a minimum of 3 emulsions each responsive to one of the three primary spectral bands hence their historical Siegfried Manietta

ta Photography, name tripack films. Queensland College of Art Griffith Film designed for camera exposure University PO Box 3370 South Bris(Including laboratory films such as bane QLD 4101 Australia. internegative films, print films and E-mail: s.manietta@griffith.edu.au duplicating films) employ a layer strucBackground. ture with yellow forming couplers on Submitted: July 2010 Contemporary chromagenic (colour top of magenta and cyan forming couforming) photographic materials func- plers. Photographic paper and some tion on chemical principles pioneered printing films have the cyan layer in 1912 by Rudolph Fischer [2] who above to improve resolution and fade discovered that the oxidized form of the resistance. Layer structure essentially determines the range and location of developing agent paraphenylenediacolour formed. Reversal films, print mine (PPD) reacted with complex films and internegative films generally chemicals termed colour couplers or produce more saturated colour images colour formers. due to increased layer thickness and Fischers experiments can be replicated by preparing a colour developer incorporated coupler density. Because silver halides are by-passed solution (any colour developer) conin this procedure, out-of-date film, taining the coupler "-napthol at approcessed or not, generally works well. proximately 1 gram per litre: if the Pre-treatment with farmers reducer, mixture is allowed to stand for a few Fig.1. Untitled Chromagram (detail) bleach-fix or separate bleach and fix minutes, a thin surface layer of blue 5x4 Kodak Vericolor Internegative are required for unprocessed film to dye forms in the wake of aerial oxidaFilm (! S. Manietta) clear silver compounds and sensitizing tion. Chemically oxidizing the develAbstract oper by developing some B&W paper dyes. Pre-treatment processing condiThis paper describes an original colour creates a blue dye within the emulsion. tions are essentially inconsequential chemigram technique utilizing couplers except that silver and silver compounds Adding a small quantity of concenincorporated in fully processed traditional must be removed. The richest source of trated potassium ferricyanide solution colour photographic materials through reacmaterial is either unexposed processed for example instantly turns the entire tion with selectively oxidized colour develcolour negative film from the local lab oping agents. Because this process bypasses mixture dark blue. In modern colour or totally fogged and processed (clear) processes this reaction and attendant light sensitive silver halides, image structure transparency film. Essentially film that colour formation is tightly controlled. is essentially molecular in scale and the procedure is performed under normal room The chromagenic development reaction customers didnt bother taking home! illumination. Images of remarkable beauty is generally written in a simplified twohave been produced from discarded colour Developers step form: films and papers. Notionally the term Any working strength proprietary colchromagram is proposed for this proceour developing solution may be used as Step 1. Exposed Silver Halide + Col dure. all are derived from paraphenylenediaDev # Silver (metal) + Halogen + mine (PPD). Dye yield and colour shift Oxidized Col Dev Introduction are possible with some coupler / develStep 2. Oxidized Col Dev + Colour The expression chemigram is attriboping agent combinations however this Coupler # Dye uted to Pierre Cordier (1958) [1]. The is inconsequential as the images formed term generally refers to the use of black In commercial chromagenic processes are not pictorial. and white photochemistry to create the metallic silver remaining after the abstract images on black and white Oxidizing Agents developing agent has oxidized and photographic papers in subdued room The developer oxidizing agents trialed coupled to form dye is removed from light. Image colour is usually, though for this work were selected from tradinot exclusively, generated due to com- the emulsion, as this would degrade tional photochemistry stock and inimage colour [ 3 ] plex oxidation-reduction byproducts cluded: potassium permanganate, poFully processed colour emulsions and local physical development effects. therefore contain dye formed by cou- tassium ferricyanide, hydrogen peroxWorking in an educational environide and ammonium dichromate. Some pling in the exposed and developed ment I am frequently confronted by strong oxidizing agents such potassium regions and unused colour couplers extraordinary waste in the form of dispermanganate, applied in crystalline that surprisingly remain reactive within carded colour materials: out-of-date form directly to moist emulsions were the emulsion for the life of the image. films, film unprocessed and exposed found to damage the gelatin structure before loading, clear film processed (probably due to surface tanning efPhotographic Materials without an image, totally clear colour fects) creating fine emulsion pinholes. Contemporary colour materials must be transparencies, unexposed white cleancapable of analyzing a projected image ing paper issuing from a rollerin three components red, green and transport processor. Converting these blue this is accomplished by layering materials into chemigrams not only

COLOUR CHEMIGRAMS

recycles waste but also opens creative windows. With a minimum of technical skill, a little care and patience photographic artists can create exquisite colour images using proprietary materials and commonly available photochemistry.

Technique Simply adding any pre-oxidized colour developer to an emulsion containing dispersed colour couplers will generate dye in each layer - sequentially - as solution is absorbed by the gelatin. Pre-oxidizing commercially formulated colour developers is not as straightforward as one might imagine as these preparations contain substantial quantities of anti-oxidants. I found that pre-soaking an emulsion in colour developer (collected from the over-flow of a colour paper processor) draining excess surface solution and adding concentrated oxidizing agent locally, induced virtually instantaneous coupling at the point of contact, before anti-oxidants could protect the developing agent. Syringes were found useful for applying the small quantities of chemistry required. Practical variations included pre-soaking an emulsion in either an oxidizing solution or the developer and selectively applying either the developer or the oxidizing agent. Each method of application has potentially different image outcomes depending upon whether developer or oxidizing agent was available in excess and local solution flow dynamics. One particularly interesting method involves placing developer-soaked fibrous tissue in contact with an emulsion and sprinkling potassium ferricyanide crystals over the tissue. The ferricyanide oxidizes the developer while rapidly absorbing water from the developer solution causing the paper to shrink forming capillary channels that create flow patterns of remarkable beauty and intricacy. Flowing a small quantity of developer around crystallized oxidizing agent on the surface of a film or paper autographically records eddies and flow patterns. Placing an object prepared with oxidizing agent on an emulsion

infused with developer creates an auto- sufficient control is possible to generate graphic imprint. outcomes with pre-determined aesthetic qualities or feel. The exhibition Once the desired effect has been Noumenal Landscapes (2009) used achieved, a 5-10 minute wash in clean patterns reminiscent of satellite images running water at ambient temperatures to infer fantasy places while Requiem completes the process, as there is noth- (2008) addressed the emotional highs ing to fix. The procedure may be and lows associated with the experirepeated until all available couplers are ence of death and grief. Ultimately the converted to dye and the emulsion visual reading of these images is reaches maximum black. Postentirely dependent upon process dytreatment with proprietary C-41 or E-6 namics, the artists intent and the stabilizing solution may be considered viewers perceptions. where images are deemed worth conI have recently conducted further exserving. periments to adjust the colour gamut of the chromagram process. These involve Influencing Image Colour the inclusion of Kodachrome couplers Dye formation by oxidized developer in-solution. This has proven useful for in camera films follows the layer struc- counteracting the tendency for the upture described earlier and occurs first in per layer to generate overall blue in the top yellow forming layer then pro- negative to positive prints. Cyan couceeds to the magenta and cyan layers. pler in the developer solution drives Originals appear dominantly yellow, the primary colour to red / magenta. green, black and clear where coupling did not occur. When such an image is Important Health & Safety Note printed using standard neg-pos enlarg- All colour-developing agents are either ing or contact printing methods, colours known allergens, carcinogens or degraduate from blue to green to white. rived from known allergens and carWhere a paper emulsion is employed cinogens. As with any photographic the gradation is from cyan (top layer) to process, adequate ventilation, good magenta to yellow. Originals appear housekeeping and careful handling of dominantly cyan, blue, black and clear both developers and oxidizing agents where coupling did not occur. Colours are vital for a safe workplace. Chemiformed in neg-pos printing a paper, cals must be stored in properly labeled graduate from red to yellow to white. bottles and gloves must be worn while Scanned images may of course be handling these. Material Safety Data printed in any colour. With a little un- Sheets (MSDS) are available from derstanding of the process fundamenmanufacturers web sites and need to tals and a materials layer structure the be checked before proceeding. outcomes become reasonably controlReferences lable and predictable. Discussion I have exhibited chromagram prints on 3 occasions. All were made using traditional (optical) colour photographic printing from negative images created using this technique. While the process at first sight appears entirely random,
1. http://www.pierrecordier.com/en/lexique.html 2. R. Fischer, Ger. 253,335 (1912) 3. Note: An excellent description of photographic colour formation by coupling may be found in: L. K. J. Tong, Mechanism of Dye Formation and related reactions, in T. H. James, ed., The theory of the Photographic Process (London: Collier Macmillan Publishers, 4th ed., 1977)

Fig.2 Chromagram: Requiem - 120 Agfa Optima 100 colour negative film 6x18 cms enlarged to 50x150 cms (! S. Manietta 2008)