MECHANISMS OF CONTROLLING
COLOUR AND AESTHETIC
APPEARANCE OF THE
PHOTOGRAPHIC SALT PRINT
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Applied Science (Photography)
Eleanor (Ellie) D. Young
School of Applied Sciences
Science, Engineering and Technology Portfolio
RMIT University
February 2008
ii
DECLARATION
This thesis contains no mat erial which has been
accepte d for the awar d of any other degree or diploma
in any university and, to the best of my knowl edge and
belief, contains no mater i al previ ously publish ed or
wri tten by an oth er person, excep t where due reference is
made in the text of th e thesi s. This thesis contains no
work that was performed prior to the offi cial
commencement date of this resea r ch project.
Eleanor (Ellie) D. Young
iii
CONTENTS
DE C L A R A T I O N ..................................................................................... II
LI S T O F FI G U R E S ................................................................................. IV
LI S T O F CH A R T S .................................................................................. VI
LI S T O F TA B L E S .................................................................................. VI
AC K NO W L E DG E ME N T S......................................................................... V I I I
AB S T R A C T ......................................................................................... 1
IN T R O D U C T I O N ................................................................................... 3
BA C K G R O U N D ..................................................................................... 6
RE S E AR C H DE S I G N ............................................................................. 11
CH APTER 1 T H E F O RM U L AS ................................................................ 15
CH APTER 2 T H E P A P ER ....................................................................... 28
CH APTER 3 CO A TIN G T H E P A P ER ......................................................... 38
CH APTER 4 T H E N EG AT I VE .................................................................. 45
CH APTER 5 E X P O S IN G T H E P R INT ........................................................ 60
CH APTER 6 P R O C ES S I NG T H E P RIN T ..................................................... 71
CH APTER 7 D I S CU S S ION ..................................................................... 84
CH APTER 8 CO N CL U S ION .................................................................... 89
AP P E ND I X 1 SA L T FO R M U L A S ................................................................. 91
AP P E ND I X 2 TO N E R FO R M U L A S ............................................................... 95
AP P E ND I X 3 DE V E L O P E R A N D FI XE R F O R M U L A S ............................................ 98
GL O S S A R Y ..................................................................................... 101
RE F E R E NC E S ................................................................................... 106
AT T A C H M E NT 1 C D : MI S C E L L A N E A PH O T O G E N I C A ....................................... 108
AT T A C H M E NT 2 TH E SA L T PR I N T MA N U A L ................................................ 109
iv
LI ST O F FI G U R E S
Figu re 1 - 1 S odi u m Chlo ri de + sil v e r nitr at e ............................................... 17
Figu re 1 - 2 A m m oniu m Ch lo rid e + s il ver n i tr a t e ......................................... 17
Figu re 1 - 3 S odi u m Chlo ri de + sil v e r nitr at e + sod iu m c i tra te . ..................... 17
Figu re 1 - 4 Ammon i u m Ch lorid e + s il ver n i tra t e +s odiu m c it rat e ................ 17
Figu re 1 - 5 S odi u m Chlo ri de + sil v e r nitr at e + Po t a s s iu m D ic h ro m ate ........... 17
Figu re 1- 6 Am m o n iu m Ch lorid e + si lv er n itr a te + Po tas s ium
Di c h rom a te ................................................................................... 17
Figu re 1 - 7 S ilv er chlo ri d e % di f f e re n ces .................................................... 20
Figu re 1 - 8 0.2 % G ela ti n Bi n d er ................................................................ 23
Figu re 1 - 9 2% Ge la tin B in der ................................................................... 23
Figu re 1 - 10 Arro wroot ............................................................................ 23
Figu re 1- 11 Alb u m en .............................................................................. 23
Figu re 1 - 12 Bin d er s u r fac es ..................................................................... 24
Figu re 1 - 13 Me asl es ................................................................................ 26
Figu re 1 - 14 Si lve r Ni t rat e Va r ian c e s .......................................................... 26
Figu re 2 - 1 B erg g e r P a per Hi g h M agn i fic a tio n s ............................................ 32
Figu re 2 - 2 T alb ot Pa pe r Hig h Ma gnif icat ion s ............................................ 33
Figu re 2 - 3 A rc hes Plat in e Hi g h M agn i fic a tio n s ........................................... 33
Figu re 2 - 4 Fab ria n o A r tis t ic o Hig h M ag n i fic a tion s ..................................... 33
Figu re 2 - 5 B u x ton Pap er H ig h Ma gnif ic at ion s ............................................. 33
Figu re 2 - 6 Be rg g er Pape r ......................................................................... 34
Figu re 2 - 7 T alb ot Pa pe r ........................................................................... 34
Figu re 2 - 8 A rc hes Plat in e ......................................................................... 34
v
Figu re 2 - 9 Fab ria n o A r tis t ic o ................................................................... 34
Figu re 2 - 10 Bu xto n Pa per ......................................................................... 34
Figu re 3 - 1 G l ass Ro d ................................................................................ 39
Figu re 4 - 1 A Neg ati ve an d B S a lt Pr in t ....................................................... 49
Figu re 4 - 2 P MK To n es in D igi ta l Neg at ives ................................................ 55
Figu re 4- 3 S p ec t ra l Neg a tiv es ................................................................... 57
Figu re 5 - 1 C u t - of f F il ter T ests ................................................................. 6 1
Figu re 5 - 3 B ron z i n g S u rfa c e D et ai l ........................................................... 68
Figu re 5 - 2 S elf Masking ........................................................................... 68
Figu re 5 - 4 B ron z in g h i gh Mag n ifi c ati on ..................................................... 69
Figu re 6 - 1 S o d i u m Ch l ori de – n o T o ner ................................................... 75
Figu re 6 - 2 S odi u m Chlo ri de –Gold Bo rax To n er .......................................... 75
Figu re 6 - 3 S odi u m Chlo ri de - Gol d T hioc y an ate ......................................... 75
Figu re 6 - 4 S odi u m Chlo ri de – Pl a tin u m ..................................................... 75
Figu re 6 - 5 S odi u m Chlo ri de - Gol d B o r ax and Plat in u m ................................ 75
Figu re 6 - 6 A m m oniu m Ch lo rid e + G el ati n - No To n e r ................................. 75
Figu re 6 - 7 Am m oniu m C h lorid e + G e l ati n - Go ld Borax To n e r ..................... 76
Figu re 6 - 8 Ammon i u m C h l oride + Ge latin - G old T h i ocyan at e ................... 76
Figu re 6 - 9 A m m oniu m Chlo ri de + G el ati n - P lat inum T on er ........................ 76
Figu re 6- 1 0 Am m oniu m Ch lorid e + Gel a tin - Go ld Bor ax an d
Pl at inu m ....................................................................................... 76
Figu re 6 - 11 Am m o n ium C h lor id e + G ela tin - Gol d A c eta te .......................... 76
Figu re 6 - 12 Am m o n ium C h l or ide + G e la tin - Pa lladi u m Ton er ..................... 76
Figu re 6 - 13 A lbumen No T o n er ................................................................. 76
Figu re 6 - 14 A lbumen Gold Borax Ton ed ..................................................... 77
Figu re 6 - 15 A lbumen Pl ati n u m To n ed ........................................................ 77
Figu re 6 - 16 A lbumen Pa lla diu m Ton e d ...................................................... 77
Figu re 6 - 17 A lbumen Gold Ac etat e T one r ................................................... 77