- Ensure you have a good maximum black reference. Most images only really shine if they use the full tonal scale the paper can achieve, from maximum black to "paper-white". This doesn't mean the darkest and lightest parts need to take up large parts of the images, just that there needs to be some spot or highlight in the image that sets the boundaries of the prints tonal scale. Unless you have a maximum black reference of your paper, it will be dificult to judge if you truly use the entire tonal scale of the paper. Be aware of the fact that each paper has its own maximum black / density. E.g. a paper like Ilford MGIV Warmtone has a very beatiful deep black, while normal MGIV is clearly less. To create a "reference", simply take a small strip of the paper from a package, switch on the normal lights in your darkroom so as to completely expose it, and process it. Dry it, and keep it as a reference... just be aware that there is still a difference between the wet state of the paper, and the dry state, especially with fiber based papers, but it should help determining if you have maximum black in your image.

- Use the Zone System for B&W photography. Invented and described by the world famous photographers Ansel Adams and Fred Archer, the Zone System is a system designed to give greater and predictable control over contrast in your negatives and prints, based on a conscious decision about exposure in relation to possible adjustments in film development and printing. I won't go into detail here, there are plenty of excellent references to be found on the web... Although I have respect for those analog photographers who have mastered this system and therefore have almost complete and predictable control over contrast and tonality, I have not yet mastered this fully. I have begun to explore exposure and development adjustment though. In addition, I have found Ralph Lambrechts "Zone Dial" an invaluable help in "setting" zones. It can be found on his Darkroom Magic website, in the Library section. Also strongly recommended is his "Way Beyond Monochrome" book, that I still must acquire, but seems highly regarded in the analog photography community. But in as much as the final image result, I also make every effort to control contrast and tonality at the printing stage. Using multigrade paper in combination with different filters and dodging and burning, there is a tremendous amount that can be done. Especially since many of my negatives are challenging anyway, considering contrast ranges in access of what can be captured on film, learning how to control contrast and tonality in the printing stage is a must. Making conscious decisions of what is allowed to go completely black or white, is part of photography and printing too.

- Make test strips for each new negative. Especially with 35 mm photography, one is easily tempted to take a strip of negatives and fast print them based on the correct exposure of a single negative. In my experience however, for correct tonality, it is crucial to judge each negative separately using test strips. Yes, it does mean more time, but any small differences in the negatives exposure, may result in a disappointing print if you have not corrected for it. So don't be lazy...

- Fiber based prints have a tendency to considerably darken after been left to dry. This means you need to take into account this process already in the printing stage. I have wasted quite a bit of paper on this issue, thinking I was creating a good print, only to discover the next day that my print was way to dark. As a rule of thumb, you need to take about 10% of the paper exposure time to get the result you want. E.g. let's say a test strip printed (not yet dried!) shows a good exposure and tonality at a 20 sec exposure time. Now in order to have the same result in the final print, you will need to print the final image with an exposure of about 18 sec, even if this means that some of your highlights appear washed out compared to the 20 sec print, they WILL have definition after drying.

- Judge your print the day after when it's dried and make corrections then. Attempting to create a finalized print in one day is not always wise. Just as with every form of art, giving your print a second thought is a good thing. If you've been printing in the evening hours, judging your print the next day with proper daylight available, is often shockingly revealing and may lead to an entire different approach. I have managed to reduce this issue by installing a proper daylight type lighting source in my darkroom, see below.

- Install proper lighting in your darkroom. Although I have heard of photographers claiming to be able to judge their tonality and contrast under darkroom safety lighting, in my experience a proper *daylight* source of lighting, is of vital importance for judging tonality. My darkroom has, besides it's safelight, a total of 72W of daylight type fluorescent lighting, which I consider a bare minimum. I switch on these lights on a regular basis during printing, to judge my prints and make corrections (of course only after all my prints have left any of the chemical developing baths..., and my paper properly tucked away in it's boxes...). Please note that daylight type fluorescent lighting is different from the average fluorescent lighting you can buy in shops, often these tubes need to be specially ordered. I use two Philips TL-D 18W/54-765 SLV type tubes, which have a color temperature of 6200K, and one TL-D Super 80 36W/840 SLV, with a color temperature of 4000K. The 54 type tubes are slightly to "cold" compared to daylight, the 840 tube is slightly to "warm", together they mix into something very close to daylight light "temperature".