips. Unfortunately this fine product is no longer manufactured but you might be able to find it on ebay. I friend and Monalog Collective member recently gave me a bottle so I might be back in business again! An alternative another Monalog member told me about is Nicholson’s Peerless DrySpot. I bought some but have not tried it yet. Finally there is SpotPen, which is what I have been using for the last fifteen years or so. It ‘s a set of 10 brush-tip pens containing photographic retouching dye.
When using any of these products it’s best to first test on a scrap print in order to visually determine the right dilution/pen to use. Don’t try to guess the exact matching color! Too dark and you can create a dark spot on the print. What I do is find a dye tone lighter than the adjacent area and build up to the proper color. Apply, let it dry, then re-apply until you are satisfied. It takes a little longer but is much safer!
All of this sounds laborious, but in reality it doesn’t take much time at all … especially if you were diligent about removing dust particles in the darkroom!
Do this and you can put the finishing touch on your perfect fine print! Congratulations!
Stay well,
Michael