AboutMikael Barnard Expertise I have much experience in photographing events and my most specialist area
of knowledge is alternative photographic processes. I may well answer
questions on broader topics of photography but only if my sphere of
knowledge extends to the question in hand. Please feel free to ask away
though!
Experience I have both a GCSE and an A-level in photography and much experience with event photography, I now persue photography as a hobby.
Education/Credentials GCSE photography- B. A.S. Level- C. A-Level- D- nothing wrong with my work, seems the exam board are pretty narrow minded when it comes to alternative photographic processes :-(
Question hi mine name is sara and im 14 yrs old. I have a phtography assignment that i need help with. the question that i need help with is:
Explain why a film needs to be loaded in total darkness but photographic paper can be handled under a 'safe light'.
i would ask my teacher but we are on school holidays (i live in australia) and my parents arnt camera experts. hope you can help,
from sara
Answer Hello Sara. Firstly, I must apologise for my delay in replying, there have been technical problems with my e-mail system which have now been rectified. Second to answer your question:
It is all to do with the way the two different mediums (photographic paper and film) react to light. Photographic paper is (with a couple of minor exceptions) orthochromatic, which basically means it is sensitive to all light except red and film (again with a couple of minor exceptions) is panchromatic which means it is senstive to all light. Therefore the film needs to be loaded in complete darkness because, as it is panchromatic, unlike photographic paper, it would react to the red 'safe-light' and fog.
If film was made orthochromatic (which most early films were and there are still some available) then it would be insensitive to red light and the resulting images would be very lacking in contrast and would not react to any red objects/light in the frame of the image you are trying to photograph. If you look at the sky in a lot of very early photographs you will often find there is no detail in them whatsoever because of the limited range of light the early film emulsions could percieve. The film couldn't recognise extremes of the spectrum at all so all really blue and really red objects were just a sort of dull grey!
I hope this helps, good luck with your assignment and once again I am sorry for having taken so long to reply. Happy photography and best wishes.
