What removes the yellow filter layer?

[ZorkiKat]

Aside from the bleach, what can remove the yellow filter layer in colour films? I'd like to try 'bleach-bypass' processing (colour develop, then fix; no bleach to rehalogenise or remove the formed silver image).

Jay

 

[Gerald Koch]

It's unclear from your post what you are attempting to do. There are 3 color filter layers not just a yellow one. They are all decolorized during the C-41 process. Are you perhaps refering to the orange mask that all color negative films have and which remains after processing? If so you are out of luck since this dye is fairly robust and anything that would remove it would probably destroy the dye images on the film. The images on old color negs may fade away but the mask is uneffected.

 

[ZorkiKat]

It's unclear from your post what you are attempting to do. There are 3 color filter layers not just a yellow one. They are all decolorized during the C-41 process. Are you perhaps refering to the orange mask that all color negative films have and which remains after processing? If so you are out of luck since this dye is fairly robust and anything that would remove it would probably destroy the dye images on the film. The images on old color negs may fade away but the mask is uneffected.

I'm referring to the yellow filter layer below the topmost blue-sensitive layer.
This is the layer which prevents blue light from affecting the lower green and red sensitive layers. As I understand it, this yellow filter is removed in the bleach process, leaving only the chromogenic CMY dye images (and the mask in colour negatives).

"Bleach bypass" is a method of processing colour film where only the undeveloped silver halide is removed, leaving behind the developed silver with the dye images. The residual silver image veils the dye images, giving rise to unusually coloured images. Its a non-standard process which can be ranked with "cross processing". Bleach bypass processed film has been used even in cinema (many music videos use this) as well as in editorial and cd photography.

Fixing the film after colour development leaves the yellow filter mostly intact. This adds a yellow density to the mask. As a result, the pictures go blue. Not quite what I desire, since bleach-bypass pictures should go towards rusty red.

Jay

 

[Gerald Koch]

The other two filter layers don't cause any problem, do they get decolorized?

 

[Poco]

I'm afraid I'm missing the point since it sounds like you're trying to achieve the effect of bleach by-pass without skipping the bleach ...why?

I've fooled quite a bit with by-pass and can only advise that:

--skipping the bleach entirely will get you an extremely contrasty negative ...better to go with very short times in the bleach or, as I've recently heard suggested, a very dilute bleach.

-- By-pass doesn't automatically push colors to rust red. The colors are muted, but I haven't noticed any consistent hue shift.

-- If you attempt a partial by-pass (as per my first point) be careful because it doesn't take much bleaching at all to effectively get a normal looking negative. The extremely short bleach times is why the advice to use dilute bleach instead sounds like a winner (though I haven't tried it).

Lastly, if none of the above is on point to your question, sorry. I warned you I didn't quite understand it

 

[Helen B]

Jay,

The yellow filter layer is probably silver (CLS). Which film are you using?

Best,
Helen

 

[ZorkiKat]

Poco:

Thanks for the tips. Will try that.

Helen:

Mostly C-41 film of various makes. Also tried to bleach-bypass E6 chrome films which had been cross-processed in C41 colour developer.

Jay

 

[Jim Jones]

From many many decades ago I remember a radio jingle that probably won't really help, "You'll wonder where the yellow went when you scrub your film with Pepsodent."

 

[Claire Senft]

I find myself not really understanding what you wish to accomplish. If you took your photo with a very strong yellow filter I would believe that you would create a very strong image in the layers that generate yellow in the print abd that you would largely suibdue the yellow layer in your film. But as I say do not really understand your goal.

 

[ZorkiKat]

I find myself not really understanding what you wish to accomplish. If you took your photo with a very strong yellow filter I would believe that you would create a very strong image in the layers that generate yellow in the print abd that you would largely suibdue the yellow layer in your film. But as I say do not really understand your goal.

This should explain what bleach bypass is all about- seems that there had been a few discussions about it already:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)