good negative has normal density and contrast. It must be sharp and free from such defects as scratches, abrasions,  dust,  lint,  and  fingerprints. ENLARGER  AND  EASEL  ADJUSTMENTS Insert the negative in the negative carrier so the emulsion side is down when placed in the enlarger. In other words, the base of the negative (the shiny side) should be up or facing the lamp when inserted into the enlarger. Clean the negative and be sure there is no dust on it. You can use the light from the enlarger to check for dust. Blow off any dust with a bulb syringe or low-pressure air. Then, use a camel-hair brush to brush or  lift  off  any  remaining  dust.  Replace  the  negative carrier  containing  the  negative  into  the  enlarger;  ensure it is seated properly. Set the paper guide or masking device on the easel to form the border width needed or use a preset easel. As an aid for composing and focusing the image accurately,  place  a  sheet  of  white  paper  in  the  easel-the base side of the paper is used for a focusing sheet-then turn out all white lights. Turn the enlarger lamp on, open the lens to its maximum aperture, and move the easel around until the desired portion of the image is in the picture area Raise or lower the enlarger head on the upright standard or column and focus the image. Shift the easel as needed, and continue these adjustments until the image is enlarged (or reduced) to the desired size, focused sharply,  and  composed  on  the  easel  correctly. The size of projection prints is limited by the optical system used and the working space available. A scene may be printed in sections on several sheets of paper and spliced together. Likewise, the enlarger can be turned 180 degrees and projected on the floor. If you use this baseboard method, be sure to counterweight the enlarger by placing a heavy weight on the baseboard to prevent the  enlarger  from  tipping  over. The picture is easier to compose with the scene right-side up. When it is upside down from your point of view, the negative carrier should be rotated or removed  and  the  negative  repositioned.  The  image appears right-side up on the easel when it is positioned upside  down  in  the  negative  carrier. You   should   adjust   the   easel   until   the   best composition is obtained. When composing the image, try  to  correct  errors  of  image  composition  in  the negative. The way the scene is composed on the negative may be a controlling factor in the final composition. Straighten the horizon, and when possible, prevent it from cutting the print image in half. When the horizon is not to be included in the print, make sure vertical objects are parallel to the sides of the print. When the space around the point of interest of the picture is distracting,  you  can  change  the  composition  of  the picture through cropping. You can do this by increasing or decreasing the magnification of the image and by readjusting  the  easel. After the image is correctly composed and focused, the lens aperture should be stopped down so your basic exposure time is about 10 seconds. An exposure time of 10  seconds  allows  you  to  accomplish  a  normal  amount of dodging and is fast enough to be practical for quantity production. The exact amount the lens should be stopped down depends on the density of the negative and the magnification of the image. This can be difficult to determine  without  experience.  If  you  are  new  to printing, you should start by stopping down the lens to about f/5.6 or f/8 for a normal negative. MAKING A TEST PRINT There are many factors that affect exposure times in the enlarging process. Some of these factors are as follows: The light source and illumination system of the enlarger The f/stop of the lens The density of the negative The degree of enlargement The speed of the paper The density and color of the contrast printing filter The best way for you to determine the correct enlarging exposure is by making a test strip. Although the test strip is the most reliable way to determine exposure,  you  do  not  need  a  test  strip  for  every enlargement. It is, however, a wise practice whenever you are in doubt as to the exact exposure required. A test strip for enlarging is made the same way as for contact printing. When making the enlargement test strip, you must try to select the proper printing filter based  on  negative  contrast. Once the printing filter has been determined, set the enlarger for producing the desired size prints. Set the lens f/stop at f/5.6 or f/8, for example. Next, examine 11-12