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It can be very frustrating to work hard to make a beautiful print only to find part of the photograph is sharp and part of it is not. When this happens, your enlarger is not in proper alignment. Proper alignment occurs when all three stages (negative, lens and easel) of an enlarger are parallel; then the light falls evenly across the paper and the image is sharp from edge to edge.

Always check alignment after you move an enlarger. Also, check alignment when first setting up an enlarger. Most do not come prealigned from the factory. You can find information on the adjustments available for alignment in the manufacturer's enlarger manual.

To check alignment of your enlarger, make a large print--at least 11x14--and then use a magnifying loop to check the grain structure on the print. If you notice the grain is not sharp in certain areas, it is time to align your enlarger.

There are a number of good alignment tools on the market which you could use. Some use laser light, which are much easier to use than having to go back and forth with a carpenters square and a piece of glass checking alignment from side to side and front to back.

The enlarger is a precision instrument and should always get a great deal of care and attention. Keep it aligned!