There’s an undeniable magic in pulling a freshly developed film off the reel, holding it up to the light and getting a glimpse of the negatives for the first time. The relief that you have images and that the effort that goes into composing the scene, metering for the light, all the way to the anticipation and excitement leading up to developing the film was all worth the wait!
But for the curious, simply following the process and admiring the end result isn’t enough. We want to understand, dissect, and immerse ourselves in the dark arts and delve deep into how film photography is created! Let’s unravel this captivating world, frame by frame, by examining the black & white film negative in depth.
The Base Layer
Every masterpiece begins with a canvas, and for film, this canvas is the transparent base layer. The early days of photography saw the use of cellulose nitrate as this base. This material, though revolutionary at the time, was unfortunately notorious for its highly flammable nature. Tragically, many early films and archives were lost to fires sparked by these combustible negatives. The film industry is replete with stories of valuable archives going up in flames, emphasising the dire need for a safer alternative.
Enter the era of the cellulose acetate, aptly termed "safety film". Adopted widely by the 1950s, it not only reduced the fire hazard but also ensured greater longevity of the negatives. This base layer doesn't just act as a physical support; its transparency is crucial in allowing light to pass through when it comes time to project or print the image.
The Emulsion
At the heart of our film lies the emulsion, the very essence of photography. This layer, rich with silver halide crystals suspended in gelatine, is a playground of chemical reactions waiting to happen. Applied on top of the base layer, It's these crystals that, when exposed to light, a chemical reaction begins, and an invisible latent image forms.
The emulsion plays a critical role in determining the characteristics of a film and its composition and design dictate many of the qualities of the resulting photographs. Here’s how the emulsion influences film characteristics:
1. Grain Structure:
The size and distribution of the silver halide crystals in the emulsion affect the grain structure. Films with larger crystals tend to result in more pronounced grain, which can give an image a gritty, textured appearance. Conversely, films with finer crystals produce smoother images with less visible grain.
2. Sensitivity to Light (ISO/ASA Rating):
The sensitivity of the film, often denoted by its ISO or ASA rating, is largely determined by the emulsion. Films with larger silver halide crystals are generally more sensitive to light (higher ISO) and can capture images in lower light conditions but come with increased grain. Films with smaller crystals have a lower sensitivity (lower ISO) and are best suited for brighter conditions, yielding finer grain.
3. Tonal Range:
The emulsion’s composition affects the film’s ability to reproduce a range of tones from deep blacks to bright whites and all the greys in between. Some emulsions are designed to offer a wide tonal range, capturing subtle nuances in highlights and shadows.
4. Contrast:
The emulsion can influence the inherent contrast of the film. Some films are designed to produce images with high contrast, while others render scenes with a more muted or softer contrast.
5. Spectral Sensitivity:
The emulsion can also determine the spectral sensitivity of the film, or in simpler terms, which parts of the light spectrum the film is sensitive to. This plays a crucial role in black & white photography, influencing the final characteristics of the developed image. For instance;
Orthochromatic Film is sensitive to blue and green light but not to red light. As a result, red objects appear much darker (often black) in photographs taken with orthochromatic film.
Panchromatic Film is sensitive to all colours in the visible spectrum: blue, green, and red. This provides a more accurate tonal representation of the scene, making it the standard for general black & white photography.
6. Sharpness:
The emulsion can also affect the perceived sharpness of an image. This sharpness is influenced by the granularity of the silver halide crystals and the film's overall design.
7. Shelf Life and Stability:
The stability of the emulsion affects the shelf life of the film, as well as how the film ages after it's developed. Some emulsions are more stable than others and resist colour shifts or degradation over time.
Examples of Film Emulsions:
Ilford HP5 Plus: A high-speed black & white film known for its flexibility and forgiving nature. It has a relatively grainy appearance, making it ideal for those looking for a classic, gritty look.
Kodak Tri-X: Another high-speed black & white film, Tri-X is renowned for its beautiful grain structure and excellent contrast, often associated with street and documentary photography.
In essence, the film emulsion is the heart and soul of analogue film. Different emulsions provide photographers like me with a vast palette of aesthetic choices, allowing us to select the film that best aligns with our vision or the specific mood we wish to convey in their photographs.
Development: Making the Invisible, Visible
After exposure, the negative doesn't immediately reveal its secrets. The latent image within the emulsion remains hidden until it meets the developer.
This alchemical concoction reduces the exposed silver halide crystals into metallic silver. The unexposed crystals remain unaffected and are washed away in the fixing stage.
The result? The areas of the negative that were exposed to more light (the brighter parts of our scene) will appear darker. Conversely, areas that saw less light (the shadows) will remain clear or only slightly darkened.
It’s important to know that. different film developers can have a significant impact on the characteristics of a black & white film negative. The choice of developer, it’s dilution, and the time and temperature of development can influence contrast, grain, sharpness, and tonality. Here’s how different developers can influence these characteristics:
1. Contrast:
Different developers can produce varying levels of contrast in an image. Some developers are formulated to provide higher contrast, making the differences between the darkest and lightest parts of the image more pronounced. Others may be designed to give a more even, lower contrast for a subtler tonal range.
2. Grain:
The perceived graininess of an image can be influenced by the developer. Some developers, known as fine grain developers, are formulated to minimise the appearance of grain, giving a smoother image. On the other hand, some photographers actively seek a gritty, pronounced grain effect, which can be achieved with certain developers.
3. Sharpness:
Developers can also influence image sharpness. While grain and sharpness are related, they're not the same. Some developers can enhance the perceived sharpness of an image by accentuating the edges of objects.
4. Tonality:
Different developers can render the tonal range in a film differently. Some might provide smoother transitions between tones, while others might give a more abrupt or 'punchy' change between light and dark areas.
5. Film Speed:
Certain developers can appear to increase the effective speed of a film, allowing for better results in low light. Others might decrease the effective speed.
6. Acutance:
Some developers are known as acutance developers. These enhance the perceived sharpness by increasing the contrast at the edges of objects, making the transitions more abrupt and the outlines more defined.
Examples of Developers:
Rodinal: Known for its high acutance, it can produce sharp images with pronounced grain.
D-76 (Kodak) or ID-11 (Ilford): These are general-purpose developers that offer a good balance between grain and sharpness. They are widely used in the industry and suitable for a variety of films.
HC-110 (Kodak): A highly concentrated developer that can be diluted in various ways to achieve different effects.
Perceptol (Ilford): Known as a fine grain developer, it's often used when a smoother image is desired.
Pyro and PMK: These are staining developers. Apart from developing the film, they also create a stain that can enhance the image's tonal range.
The choice of developer is an essential tool in the hands of us analogue photographers. It allows for a degree of control and creativity over the final image, complementing the film's inherent characteristics and the vision of the photographer. Experimentation, of course, is key, and finding the perfect combination of film and developer for a given situation or desired look is part of the joy of analogue photography.
The Image Layer
This is what it all comes down to. Post-development, the emulsion is transformed. What was once a uniform layer now holds varying degrees of opacity. The varying densities across the emulsion create the negative image, with its nuances and details.
Fixing and Final Steps
Our journey with the negative doesn’t end with development. The unexposed remnants, the leftover silver halide crystals, need to be cleared away, ensuring our negatives don’t degrade over time.
The fixer performs this crucial task, followed by a meticulous rinse to rid the film of residual chemicals. Once dried and cut, our negatives stand as testament to the incredible alchemy of analogue photography.
The choice of fixer can impact the longevity, archival quality, and sometimes the appearance of the film negative. Here's how different fixers can influence a negative;
1. Type of Fixer:
There are primarily two types of fixers used in black & white film photography: sodium thiosulfate (often referred to as "hypo") and ammonium thiosulfate. These chemicals work by dissolving the unexposed and undeveloped silver halide crystals from the film or paper, making the image permanent.
Rapid Fixers (Ammonium Thiosulfate work quickly, often requiring less time in the fixing bath. However, they might not be as thorough in removing all unexposed silver halides, potentially impacting the archival quality of the negative.
Non-Rapid Fixers (Sodium Thiosulfate) work more slowly but are often more thorough in their action, ensuring better archival qualities.
2. Archival Quality:
The thoroughness of a fixer in removing the residual silver halides affects the archival quality of the negative. Incomplete fixing or the use of exhausted fixer can leave behind some silver halides, which might later react to pollutants or moisture and cause discolouration or degradation of the negative over time.
3. Hardening:
Some fixers come with hardening agents, which serve to harden the gelatine layer of the film, making it more resistant to scratches or physical damage. This can be particularly useful if the film is to undergo wet printing processes, but might make the film more brittle.
4. Clearing Agents:
Fixers sometimes contain or are followed by a separate bath containing clearing agents. These agents expedite the removal of the fixer from the film or paper, ensuring that no chemical residues remain that could damage the image over time.
5. Tint or Hue:
While rare, certain fixers or exhausted fixers might impart a slight tint to the negative, especially in the case of some older formulations. This can be an aesthetic choice for some, especially if directly printing from the negatives.
6. Fixer Exhaustion:
All fixers have a finite capacity to dissolve silver halides. As a fixer is reused, it becomes exhausted and less effective. An exhausted fixer won't clear the film properly, leading to a milky appearance of the negative and risking the image's longevity.
While developers often get the lion's share of attention when it comes to influencing the characteristics of a film, fixers are essential for ensuring the stability and longevity of a photograph. Different fixers can indeed impact the final negative, and their choice and proper usage are pivotal in the art and science of film photography.
In Conclusion
The anatomy of a film negative is all about choices, and I've learned that the decisions I make about film stock and chemistry can be just as impactful as the camera or lens I choose.
From the film emulsion, where light and shadow create their dance, to the developers that reveal the hidden images, each choice I make leaves its mark—even down to the fixer I use. Going deeper into the makeup of a negative, I've gained a clearer understanding of how photography truly works. Knowing the science behind each step of the process allows me to better influence the end result. By making more informed choices about the materials and methods, I can ensure my final images reflect my original vision.
For me, the intricacies of a black & white film negative are a constant reminder of the depth and precision that go into every shot.
Each choice made in the film negative dictates the clarity, detail, and emotion of what we eventually achieve in the final output. Whether displayed through a print or digitally scanned, the quality of the negative directly governs the level of richness extracted.
Just as my decisions regarding film stock, chemistry, and other nuances influence the making of that negative, its also essential for ensuring the subsequent printing or scanning does justice to the vision I initially captured.
However, while I might strive for perfection in every frame, it is also important to acknowledge and embrace that a pristine negative isn't always possible. Instead, it's in those imperfections where sometimes the true essence and story of our artistry shines through.