Search results for: 'ratio'

Health & Safety FAQ's Using Photographic Chemicals whilst Pregnant or Breast Feeding This is covered in our health and safety section,  Where can I find you Health and Safety Data Sheets Please visit our health and safety section, where all our MSDS can be found What ventilation do I need in my darkroom?  Smells and fumes from darkroom chemicals and heat from enlargers and lamps are best eliminated by some sort of extract in the room OR by opening the room up between processes. If you ...

This guide focuses on the photo chemicals you can use for processing film. We also have a guide to processing film as well as some handy tips on loading a developing spiral. Choosing photo chemicals We have a range of photo chemicals designed to give different results with our films and papers. The choice of stop bath and fixer is limited but we have several film developers you can use. Film developers come in either liquid and powder concentrate form and have a range of attributes. Some developers giv...

ILFORD PHOTO offer the biggest range of black & white films on the market today. While this is perfect for experienced film photographers who love having a choice, we appreciate that it can be a bit confusing for people new to film photography. If you are looking to try film photography for the first time and are wondering where to start, then you have come to the right place. We should start by pointing out that there is no ‘wrong’ choice when it comes to ILFORD films. They are all fantastic,...

Processing your own film can speed up your workflow and give you quicker access to your negatives. It is also typically more cost effective and best of all there is nothing like the sense of satisfaction you will gain by taking control over the full end-to-end process of your photography. While trying it for the first time might be a daunting prospect, fear not. Below is our guide on what equipment, chemistry and method would be suitable for anyone new to processing films. For more detail, you can downlo...

Why print? When you can get excellent prints from your black & white negatives by sending them off to commercial processing laboratories, why make your own? For many photographers, making a photographic print is as much a part of the process as shooting the image itself. For a start, it is a creative process that is both enjoyable and fulfilling and, much like the role of a post processing tools such as Photoshop or Lightroom in any digital workflow, (although much more fun) a darkroom provides film...

Filters have long been a popular accessory for photographers and offer a number of different functions or effects. In both analogue and digital photography it is possible to recreate some of these in the darkroom or digital darkroom. However there has always been a benefit to getting it right in camera. In black & white photography, colour filters in particular are useful as they can control how the colours in a scene are reproduced as greys. Normal black & white films are sensitive to all wavele...

Safety data sheets for ILFORD photochemicals when made up for use These safety data sheets relate to the products after they have been prepared for use in accordance with our recommendations. Because we do not supply these chemical solutions ready for use, we are not obliged to provide these SDSs. However, we do so in order to help users, especially those in schools and colleges, to use the products safely and assess correctly the risks involved. These are European SDSs and are provided in English only.The...

Photographic prints are intended to be viewed and when looked after can remain in excellent condition for over a century. However, as they are paper-based they are prone to damage if mishandled. Caring for a print A print intended to have a long life should be processed by methods recommended for long-term stability. If necessary it can be retouched to eliminate blemishes. Prints that are going to be displayed should be mounted, framed and glazed to complement the image and protect it from deteriorat...

Mounting your Prints Even the most stunning print can look better when it has been properly mounted. Mounted prints are also better protected as they are kept flat with the image separated from the immediate surroundings by unobtrusive margins. There are no hard and fast rules about mounting prints; the most suitable results will depend on individual preference, the nature of the image, the intended use and other circumstances. It is recommended that only boards and other materials intended for the p...

Split grade printing The version of split grade printing described here is that taught to me by the ILFORD head printers, Mike Walden and Terry Offord, and is the simplest, fastest way to make good darkroom prints from pretty much any negative. (The exception is really underexposed negatives to print these you usually only need high contrast). This is a very powerful technique that can be used routinely with variable contrast (VC) papers, such as ILFORD MULTIGRADE. It makes use of the differing performa...