Early Photographic Processes

Silver Prints

from 1880s

Discovery

Silver prints are more accurately described as gelatin silver prints.   i.e. prints made on paper coated with a gelatin emulsion containing silver salts.

Gelatin silver prints began to replace albumen prints in the 1880s , using both the printing-out process and the developing-out processes. 

At first,  the printing-out process was popular.  This involved a long exposure then fixing the paper.

From about 1905 onwards, the developing-out process became the norm.  This involved a shorter exposure, then developing and fixing the paper.

Almost all prints produced in the 20th century, until the recent introduction of digital printing, are silver prints.

Process

Expose the image

The print may be made in a darkroom under a red or orange safelight:

-   directly from a glass plate or negative, to produce a print the same size as the negative, by shining white light through the negative. 

In earlier days, when glass plates could be quite large, it was common to print directly from the negatives.   This is still sometimes done, but more commonly contact printing is  done to produce a 'contact-sheet' of negative-size images to reproduce a whole film on a single sheet of paper.

or

-   or using an enlarger.  i.e. by placing the glass plate or negative in an enlarger and exposing the image from the enlarger onto the paper resting some distance away,

Process the Paper

-  place the paper in a solution of developer, normally for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the image has appeared.

-  rinse

-  fix

-  wash

-  dry.

Further treatment can be given to the print, including toning, glazing, mounting and framing.

Result

Tones

The tones of the image will depend on the make and type of paper, in particular whether it has been manufactured using silver bromide, silver chloride or silver iodide.  It will also depend on the developer used to process it and on the contrast characteristics of the paper.

Surface

Papers used ot be fibre based, involving long and washing times to ensure that all chemicals were removed from the fibres of the paper. 

Fibre papers are still used in Fine Art photography, but most silver prints are now produced on resin coated paper.

Whether fibre based or resin coated, papers are available in a variety of surfaces,  matte, glossy, pearl. 

When I started printing about 1960, the range of surfaces and manufacturers was far wider, but many, including chemicals that were harmful to the environment, have been taken off the market.

However, Kentmere still produce papers in an interesting variety of surface textures and weights.

In Edinburgh 

EPS Lectures

New methods, including the introduction of gelatin silver prints, were frequently discussed at Meetings of Edinburgh Photographic Society.

It will take some time to review the discussions at these meetings and to discover to what extent Edinburgh photographers were instrumental in discovering and promoting the use of gelatin silver papers.

The Future?

Silver prints have been popular for over a hundred years and  there are still enthusiasts of silver printing.

However, many workers, both professional and amateur, are now turning to digital printing.  As a result, some of the materials are becoming less readily available.

Kodak's placed the following announcement on their web site in 2005: