Two-solution development

P Sanders · 2026-03-28T17:26:47-0400

While researching water-bath and two-solution development (I prefer to learn from other people’s mistakes not just my own) the principle is to allow developer to soak into the emulsion while agitating and then transfer the negative to a bath of either water or a mild alkali without agitation - Adams p229 The Negative. There is also some mention of modern emulsions being too thin to hold enough developer.

Barnum takes this idea one step further by making both solutions of developer: the first a solution of stronger developer dilution and the second a “compensating” much weaker solution - p169 The Art of Photography

Now while Adams writes he would use the two-solution for N - 2 or more, Barnum states he now uses process this in place of single solution developer.

Does anyone have experience with either method, and if in fact Barnum’s method is so flexible that the Adams method is obsolete?

Thank you

farpointer · 2026-03-28T17:43:30-0400

There’s an earlier thread (much earlier) where someone mentions Barnbaum’s two/bath approach:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/forum/threads/barnbaums-hc-110-two-solution-process.57156/post-834067

djdister · 2026-03-28T18:40:23-0400

P Sanders said:
While researching water-bath and two-solution development (I prefer to learn from other people’s mistakes not just my own) the principle is to allow developer to soak into the emulsion while agitating and then transfer the negative to a bath of either water or a mild alkali without agitation - Adams p229 The Negative. There is also some mention of modern emulsions being too thin to hold enough developer.

Barnum takes this idea one step further by making both solutions of developer: the first a solution of stronger developer dilution and the second a “compensating” much weaker solution - p169 The Art of Photography

Now while Adams writes he would use the two-solution for N - 2 or more, Barnum states he now uses process this in place of single solution developer.

Does anyone have experience with either method, and if in fact Barnum’s method is so flexible that the Adams method is obsolete?

Thank you

You mean Bruce Barnbaum...

P Sanders · 2026-03-28T21:58:56-0400

yes, bruce barnbaum

Andrew O'Neill · 2026-03-29T00:35:25-0400

I find that Thornton 2- Bath works well with modern, thin emulsion films. Contrast can controlled by the film's time in bath A. The film is agitated constantly in both baths. For bath A, it's constant for the first 30sec, then 5sec/30sec; Bath B the same but with very gentle agitation.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · 2026-03-29T01:24:57-0400

Taking this idea (of using a low contrast developer as the second bath) further, if a low contrast monobath developer is used as the second bath, then one is saved from an additional fixing step. Maybe Quall's monobath (which is also based on HC-110) can be adapted for this.

RalphLambrecht · 2026-03-29T03:06:51-0400

P Sanders said:
While researching water-bath and two-solution development (I prefer to learn from other people’s mistakes not just my own) the principle is to allow developer to soak into the emulsion while agitating and then transfer the negative to a bath of either water or a mild alkali without agitation - Adams p229 The Negative. There is also some mention of modern emulsions being too thin to hold enough developer.

Barnum takes this idea one step further by making both solutions of developer: the first a solution of stronger developer dilution and the second a “compensating” much weaker solution - p169 The Art of Photography

Now while Adams writes he would use the two-solution for N - 2 or more, Barnum states he now uses process this in place of single solution developer.

Does anyone have experience with either method, and if in fact Barnum’s method is so flexible that the Adams method is obsolete?

Thank you

Both methods sound like having merit but I must admit that I was always happy enough with my one-bath developer to shy away from the extra effort.

P Sanders · 2026-03-29T08:20:37-0400

It's time to shoot a bunch of 4x5 film and give it a go

pentaxuser · 2026-03-29T11:45:55-0400

P Sanders said:
yes, bruce barnbaum

Whew! Thank goodness for that. I was worried for a moment that someone who used to be referred to as "Barnum" on this site might have branched out into photographic processes

pentaxuser

MattKing · 2026-03-29T13:17:01-0400

pentaxuser said:
Whew! Thank goodness for that. I was worried for a moment that someone who used to be referred to as "Barnum" on this site might have branched out into photographic processes

pentaxuser

From what I can tell from other people's direct experience with Mr. Barnbaum, his mode of expression would not be out of place beside someone names "Barnum" .

retina_restoration · 2026-03-29T16:56:44-0400

Andrew O'Neill said:
I find that Thornton 2- Bath works well with modern, thin emulsion films. Contrast can controlled by the film's time in bath A. The film is agitated constantly in both baths. For bath A, it's constant for the first 30sec, then 5sec/30sec; Bath B the same but with very gentle agitation.

Agreed: Thornton 2-Bath works beautifully with modern films.

pentaxuser · 2026-03-29T18:30:57-0400

MattKing said:
From what I can tell from other people's direct experience with Mr. Barnbaum, his mode of expression would not be out of place beside someone names "Barnum" .

Oh dear, is he that bad?

pentaxuser

MattKing · 2026-03-29T18:41:00-0400

pentaxuser said:
Oh dear, is he that bad?

pentaxuser

He is a great printer, and his photography is appreciated by many.
But he is a bit of a character! Not bad, but definitely strong willed!

GregY · 2026-03-29T18:57:18-0400

MattKing said:
He is a great printer, and his photography is appreciated by many.
But he is a bit of a character! Not bad, but definitely strong willed!

unlike members here on the forum.....
any comments on Avedon or Cartier Bresson while we're here....

Paul Howell · 2026-03-29T19:52:26-0400

When I attended Minor White 2 week class on the Zone in the 60s we did develop a high contrast negative using the water bath method, it was similar if not the same as AA's process. I don't think AA invented the water bath but learned how to apply it to the zone. In AAs later work he thought that a divided developer works as well if not better than water bath. I have tired a number of divided developers, Diafine, Thorton's, Divided D76, Divided D23. Thorton has the advantage of being able to use a single bath for the Zone system of a 2 bath, I suspect that Divided 76 can be mixed as a single bath as well. As noted by OP, divided developers were developed for older thick emulsions did and do not provide the speed boost with newer films. In the 60s and 70 Trix was rated at 3200 in Diafine, now it is 1200. In terms of Barnbaum method, what developer and what dilution do you intend to use?

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