Can you turn digital photos into darkroom prints?

9/25/2024 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments

Can you turn digital photos into darkroom prints? Yes, and in this video, The Icon will show you how! They walk you through the complete workflow of transforming a digital file into a stunning darkroom print using ILFORD Black and White Silver Gelatin Photographic Paper.

Whether your original image is in color or black and white, they can create a black-and-white negative to enlarge and print. Watch as they take the 4x5 negative of a digital file, take it into the darkroom, and expose it onto the high-quality ILFORD paper.

From exposure to development, including stop bath, fixer, and final wash, you'll see how traditional darkroom techniques are applied to digital photos, blending the digital and analog worlds for breathtaking results.*

THE PROCESS

Turning digital photos into darkroom prints involves a process called digital-to-analog conversion.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can achieve this:

1. Select a Digital Image

Choose the photo you want to convert into a darkroom print. Make sure it has good resolution and contrast, as this will affect the quality of the print.

2. Convert the Digital File to a Negative (Film)

Editing Software: Use photo-editing software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop or GIMP) to convert the image to black-and-white (for traditional darkroom printing) and adjust contrast and brightness as needed.
Invert the Image: Convert the image into a negative by inverting the tones (white becomes black, and vice versa).
Resize to Desired Print Size: Resize the image to match the size of the print you want. Make sure to maintain the aspect ratio.
Print the Negative: Print the inverted image onto a transparent sheet (like OHP transparency film) using an inkjet or laser printer. Use high-resolution settings and high-quality film for best results.

3. Prepare the Darkroom

Set up your enlarger and darkroom chemicals (developer, stop bath, fixer, and water rinse). Ensure that your workspace is light-tight for traditional darkroom processes.

4. Create a Photographic Print Using the Negative

Place the Negative in the Enlarger: Insert the transparent sheet (with the printed negative) into your enlarger’s negative carrier.
Expose the Paper: Adjust the enlarger height and focus for the desired print size. Position a piece of light-sensitive photographic paper (e.g., Ilford Multigrade) under the enlarger and expose it to the projected image for the correct amount of time.
Develop the Print:

Place the exposed paper in the developer tray for the recommended time.
Move it to the stop bath to halt development.
Finally, transfer the paper to the fixer to make the image permanent.
Rinse in water to remove chemical residue and let it dry.

5. Evaluate and Adjust

If the first print isn’t perfect, you can tweak the exposure time, contrast filters on the enlarger, or paper type and make additional prints.

This method allows you to take any digital image and produce a traditional silver gelatin print using darkroom techniques. You can experiment with contrast, tones, and exposure during the enlarging process to get the desired artistic effect.

Text*, image and video via The Icon | Photos shown in this video are the works of Tyler Shield. | Video via Ian Worth