'The Master Photographer's Toning Book'
(Previously 'The Photographer's Toning Book' in the USA)

'The Thousand Dollar Book' --  reprinted and re-launched -  for just £25! 

Sold out.
Currently only available on the second-hand market.

 Since this book sold out both UK and US editions and the publisher decided not to reprint for a niche market, it has been commanding crazy prices for second hand copies on the internet. The highest I have seen was on Amazon for $1,333. Whilst this is clearly unusual the book is regularly advertised for several hundred $s or £s and I often received emails asking where it can be bought at cover price - which of course it couldn't.

In 2011 the rights reverted to me and in collaboration with Silverprint Ltd of London I arranged a reprint, ensuring the same high quality production as the original.

Despite inflation since this book was first printed in 2002 the original cover price has been held at £25.

 "One of the best organised and most informative technical books on photography I have ever read." Unblinking Eye

Reviews and unsolicited comments

Photo Art International
A masterpiece. Comprehensive, practical, easily understood. Useful tips, inspiring images, previously well kept secrets. No darkroom worker should be without it

Better Photography (Australia)
For those who haven’t seen it yet, take it from Better Photography that this is a must-have publication for the serious darkroom worker.

Unsolicited emails and comments from the internet...

 - 'Fantastic book that everyone should have'.  

 - 'It has to be the most comprehensive toning book ever'.  

 - 'Tim's book is the bible on toning'.  

 - 'I can honestly say that this is one of the most useful books on wet process printing that I have ever read'. (Amazon)

 - 'Takes guts to include "The Definitve Guide" as the subtitle of a book. Question is, is it deserved? Answer a respounding YES! Am I surprised? Not when I see that the author is Tim Rudman'. (Amazon)

 - 'Absolutely the best guide i have ever seen about archiving and toning photographs'. (Amazon)

 - 'If you are a photographer, you need this book.'  (Amazon)
 

 - 'This book is suitable for both the Novice and Advanced photographic print maker and is the only book on toning that you are likely to ever need'. (Amazon)

Description

Synopsis
Describes both entry-level and advanced toning techniques for the creative photographer and printer. Each theme is expanded to include instructions and formulae for home-made toners.
 

Book Description
This sizeable book has over 200 pages containing over 365 images and about 140,000 words and describes both entry-level and advanced toning techniques for the creative photographer and printer.
A chapter is devoted to each toner, allowing readers to enter at the level appropriate to their experience and to then develop their skills as far as they want too. In the author’s words, ‘This is a book to grow into rather than grow out of'’.

Using a system of First Steps, Second Steps and Further Steps, the normal use of simple ‘off-the-shelf’ toning kits is explained and then developed further by exploring the more advanced and less familiar techniques for which they may be employed.
Each theme is then expanded to include instructions and formulae for home-made toners that both save money and further expand the reader's creative options.

Processes and techniques described include the use of all the common and less common toners both singly and in combination, multi toner kits, selective toning, archival and negative toning, simple and advanced uses of bleaches and developers, dyes and the use of less conventional materials such as tea and coffee.

Sections on print finishing and useful printing controls for toning are also included. Toned vs. untoned step wedges show the effect of each toner on highlight and shadow density and on contrast with different papers, in order to allow compensation at the printing stage for perfectly toned prints.

An invaluable reference, toners characteristics tables, colour/toner 'search' charts, frequently asked questions, formulary and DIY section is included.

280 mm x 240 mm
Stiff softback with flaps
ISBN 1 902538 23 4 (original);  978 1 902538 23 (new)
First published in Great Britain by Argentum, an imprint of Aurum Press Ltd, London.
Text & images (except wher otherwise specified) copyright 2002 by Tim Rudman.
Published in America by Amphoto.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Contents

 Chapters:

Author's statement

There is no doubt in my mind that toning can often contribute enormously to the effectiveness of a monochrome print.
It can’t make success out of failure, but it can make some successful images very much stronger.
It can certainly affect the way in which an image engages the viewer, the atmosphere it creates and the emotion it arouses. It can suggest different spatial relationships within the image and add depth to a scene.
Ideally this is pre-visualised at the taking stage, but sometimes inspiration comes later. 

For some, colour - or even a warm tone - is an anathema in a monochrome image. There is no absolute right or wrong about this, only our personal prejudices – which we sometimes choose to label right or wrong.

In any case, and whatever our preference is in this matter toning is still always a vital part of fine print making, be it for the introduction of subtle or even gaudy colour, to neutralise the slight colour casts inherent in some papers, to enhance Dmax and make the print gleam with an inner light, or to make our prints archival in this increasingly polluted world. We all need to tone our silver-based prints for one reason or another – and often our negatives too.