Kodak was the king of the industry until digital cameras came along.
Traditional color photographic printing is a craft that harkens back to the days before digital cameras made everything paperless and instantaneous. The process is still enjoyed by film and print enthusiasts today because there is a great deal of control and customization in creating a photograph from start to finish. Setting up a darkroom to make color photographs takes a financial and time commitment, but the reward of creating your own potential masterpiece is worth the effort.
Prep Work and Paper
Mixing the chemicals is the first step for printing color photographs. A pre-wet solution, developer, stop bath, wash and bleach-fix are all needed to produce color prints. In color printing, you typically buy the paper, then choose and mix the chemicals as recommended by the paper manufacturer. Each chemical must be fully dissolved before it is used on the paper. After each chemical is properly mixed, pour it into a storage container, cap it tightly and label it. Color paper consists of three layers of emulsion containing silver halides that are sensitized to one of the three primary colors. The paper's base is sealed on both sides with resin so it soaks up very little solution, making drying time shorter. Select a finish that best suits your photograph -- most paper comes in lustrous, glossy or silk.
Enlarging
The darkroom must be completely dark when processing paper; use a safe light designed for the particular paper you are using. Slide the negative into the carrier and place it emulsion-side down. Use a hand-held blower to gently blow away any dust or fibers that are on the negative; if you don't, you will have spots on your print. Adjust the height of the enlarger head on the enlarger column by moving it up and down. Focus the negative on the base of the enlarging easel. Slide a piece of paper into the easel. The color paper data sheet supplies you with the suggested exposure settings; dial the number in to the enlarger, or make a test strip by placing a piece of cardboard over two-thirds of the paper, then exposing one-third of the paper at three seconds. Repeat until the entire length of the paper has been exposed in progressively longer periods. Select the best exposure setting for your final print.
Processing the Prints
Processing the prints is the most crucial part of creating color photographs. Temperature, timing and agitation are key. Insert the exposed print into the drum processor; place the lid on the drum. Once the lid is secure, turn on the room lights. Pour water at 95 degrees Fahrenheit into the drum, fit the cap and then start the timer. This step, or pre-wet, is necessary to thoroughly wet the paper before coming into contact with the developer. Agitate the water for 30 seconds by rolling the drum along the counter or a bench. Empty the water, then replace with color developer at 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Timing is critical: set the timer for three and one-half minutes. Agitate the drum by rolling it manually; this helps to keep agitation even. Ten seconds before the end of the processing time, start to pour the developer into the sink, then fill the sink with stop bath. Rinse the developer for 30 seconds in stop bath, and 30 seconds in water. Add bleach-fix at a temperature range of 86 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit to the drum, and agitate for one minute. Empty the tank again and refill it with water, then agitate for three and one-half minutes. Repeat the water rinse four times. After the tank is filled with water, it's safe to remove the lid.
Drying and Archiving
When drying your prints, take care not to scratch the emulsion of the print; it is particularly susceptible when wet. Hang the print up on a clothes line, lay it on soft absorbent paper or place it in a paper dryer.
Tags: color photographs, degrees Fahrenheit, stop bath, digital cameras, into drum, one-half minutes