PHOTO 1  STUDY GUIDE
Revised on 6/5/2015
Please review the TEST TAKING EXPECTATIONS:
Once I start handing out the test – complete silence - is required. It
will remain that way until I have verbally given EVERYONE the “okay” that
you can talk. If you talk or make noise, I will deduct large amounts of
points off of your test every time I have to ask you to be quiet. If it gets to
the point where you are seriously disrupting the class, you will earn a zero
on your test and be removed from the classroom.
DO NOT ASK YOUR QUESTION OUT LOUD / DO NOT SAY THE ANSWER
OUT LOUD.
If you have a question – WRITE YOUR QUESTION DOWN ON A PIECE OF
SCRAP PAPER, RAISE YOUR HAND, and I will come to you. We will
communicate through writing. Saying the answer out loud is
considered helping someone cheat. I will promptly remove you from
the room. You will earn a zero on your test and your classmates that
you thought you were helping, will all get points taken off for the
question that you answered.
CHEATING – Nothing infuriates me more than a cheater – suck it up and
accept your fate.
QUADRUPLE THREAT
 Failure to remain quiet and/or cheating will result in a ZERO on your final
exam
 You will also be physically removed from my classroom in less time than
a heartbeat.
 I will place an immediate call to mom, dad, grandparent(s), older
brother, sister, “cuz”, and/or guardian. Don’t you worry; I’ll go down that
list until someone answers. If not, then I will hand it over to the office and
they will find them.
 Consequences of my choosing will occur immediately (like the same day)
such as an administrative write up, multiple detentions, community service,
and of course, slander to your name/family for being disruptive and/or a
cheater. Just because school is almost done for the year (even if it is the
last day) doesn’t mean I can’t sign you up to do some hard time.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC TOOL and SUPPLY VOCABULARY
Agitate = To move a solution over the surface of film or paper during development so that
fresh liquid comes into contact with the surface.
Agitation =The action of keeping the developer, stop bath, or fixer in a gentle, uniform motion
while processing film or paper. It also helps to speed and achieve even development and prevent
spotting or staining.
Lens Aperture = The size of the lens opening through
which light passes. An enlarger lens has an aperture to
adjust the amount of light passing through it.
Background = The part of the scene that appears behind the principal subject of the picture.
NOTE: Diorama
Baseboard = Part of an enlarger = Supports
the whole unit plus the easel/printing frame in
which you place the printing paper.
Bellows (focusing) = A flexible, light-tight, and
usually accordion-folded part of an enlarger located
between the condenser and the negative carrier
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Camera = A picture taking device usually
consisting of a light tight box, a film holder, a
shutter to admit a measured quantity of light, and a
lens to focus the image.
Cassette / Cartridge = A light tight metal or
plastic container that permits a roll of 35mm film to
be loaded into a camera in the light.
Changing Bag = A light-tight black bag into
which a photographer can insert his or her hands
to handle film when a darkroom is not available.
We use this to load roll film onto a reel so that the
undeveloped film does not get ruined by the light.
Composition = The pleasing arrangement of the elements within a scene.
Condenser = A pair of convex
lenses, spreads light evenly over
the negative or whatever you are
printing.
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Contact Printing = The process of placing a things such as a film negative, a paper negative,
or a tape transfer negative in contact with sensitized material (usually paper) and then passing
light through the negative onto the material for a certain amount of time. The resulting image,
after developing it, is the same size as the negative.
Contamination = Traces of chemicals that are present where they don’t belong, causing loss
of chemical activity, staining, and other similar problems. This tends to happen when students
use one tong in all the chemicals instead of using the tong that is assigned to the specific
chemical. (I know who you are.)
Contrast = The difference in darkness or density between one tone and another. There are two
types of contrast = low and high. A print with low contrast (AKA flat) has mostly grey tones in
it with not a lot or any black or white tones (see Flat for a visual example). A print that is high
contrast (AKA contrasty) has mostly black and white tones without any grey (see Contrasty for a
visual example).
Contrasty = Describes a scene, negative, or
print with very great differences in brightness
between light and dark areas. Opposite of
Contrasty: Flat
Crop / Cropping = to trim the edges of an image, often to improve the composition.
Cropping can be done by moving the camera position while viewing a scene, by adjusting the
enlarger or easel during printing, or by trimming the finished print.
Darkroom = A light tight area used for processing films and for printing and processing
papers; also for loading and unloading film holders and some cameras.
Developing = The action of developing, fixing, and washing exposed photographic film or
paper to produce either a negative image or a positive image.
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Drying Rack = Used to dry prints after processing
Duct Tape = Usually grey in color and about 2 inches
wide. Used to cover up any holes where light may leak in on
your shoebox, when making your Shoebox Pinhole Camera.
Will not be on the exam
Easel = The easel is used to hold the photographic printing
paper while you are exposing it. The paper holders on the easel
are used to correctly position the unexposed paper and hold it
flat during the exposure. There are quick easels in a single set
format like 8x10 or 5x7, and there are bladed easels that allow
you to choose your own format.
Electrical Tape = Usually black in color, can be reused several
times, and is about ½ inch wide with a surface that is smooth and
shiny. This tape is placed directly on top of the pinhole (located in
your metal lens) on your Shoebox Pinhole Camera. It is
considered to be the camera’s shutter, because it is used to block
the light going through the pinhole. You control the time of
exposure by peeling it off / sticking it back on to expose the paper
inside.
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Elevation Control = Allows you to move the enlarger head up or
down the supporting column. Moving the head up makes the image
larger; moving it down, makes the image smaller.
Emulsion = A light sensitive coating applied to photographic films or papers. It consists of
silver halide crystals and other chemicals suspended in gelatin.
Enlarger = An optical instrument/piece of photo equipment
ordinarily used to project an image of a negative onto sensitized
paper when making a photo print. It can also be used as the
light source to make a contact print while in the darkroom.
Some of you also used this machine to project pictures onto the
linoleum so you could trace them.
Enlarger Head = Part of an enlarger = Contains the main
working parts; light source, negative carrier, and lens. It can be
moved up and down the supporting column to set the size of the
image.
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Enlarger Timer / Clock = In order to get prints which
are correctly exposed, you need to control the amount of light
that reaches your paper. The timer, along with the aperture on
your enlarger lens, controls the exposure so that your prints
are neither too light nor too dark. Timers can either be standalone, requiring you to turn off the enlarger manually, or they
can connect to the enlarger for automatic shut-off. We
recommend a timer that automatically turns the enlarger on
and off.
Exposure = The amount of light reaching the light sensitive material; specifically the intensity
of light multiplied by the length of time it falls on the material.
Film = The material used in a camera to record a photographic image.
Filter Holder = Located within the enlarger head between
the lamp and the condenser. It is an area that you can insert
filters (that change the contrast in the photo that you are
printing) in the path of the light in an enlarger. There should
always be a #5 filter in the enlarger to make your prints more
contrasty. The enlarger light that is projected down onto the
baseboard should look reddish when you turn on.
Fixer = A chemical solution that makes a photographic image insensitive to light and allows
you to bring your print out of the darkroom into regular room light/daylight without it turning
black. It dissolves unexposed silver halide crystals while leaving the developed silver image.
Location in darkroom: 3rd tray from the left in the sink
Time: 5 minutes
Flat = A scene, negative or print with very
little difference in brightness between light
and dark areas. It describes a negative or
print with low contrast.
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Focusing Control = moves the lens up or down to focus
the projected image
Fog / Fogged = An overall density in the photographic
image caused by unintentional exposure to light or unwanted
chemical activity.
NOTE: This is caused by you forgetting to put away the
unexposed photo paper in the box and someone turns on the
white lights or their phone) (I know who you are and I am
going to charge you $$$)
Fore-ground = The area between the camera and the main subject or in front of the frame and
the main subject. NOTE: Think Diorama project
Glossy = Describes a printing paper with a great deal of surface sheen. This is what we use to
print our photos on in the darkroom – RC Glossy paper.
Lamp = Part of an enlarger = supplies the light to expose the
printing paper
Latent Image = An image formed by the changes to the silver halide grains in photographic
emulsion on exposure to light. The image is not visible until chemical development takes place.
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Lens = A piece or several pieces of optical glass shaped to
focus an image of a subject. Forms the light passing through
the negative into a sharp image. Plural: Lenses
LightTight =Absolutely dark. Protected by opaque (can’t see through) material, overlapping
panels, or by some other system through which light cannot pass.
Metal Reel = A reel made out of metal with spiral grooves into
which roll film is loaded for development.
Mid-ground = The point
between foreground and background in an
image
Negative = Any image with tones that are the
reverse of those in the subject. Opposite: Positive
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Negative Carrier = A frame that holds a negative
flat in an enlarger. Found between the condenser and
the bellows on an enlarger.
Negative Film = The material used in a camera to record
a photographic image.
Over-develop = To give more than the normal amount of development. When printing a
photo in the darkroom, the end result is a print that is too dark.
Over-exposure = A condition in which too much light reaches the film or paper. When
printing a photo in the darkroom, the end result is a print that is too dark.
Packaging Tape = Usually about 2 inches wide and is
clear. Used in your Environmental Tape-Transfer assignment
to transfer ink from magazines to itself.
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Paper Developer = A chemical solution that changes the invisible, image produced during
exposure into a visible one. The name of paper developer that we use is called Dektol and is
made by the company Kodak. (Latent = existing, but not yet developed; hidden; concealed)
Location in darkroom: 1st tray from the left in the sink
Time: 3 minutes
Name: Dektol
Brand: Kodak
Photographic Paper = Photographic paper is sensitive to light and should be handled only
in a darkroom with the correct safelight. Black and white paper is exposed under an enlarger and
processed in chemicals to create a final image.
Photogram = An image formed by placing
material directly onto a sheet of sensitized printing
paper and then exposing the paper to light.
Pinhole = The tiny opening (located in the middle the piece of
metal we place and tape over the hole that we cut) in a pinhole
camera that produces an image.
Plastic Reel = A reel made out of plastic with spiral
grooves into which roll film is loaded for development.
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Positive = Any image with tones corresponding to
those of the subject in real life. Opposite of Positive:
negative.
Print =
1. A photographic image, a positive one if printed from a film negative onto photographic paper.
2. To produce such an image by contact printing from things such as a film negative, from paper
(regular or photographic etc.), or from objects (photogram).
Print Washer = A device that circulates fresh water around prints to remove fixer during
washing.
Processing Chemicals = The three basic chemicals are (1) Developer (2) Stop Bath and (3)
Fixer. These chemicals are mixed with the appropriate amount of water and stored in airtight
containers.
Printing Frame / Contact Printing Frame = A
holder designed to keep sensitized material, usually paper,
in full contact with things such as a film negative or a
piece of photo paper (positive or negative) during contact
printing. This piece of darkroom equipment has a glass or
Plexiglas top to hold your negatives or paper flat/flush on
the paper for contact printing. It is important to keep the
glass clean and free of things such as smudges and
fingerprints. Whatever is on the glass will show up in
your picture that you are printing.
Processing = The entire process by which exposed film or paper is treated with various
chemicals to make an image that is visible and permanent.
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Processing Trays = The trays hold the processing
solutions. The first tray is for the developer, the second for
the stop bath, the third is for the fixer and the fourth is for
the wash. Label the trays and always use the same tray for
each solution. It is a good idea to get trays at least one size
larger than the paper you are using. You also use a tray to
hold the hot water and your Environmental Tape-Transfer
when you are peeling off the paper.
Resin Coated Photographic Paper (AKA RC Paper) = Printing paper with a waterresistant plastic coating that absorbs less moisture than uncoated paper, consequently reducing
some processing times.
Safe light = A light used in the darkroom during printing to
provide general illumination without giving unwanted exposure.
The safelight should be positioned to provide the best illumination
of the work area, but should be kept at least four feet from the
photographic paper.
NOTE: Safelight filters or light bulbs come in a few different
varieties. The most commonly used are OC (amber) and Red
(A1).
Silver Halide = The light sensitive part of the common photographic emulsions; the
compounds silver chloride, silver bromide, silver fluoride, and silver iodide.
Stain = Discolored areas on film or paper usually caused by contaminated developing solutions
due to students using the same tong in each chemical or by insufficient fixing, washing, or
agitation.
Stop Bath = An acid solution used between the developer and the fixer to stop the action of
the developer and to preserve the effectiveness of the fixer. Generally a dilute solution of acetic
acid; plain water is sometimes used as a stop bath for film development, but the time has to be
doubled to 1 minute.
Location in darkroom: 2nd tray from the left in the sink
Time: 30 seconds
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Supporting Column = Supports the enlarger head out
over the baseboard and serves as a rail on which you can
move the enlarger head up or down on.
Tank (metal) = A light tight container that is made
out of metal for processing chemicals into which film on
a metal reel is placed for development.
Tank (plastic) = A light tight container that is made out
of plastic for processing chemicals into which film on a
plastic reel is placed for development.
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Tong or Tongs = These are used for moving the
photographic paper through the processing solutions.
You should have a set of four: one for developer, one for
stop bath, one for fixer, and one for the final rinse. Label
each one to avoid contaminating the chemicals.
Under-exposure = A condition in which too little light reaches the film or paper. This means
your print will be too light.
Value = The relative lightness or darkness of an area.
Washing Siphon = A washing siphon is a simple means of washing prints. It clamps onto
the side of a processing tray and pumps water into the top of the tray. It then removes it from the
bottom of the tray by sucking it up.
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Negative print
(The opposite of
real life)
(Light is dark
and dark is
light)
(This is also a
picture taken
with a shoebox
pinhole camera)
Positive print
(It looks like it
would in real
life)
(This is also a
picture taken
with a shoebox
pinhole camera)
What a picture
looks like taken
with a Shoebox
Pinhole Camera
(this is right
outside my room
looking down into
the alley)
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How to Make a Great Black And White Print
All processing times listed are for chemicals kept at about 68 ° F. This is especially important for
developer and fixer.
PROCESSING PRINTS (RC Photographic Paper)
Developing (3 minutes)
First, start your timer. Then, slide your print face up into the developer in one smooth motion,
ensuring that the entire surface of the print is submersed. The print needs a constant supply of
fresh developer, so agitate by gently rocking the developing tray. Some printers like to grab the
print with tongs, flipping it over and over. This practice carries the risk of damaging the paper.
The important thing is to keep things moving, and to keep the print covered with developer.
If the print is properly exposed, an image will appear on the face of the print after about 15
seconds. At first it will be very light, but it will grow steadily darker. Do not get excited and pull
the print out when it "looks ready". Develop the print for at least two and 1/2 minutes, no matter
what it looks like in the tray. Remember (and this is extremely important): you control the
darkness or lightness of the print with the exposure time, not the development time. If your print
is too dark, toss it and expose the next sheet of paper for a shorter time.
Stopping Development (30 seconds)
Ten seconds before the 3 minutes of development are up, lift the print from the developer with
the developer tongs. Let it drain for 10 seconds, and then place it gently in the stop bath. Agitate
the print for 20 seconds in the stop bath.
Fixing the Print (5 minutes)
Ten seconds before the 30 seconds of the print being in the Stop Bath are up, lift the print out
with the stop bath tongs, let it drain for ten seconds, and then place it into the tray of fixer.
Agitate the tray gently, in the same way you agitated while in the developer. Fixer removes the
light sensitive silver from the print, making it safe to take out into the light. It usually takes about
5 minutes in standard fixer to fully remove the residual silver.
Washing the Print (10 minutes)
Wash the print for at least 10 minutes under constantly running water. An archival print washer
or a tray siphon washer are ideal, because they draw water from the bottom of the washer where
the chemicals accumulate and gets rid of them through holes in the side of the tray. To prevent
damage to the emulsion, RC paper should not stay wet for more than 20 minutes.
Drying the Print
Squeegee your prints to remove water from the surface. You can then leave to dry on the drying
rack or gently dry with a hair drier.
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QUESTIONS:
How and why do you make a test strip when printing in the darkroom?
How do you make a contact print in the darkroom?
What does it mean when your exposed photo paper turns black in the
developer? What do you do to correct it?
What does it mean when your exposed photo paper stays white in the
developer?
What does it mean when the already exposed and developed photo paper
starts to turn purplish to black when brought into the white light of the
classroom?
What does it mean when you can just barely see your image on your photo
paper after you have developed it? What do you do in order to correct it?
What technically makes a print a correct / well printed photograph?
How do you make a tape transfer from start to finish?
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Fill-In-The-Blank Enlarger:
A. Enlarger
lamp/bulb
J. The Supporting
Column
B. Enlarger Head
C. Filter Holder
D. Condenser
K. The Height or
Elevation
Adjustment
Control Lever
E. Negative Carrier
F. Focusing Bellows
G. Lens Aperture
L. Focusing
Control Knob
H. Lens
M. Height
Adjustment
Locking Knob
N. Counter
Weight Balance
I. Baseboard
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