The fifth edition of this comprehensive guide to darkroom photography is fully revised and updated, placing analog and traditional methods into the context of a digital world and contemporary workflows.

Including invaluable analog photography techniques, chemicals, and equipment, supported by visual examples. TheDCB5 has 180 updated recipes for darkroom experiments, and tips for mastering the darkroom. It includes the chemicals used to develop, stop, fix, tone, and archivally process films and prints.DCB5 contains invaluable information on making enlarged digital negatives, planning a darkroom, and safely handling photographic chemicals. It features new sections on split-printing, solarization, and making your own gelatin emulsion. The fifth edition includes contributions and stunning black-and-white imagery by established artists such as Bruce Barnbaum, Tim Rudman, Christina Z. Anderson, John Sexton, and more.

This is the essential guide for any practitioner who wants to take the next step to develop a thorough understanding of film and darkroom processes, techniques, and working methodologies, as well as graduate and advanced photography students with an interest in analog and darkroom processes.

Table of Contents

Thoughts About Traditional Photography

Introduction to the Fifth Edition

Acknowledgments

Contributing Photographers

Alphabetical List of Formulae

List of Formulae

Part One – Nuts & Bolts

Chapter 1: Planning a Darkroom

Chapter 2: Equipment

Part Two – Film

Chapter 3: Film

Chapter 4: Film Developers

Chapter 5: Types of Film Developers

Chapter 6: Film Development

Chapter 7: Pyrogallol and Pyrocatechin

Part Three – Print

Chapter 8: Print Developers

Chapter 9: Paper

Chapter 10: Printing Methods and Techniques

Chapter 11: Printing Techniques of Master Printers

Part Four – After Processes

Chapter 12: Stop Baths and Fixers

Chapter 13: Toning Prints

Chapter 14: Reduction and Intensification

Part Five – Alternative Processes

Chapter 15: Enlarged Digital Negatives

Chapter 16: Printing Out Processes

Chapter 17: Print Solarization

Chapter 18: Making a Simple Silver Bromide Gelatin Emulsion

Formulary

Pharmacopoeia

Appendices

1 Safety in Handling Photographic Chemicals

2 Chemicals

3 Proofing for Maximum Black

4 Archival Print Procedure

5 Time Adjustment for Enlarging and Reducing Prints

Conversion Tables

Material Sources

Bibliography

Index

Biography

Steve Anchell is an internationally published writer, photographer, and teacher with his work featured in more than 61 exhibits. Since 1979, he has taught photography workshops since 1979 and classes for Oregon State University, Santa Fe Workshops, the International Center of Photography in NYC, Tuscano Photo Workshops, and many others. He is a member of the Freestyle Photographic Board of Advisors.

Steve has five books on photography published by Focal Press:The Darkroom Cookbook,The Film Developing Cookbook,Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera,The Variable Contrast Printing Manual, andDigital Photo Assignments. He is the former editor ofPhotovision: Art and Technique andFocus Fine Art Photography magazines and has written for and worked as a contributing editor for numerous photography magazines.

“For everyone working with traditional film and darkroom procedures—which I rely on exclusively

for all my black and white work...because it’s still the best—The Darkroom Cookbookis essential

for your library. No other book puts it all together as thoroughly and understandably as this book.”

Bruce Barnbaum, author ofThe Art of Photography

“For many decades, Steve Anchell has dedicated himself to solid no-nonsense research and

information gathering on the entire breadth of black and white film and paper processing. And he

is still at it. I consider this book essential for all darkroom work and keep a much used copy right in

my darkroom. This book now stands alone for information of this kind.”

Gordon Hutchings, photographer and author ofThe Book of Pyro

“Steve Anchell has done a fantastic job of creating THE essential reference for everyone who uses

film or prints in a darkroom.The Darkroom Cookbookcontains the best and most useful of film

photography’s formulas, plus an immense amount of information on how to use them correctly.”

John Wimberley, photographer