Latent Image Stability

Shawn Dougherty

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I have two paper negatives still in holders that I shot about 4 weeks ago and will not have a chance to develop until next week sometime. Be it paper negatives or standard printing I've always developed right after exposing paper...

What are the keeping properties of a latent image made on paper as opposed to film? Should I expect any fogging or degradation of my exposure in a months time?
 

rjbuzzclick

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I had a couple of paper negatives (Ilford MGIV) that sat in the holders for several weeks before developing and they came out fine.
 
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Shawn Dougherty

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Thanks, Reid. I'm going to give it a go tonight or tomorrow so I guess I'll find out for certain!
 

removed account4

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shawn

i was wondering if you had any trouble ?
i will be going overseas in a few months
and i think i am just going to bring paper
and emulsion, and metal ( and maybe glass ) and no film
( my ideas may change in a few months time )
and while i probably could process everything at my
inlaws again, i might not be able to ...
did you have any trouble last year ?

i guess i could easily load some paper into film holders, expose them and let them sit for a month
to see for myself, but the weather will be HOT, then, and it is COLD now ... and you posted then in may 2012

thanks !
john
 
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Shawn Dougherty

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John,
funny you should bring this up. I ran across the film holder containing these paper negatives on Saturday. I forgot all about them. So... I will be developing them tonight or tomorrow, almost a year after they were exposed! I'll let you know what happens. =)
 
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Shawn Dougherty

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I printed last night... and forgot to develop the paper negatives... again....
Next time! I promise, john. =)
 

bvy

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I would take paper-loaded pinhole cameras on vacation and not develop until I returned home -- a few weeks, in some cases. No problems that I could see, but that's a casual observation, not a scientific one.
 
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Shawn Dougherty

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FINALLY developed the paper negatives I was wondering about. They were exposed on 4/29/2012 in Leechburg, PA - USA. 4x5, Ilford MGIV fiber, ISO 3, exposure was 4" @ f16. Toyo 45AII, Fujinon 150mm NW.

So... exposed 4/29/12, developed 4/18/13. I'm just a beginner at making and printing paper negatives... So I will reserve judgement until I can make a print (which should be this weekend). In the meantime I have attached two images. A scan of the negative, I adjusted the levels until it looked like the paper negative to my eye. I then simply inverted that file and save it as a positive.
 

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Shawn Dougherty

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Thanks, john!

I printed the paper negative in question tonight. There is some vignetting in the top corners, mild, but my memory is too fuzzy from a year ago to determine the cause. The taking lens, a Fujinon 150mm NW f5.6, has more than enough coverage for any movements I might have used. It could be that I forgot to check and see if the the rubber lens hood (if I used it that day...) was cutting into the image circle. It could be from the extended time between exposure and development, or maybe from the paper curling in the holder? I don't know. I do know the prints I made tonight look fantastic! I just finished toning them in tea and am waiting for the wash to finish. =) I will post scans either tomorrow or Monday.
 
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Shawn Dougherty

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I made prints from the paper negative in question this weekend. I'm attaching a scan of the finished print and it's also in the Gallery. The print is on Ilford MGIV FB, the same paper as I used to make the negative. It was developed in PF130 1:1 and selenium toned at 1:100 for 5 minutes, then tea toned (stained) for 5 minutes.

My conclusion...? I don't know. =) I suspect there might have been SOME contrast lost in the paper negative over the years time but I just don't have enough experience with this process to be certain. I was able to make a print from it that I'm happy with, so that's what counts in my book. Although I think I'll try and get around to developing them a little sooner from now on.
 

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