Appendix P Chemically treating black and white prints

 

Even after you have made a black and white bromide print, there are still several ways you can alter the image by chemical means. You can decide to make your picture lighter in tone or bleach away parts to white paper, or tone it so that the neutral black image turns into a color. All these chemical treatments are carried out in trays, working under ordinary room lighting.

Start off with a fully fixed and washed print. If it has already dried re-soak it in water for 2–3 minutes, then blot it or wipe off surplus liquid. Working on a damp print helps the chemicals to act evenly.

Reducing (lightening) the image

Farmer’s reducer is a mixture of potassium ferricyanide and hypo. This forms a yellow ...

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