Solarisation

Solarisation is a four part process!

It is tricky and requires you to follow the instructions carefully.  It can be combined with other advanced photographic techniques

First choose a good studio portrait which has good sharp image and changes of tone and shade

Test and print in the normal way until you are happy with the settings.  Develop, stop and fix in the usual way. This first print will give you the settings for the solarising print (print 1)

Expose a second piece of photographic paper with exactly the same settings as above, but develop, do not stop or fix.  Rinse print and place in a tray before putting back under the enlarger – flash your print for 3-5 second with white light, (largest aperture), before putting back in the developer – do not agitate and wait for the magic to happen

Develop, stop and fix.  Wash then dry in the usual way (print 2)

Put print 2 in a contact printer (the one without lines!) and put another piece of photographic paper on top – emulsion to emulsion and use print 2 as your negative.  Test with lens wide open and not filters going up in 5 second intervals. Choose correct exposure and do a full print (print 3).  Develop, stop and fix in usual way.  Rinse and dry.

Use print 3 now as your negative.  Test going up in 2 second intervals.  Choose correct exposure and do a full print (print 4).  Develop, stop and fix, wash and dry.