Blue bottles vs Amber bottles

alexhill · Jun 18, 2010

Should I be worried about using blue dropper bottles for storing photochemistry that doesn't specify being kept of of direct light? I'm talking about cyanotypes A and B specifically..

Also, is silver nitrate in solution something to worry about? I've read about 'sunning' the solution to cause organic material to precipitate so I'm guessing its OK, but I'd rather double check then screw up.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 18, 2010

I would think a blue bottle would not be good. Silver photographic materials are sensitive to blue light. Amber would probably be a better choice.

bobwysiwyg · Jun 18, 2010

I'm just curious, having seen references to brown bottles, etc. in the past, does it matter one way or the other considering that most of us probably store them in a dark closet or storage area and rarely use them in direct sunlight anyway?

Andrew Moxom · Jun 18, 2010

for collodion work, I keep my silver nitrate bath in a clear plastic container for safety. I pour my silver bath into this container and filter it when I do every time I use my wet plate set up. Every two weeks, the bath gets 'sunned' to make sure any contaminates precipitate out to the bottom, and any ether/alcohol components can evaporate off. After this, the silver bath is filtered again, prior to going back into the actual sensitizing tank. For collodion work this silver nitrate/ distilled water solution will not change color in clear containers. It's when the salted collodion coated plate is immersed into the silver bath that the silver/collodion emulsion becomes light sensitive. For obvious reasons, the sensitizing tank needs to be light proof. There are many that think storing in plastic makes sense safety wise incase the bath is dropped, but others store their silver baths in glass... YMMV.

Mike Wilde · Jun 20, 2010

I use both blue and amber. If something is particularly sensitive, ala Cyanotype sensitizer, I wrap the glass bottle with black electrical tape.

Photo Engineer · Jun 20, 2010

Clear bottles will not hurt. After all, your darkroom isn't sunny, nor is it lit most of the time if it is like mine.

I use a mix of clear and colored bottles simply because that is what is available, not because it is necessary.

PE

nworth · Jun 20, 2010

The reason for using amber bottles is to filter out blue and ultraviolet light which can react with photosensitive solutions like silver nitrate. With silver nitrate, it causes silver metal to slowly separate out of the solution. That can result in blobs of solid material in your coatings.) Blue bottle would allow the nasty blue light in. But for practical purposes, it probably won't make any difference. That is especially true if you keep the bottle in a cupboard and have incandescent lights. I've seen clear bottles of silver nitrate solution that have sat on a lab shelf for years without deterioration.

Photo Engineer · Jun 20, 2010

For all practical purposes, there is little UV or blue light indoors under tungsten light. Tungsten is heavier in red than in blue or UV but there is some. Fluorescent lighting is heavier in the green, blue and UV.

PE

alexhill · Jun 21, 2010

Awsome, thanks for the info guys. I've been reusing grolsh bottles and their bigger brothers that I buy at the beer shop. The releasable mason-jar like caps are awesome.

Anscojohn · Jun 21, 2010

Grolsch, howemsoever, can deteriorate if left in bottle tool long after leaving the beer mart. Do Empty them quickly at home.

bobwysiwyg · Jun 22, 2010

I've been using empty (cleaned of course) plastic peanut butter jars, the larger 40 oz. size. I have them marked for 35 mm one and two reel tanks and the full monty for my CombiPlan. I've been shooting 4x5 mostly, but either way I fill them from 1 gal. containers that have the dev, stop and fixer. It can be a few days to two weeks before I use them, but I know they are all the same temp. when I do, and the smaller quantities can be temperature adjusted more easily if needed in the winter.

emercaughfield · Nov 1, 2012

Yes...amber bottles should be preferred to store photochemistry. They are dark in color mostly of brown or orange color and used to protect substance inside from harmful sun rays and UV rays. But if you are storing them in dark room you can also use dropper bottles.

Blue bottles vs Amber bottles

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