The Silver Eye : Jacques Revon : development and fixing of black and white silver prints

In this article, after two and a half years of research into the possibility of developing black and white films, rolls, and papers in eco-friendly alternative developers, I conclude this long experience with my latest results and observations on the development and fixing of black and white silver prints.

First and foremost, my formulas for making a paper developer based on natural ingredients for developing papers are very similar to those I propose in my previous sheets and recipes for developing films and rolls. Depending on the base products you choose, you can use them as is, but keep in mind that it is necessary to use more developing agent such as vitamin C, namely 10 to 12 grams of pure vitamin C powder in your formula, when making a developer intended for developing paper prints.

On the practical side, when using a developer for paper, it is essential to develop them at high temperatures, which is not usually the procedure with conventional chemical developers.

After my various experiments, it has proven necessary to develop paper emulsions at temperatures between 32° and 35°, so that the development action is carried out optimally within the emulsion. This is a constraint of the alternative choice, which requires you to work with a “water bath” device to maintain a high temperature.

As I’ve already mentioned in some of my recipe cards, you need a bowl filled with hot water around 35°C, slightly larger than the one containing your developer, so that the developer can sit permanently on the surface to maintain the specified temperature. During development, you’ll need to monitor this temperature so that you can readjust it, either using your double boiler, simply by adding a little hot water, or by maintaining the temperature with a secure heating device.

Second observation.

You’ll also need to develop your papers a little longer than the usual 2 to 3 minutes. The natural alternative developer needs to take longer to penetrate the emulsion. Generally, you should allow double the usual time, or 4 to 6 minutes, from the moment you place your sheet in the developer. Development takes longer.

During my many tests, I’ve noticed that papers, including expired ones, whose emulsion is coated with a barium base, react better than RC or Multigrade papers, whose emulsions are variable contrast and whose backing side is coated with a polyethylene resin. The action of an alternative developer seemed better to me when using a barium-based paper, which is cardboard and therefore permeable to developers. Chemical developers intended for developing RC-type papers with variable contrast are visibly more active.

Third observation.

Depending on the type of natural base ingredient you choose, the color of the developer in your cuvette will become more or less dark, as with a developer made with red wine, coffee, chicory, or even cocoa.

However, this will not be the case if you choose a base ingredient such as cider, lager, an aromatic herb like rosemary, orange juice, or even a cocktail of lavender and mimosa flowers. The developer will be slightly colored but more transparent, and the development of your print will be more manageable in this case.

When you’re constantly turning the sheet in the tray to avoid development marbling or other stains, pay careful attention to the image’s progress. As always, you’ll need to remove the sheet from the developer at the right time.

Once the development phase is complete, and before placing the sheet in the stop bath prepared with white vinegar, I recommend first quickly immersing it in a tray filled with water at a temperature of around 20°C (68°F) to remove any developer still present on both surfaces of the print.

Another tip: since your alternative developer is made with natural ingredients, you could, if you wish, but only in this case, refrain from using tweezers to properly grasp the sheet of paper in your tray. However, as a precaution and as a matter of principle, it’s always wise to avoid putting your fingers in any product.

Fourth observation.

Regarding the choice of using an alternative, environmentally friendly fixer for photographic papers, I am currently continuing my investigations. I am focusing my tests on an environmentally friendly fixer based on onion juice and chives, two foods that are part of the Allium family.

Depending on the variety, onions contain between 82% and 90% water and contain sodium thiosulfate. Thiosulfate is a fixing agent in photography.

As you probably know, sodium thiosulfate is also called hyposulfite. This inorganic compound, a fixing agent, dissolves chloride and bromide well and allows the removal of unexposed silver halides without damaging the gelatin or the silver image.

In my research, I tested the juice of two types of onions as a basic fixative: yellow onions from the Cévennes and white onions. Not yet knowing the actual action of onion juice over time, and not having been able to obtain precise information in this area to date, I recommend for the moment an alternative fixing time longer than that recommended chemically. I leave a sheet of paper in this type of experimental fixative for at least 10 minutes. To obtain onion juice, preferably use a juice press.

To verify the effectiveness of a natural alternative fix with onion juice, which I have not been able to achieve over time, it will take sufficient time to observe the evolution of the image, to know whether or not the prints will be well preserved fixed this way. If the unexposed silver halides have not been correctly fixed, you will discover that over the weeks and months, unfortunately, your photographic print will begin to darken more or less, turn yellow, brown or even purplish.
If this is the case, it will be a visual outward sign that the fixing time was insufficient, meaning that your alternative fixer using onion juice and chives was ineffective and that the original thiosulfate content in the onion would therefore be too low.

In this area of ​​ecological alternative film, I have also observed that when an alternative developer is used to develop paper, it keeps better for a few days, whereas when used to develop film or roll stock, it is recommended to use it only once, in a single bath.

One last interesting observation.

The various developers made with basic natural ingredients, which you are now familiar with, allow you to immediately color your prints, thanks to their original color: yellow, yellow-green, brown, purple, reddish, etc., which gives you the opportunity to achieve a range of natural photographic tones.

On the other hand, other natural ingredients such as black tea, beer, and cider will allow you to obtain a normal, uncolored black and white print.

It’s also worth noting that the dosage of the various natural products used to make your developer can play a role in both the development time and the resulting color.

Finally, it’s useful to remember that there is, at the outset, an empirical aspect to this alternative film approach. In my film research, the surprises encountered during the development of prints on different papers, new or expired, have been interesting, but sometimes not so.

After my various observations and all this testing, my adventure in ecological alternative film remains fascinating; it is synonymous with true film magic. And, I know now, this story has been fascinating, just as it probably seems a little surprising to some of you. I enjoyed sharing and telling it, but without really putting the word “End” to it yet.