How to Add Texture to a Black and White Photograph While Printing

If you are ready to experiment with different techniques in black and white photograph printing, you may want to try adding some textures to your surface. Assuming you already have a basic understanding of the printing process, here are some tips and tricks to achieve an interesting and unique look.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A complete darkroom set-up
• A black and white negative
• Various transparent materials

1. Gather some materials that have variations of transparency. Some materials to try are wax paper, lace, chiffon, cotton, and different varieties of plastic.
2. Set up your darkroom as you normally would to print a black and white photograph. Run your test exposures to determine the proper aperture settings and time. This will give you a good place to start.
3. Try printing through a transparent material by spreading it over your unexposed photographic paper before exposing it. Note that this will likely increase your printing time, depending on the thickness of the material and the effect you want to achieve.
4. Once you have determined the appropriate time, make your print. This takes practice and can be frustrating, but has the added benefit that each and every image you create will be one of a kind.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the material you are using and the effect you are adding is appropriate to your style and thesis, rather than just gratuitous.

Who Can Help:

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