Albumen Printing, a captivating photographic process from the 19th century, allows you to create images with a unique warmth and luminosity. This guide delves into the art of crafting albumen prints, offering a detailed, step-by-step approach for both beginners and experienced photographers interested in exploring historical photographic techniques.
Understanding Albumen Prints
Albumen prints, renowned for their fine detail and rich tonal range, are a type of print-out paper (POP). This means the image forms directly on the paper upon exposure to light, without the need for chemical development. The process utilizes albumen, the protein found in egg whites, to bind light-sensitive silver salts to paper, creating a delicate emulsion that yields stunning photographic results.
A Journey Through Time: The History of Albumen Printing
Invented in 1850 by Louis Désiré Blanquart-Evrard, albumen printing quickly became the dominant photographic printing method for nearly half a century. Its ability to produce sharp, detailed images on a glossy surface made it ideal for portraiture and commercial photography. The widespread use of albumen prints shaped the visual landscape of the Victorian era, leaving behind a rich legacy of photographs that continue to fascinate and inspire. Mastering albumen printing is not just learning a technique; it’s connecting with the history of photography itself.
Gathering Your Arsenal: Ingredients for Albumen Printing
Embarking on the albumen printing journey requires careful preparation and the right ingredients. These are broadly divided into solutions for sizing/salting the paper and for sensitizing it to light.
Ingredients for Sizing/Salting Solution:
This solution prepares the paper to receive the albumen coating and introduces salts that will react with the sensitizer to form the light-sensitive emulsion.
- Egg Whites: 12 eggs, or enough to yield 500ml of egg whites. Fresh eggs are preferable.
- Ammonium Chloride or Salt: 15g. Ammonium chloride is traditionally used, but alternatives like sodium chloride (table salt, kosher salt, or sea salt – non-iodized) can also be employed.
- Distilled Water: 15ml. Essential for purity and to avoid unwanted chemical reactions.
- Acetic Acid (28% Glacial): 2ml. Helps to denature the albumen and improve coating properties.
- Sodium Citrate (Optional Preservative): 15g. Useful if the albumen mixture will not be used immediately, extending its shelf life for a couple of months.
- Kodak PhotoFlo (Optional): 2 drops. A wetting agent to minimize bubble formation during paper coating.
Ingredients for Sensitizer Solution:
This solution contains silver nitrate, the key component that makes the paper light-sensitive.
- Silver Nitrate: 37.5g. Handle with care and wear gloves as it can stain skin and clothing.
- Distilled Water: 250ml. Again, purity is crucial.
- Potassium Dichromate (Optional Contrast Control): 2 drops of a 6.5-7% solution. Used in minute quantities to subtly adjust print contrast.
Crafting the Emulsion: Preparing the Albumen
The preparation of the albumen is a crucial step that influences the final print quality. For double coating approximately 50 sheets of 8.5×11 inch paper, you’ll need around 500ml of egg whites.
Begin by carefully separating the eggs. It’s vital to prevent any egg yolk, shell fragments, or chalazae (the white, stringy part of the egg white) from contaminating the pure egg whites.
Image alt text: Preparing albumen print emulsion in a home kitchen, showcasing egg whites, glass bowl, and ingredients.
In a large glass bowl, combine the 500ml of egg whites, 2ml of 28% acetic acid, 15ml of distilled water, and 15g of ammonium chloride (or your chosen salt alternative). If using, add 15g of sodium citrate as a preservative.
Next, the mixture needs to be beaten. Using a whisk or an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture for at least 30 minutes. This process incorporates air and breaks down the albumen proteins, creating a meringue-like consistency without stiff peaks. The longer you beat, the finer the air bubbles become, resulting in a smoother coating.
After beating, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. This allows the mixture to settle and any impurities or larger air bubbles to rise to the top, forming a dirty froth.
Image alt text: Removing froth from beaten albumen mixture after refrigeration, a step in preparing albumen emulsion for coating paper.
The next day, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and carefully skim off and discard the layer of froth from the surface.
Finally, filter the remaining albumen through cheesecloth folded two or three times. Strain it into a clean, clearly labeled glass jar with a plastic lid. This filtration removes any remaining impurities and ensures a smooth coating. Adding a couple of drops of a wetting agent like Kodak PhotoFlo at this stage is beneficial to prevent bubbles during paper coating.
Allow the prepared albumen mixture to age in the refrigerator for about a week. This aging process further denatures the albumen, improving its coating properties and ultimately enhancing print quality. This aged mixture is now your sizing/salting solution, ready for coating the paper.
Image alt text: Filtered and aged albumen solution in a glass jar, ready for coating paper for albumen printing.
Applying the Magic: Coating the Paper with Albumen
The coating process requires a delicate touch to ensure an even and consistent emulsion layer on the paper.
Pour the prepared albumen sizing/salting solution into a clean glass casserole dish. Gently skim off any tiny bubbles that might have formed on the surface.
Take a sheet of your chosen paper and identify the front side. (Often, holding the paper up to the light will reveal a watermark, which reads correctly from the front side). Place the paper, front side down, onto the surface of the albumen solution.
Float the paper on the solution for 3 minutes. As the paper floats, the edges will naturally curl upwards. Gently push the edges down slightly to ensure the entire surface makes contact with the liquid. Several techniques can minimize paper curling, including:
- Ensuring both the paper and albumen solution are at the same temperature.
- Lightly dampening the back of the paper before floating.
- Constructing a paper “boat” with folded edges to keep the paper flat.
It is crucial to prevent albumen from getting on the back of the paper, as this can lead to undesirable “print-through” effects in the final image.
After 3 minutes, carefully lift one corner of the paper using a toothpick and slowly lift the entire sheet from the albumen surface, allowing excess liquid to drain back into the dish.
Hang the coated paper lengthwise to dry. As it dries, use blotting paper to wick away any excess albumen that accumulates at the bottom edge. A toothpick can be used to pop any surface bubbles or remove excess solution from the bottom edge, ensuring a smooth, even coating.
Enhancing Quality: Double Coating
While not strictly necessary, double coating significantly improves the gloss, coating evenness, and density of albumen prints. However, it adds a layer of complexity to the process.
Before applying the second coat, the first albumen layer needs to be hardened. This prevents the first layer from dissolving during the second coating. Hardening can be achieved through several methods:
- Steaming: Fully steam the coated paper.
- Heat Press/Ironing: Warm the paper thoroughly using a dry mounting press or iron, protecting the albumen layer with clean, dry mount board.
- Warm Air Drying: Allow the paper to dry in a warm environment for several weeks.
- Isopropyl Alcohol/Salt Solution: Immerse the paper in an isopropyl alcohol and salt solution.
For the isopropyl alcohol/salt hardening method, after the first albumen coat is dry, immerse the paper for 15 seconds in a solution of 70% isopropyl alcohol with 3% ammonium chloride added. Ensure the alcohol evaporates completely before proceeding to the second coating, otherwise the second albumen layer may not adhere properly.
Once hardened, float the paper on the albumen solution again, repeating the coating procedure described earlier. To promote even drying and minimize curling, hang the paper to dry from the opposite end this time. Again, blot any excess solution from the bottom edge. The paper might curl considerably after double coating, but it can be straightened later using a warm mounting press.
Awakening Sensitivity: Sensitizing the Albumen Paper
Albumen-coated paper can be stored for several weeks before sensitizing. However, optimal results are usually achieved by sensitizing the paper as soon as it’s dry. This step must be carried out under subdued incandescent lighting, avoiding fluorescent lights and other UV sources. Always wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when handling silver nitrate, as it can stain skin and cause serious eye damage.
To prepare the sensitizer, in an amber glass bottle with a plastic top, mix 37.5g of silver nitrate with 250ml of distilled water to create a 15% solution. Initially, the solution will appear cloudy due to the reaction between silver nitrate and salts in the water. This precipitate is normal and will settle overnight without affecting the solution’s effectiveness. Store the sensitizer in a cool, dark place.
There are three primary methods for sensitizing albumen paper:
Method 1: Floatation Sensitizing
Pour the 15% silver nitrate solution into a flat-bottomed tray (the same glass casserole dish used for albumen coating, meticulously cleaned and dedicated for photographic chemicals).
Float the albumen-coated paper on the silver nitrate solution for 3 minutes, ensuring no air bubbles are trapped underneath.
After 3 minutes, carefully peel the paper from the surface and hang it to dry in a darkroom or subdued light.
A drawback of this method is the inevitable leaching of salt from the paper into the silver nitrate solution. This reaction forms a silver chloride precipitate, which accumulates in the tray and storage bottle. Over time, the silver nitrate solution becomes saturated with chloride ions, darkening in color and losing effectiveness. To prolong the life of the sensitizer, allow the solution to settle after each sensitizing session and carefully pour the clear liquid back into its storage bottle, leaving the precipitate behind. Filtering the solution regularly also helps maintain its efficacy.
Method 2: Glass Rod or Brush Sensitizing
Tape the albumen-coated paper to a sheet of clean plate glass using drafting tape. If your negative is smaller than the paper, position the negative on the paper and lightly mark its corners with a pencil to guide your coating area.
Transfer approximately 45 drops of the 15% silver nitrate solution (for an 8×10 inch print; adjust proportionally for other sizes) into a small plastic medicine cup. Optionally, add 9 drops of gum arabic solution (again, proportional to paper size) to aid in spreading the emulsion smoothly. Gently swirl the mixture in the cup to combine.
Using a brush with no metal ferrule (as silver nitrate reacts with metal) or a glass coating rod, apply the sensitizer to the paper. A coating rod is generally preferred for achieving streak-free coatings, although careful brush coating is also possible. Gum arabic gives the solution an oily consistency, making it easier to see and spread the coating evenly.
For brush coating, tilt the glass plate with the taped paper at a 45-degree angle. Apply the silver nitrate solution in overlapping strokes from top to bottom, recoating the brush after each stroke.
For rod coating, lay the glass plate flat. Pour a bead of silver nitrate solution along the edge of the glass rod on the paper. Slightly lift the rod and wiggle it gently to draw the solution along its length by capillary action. Then, lower the rod onto the paper and swipe it across the surface. Repeat in the opposite direction, overlapping strokes to ensure even coverage. If the sensitizer absorbs too rapidly, the paper may not be sufficiently sized for rod coating. In such cases, consider using a different paper, pre-sizing the paper further, applying an additional albumen coat, or switching to the floatation sensitizing method.
The sensitized paper can be air-dried while taped to the glass or carefully removed and hung to dry in a darkroom.
Method 3: Wash Coating Sensitizing
Tape the albumen-coated paper to a glass plate as described in Method 2. Tilt the glass plate to approximately 45 degrees.
Take a small test tube and add 3-4 milliliters of the 15% silver nitrate solution. Stuff a wad of cotton snugly into the test tube, leaving about a third protruding. Tilt the test tube to saturate the cotton with the solution.
Holding the test tube at a right angle to the paper, start at the top left corner and lightly “paint” a streak of solution across the top edge of the paper. When you reach the right edge, reverse direction and paint another streak, slightly overlapping the previous one to spread the solution bead that forms at the bottom of each stroke. Continue this back-and-forth pattern until the entire paper is coated. When done correctly, the paper will have a uniform coating without streaks. Allow the paper to air dry or hang to dry in a darkroom. Remove the cotton wad with tweezers and discard after use.
Negative Necessities for Albumen Prints
Albumen printing has specific negative requirements to achieve optimal results.
Firstly, you need a negative with a high density range of 1.8 to 2.0. Standard negatives for silver gelatin prints will appear too flat when printed on albumen paper due to its extended tonal range.
Secondly, a contact printing frame with a split back is essential. This allows you to monitor the printing-out process without disturbing the setup.
Thirdly, a toner, typically gold or selenium, is generally needed unless a brown-orange print color is desired.
Fourthly, a strong ultraviolet light source is necessary for exposure. Direct sunlight is ideal for albumen printing due to its high UV content. UV printing units can also be used.
Finally, patience is paramount. Albumen printing is a slow process, demanding careful attention and time.
Unveiling the Image: Exposing Albumen Prints
Loading the Printing Frame
This step must be done under subdued lighting conditions. Load the contact printing frame in the following sequence: Place the back of the frame (spring side down) on a flat surface. Place the sensitized albumen paper on top, emulsion side up. Position the negative on the paper, emulsion side down. Cover with the clean glass from the print frame. Place the frame body on top and flip the entire assembly over so the spring side faces upwards. Clamp the frame shut. Double-check for proper alignment and cleanliness before proceeding to exposure.
The Printing Process
Exposure times for albumen prints vary greatly depending on the intensity of the light source and the density of the negative. In direct sunlight, printing times can range from a few minutes to 20 minutes or more. The summer sun, being higher in the sky, significantly reduces printing times compared to winter. Prints can also be made using open sky light, which yields higher contrast images but requires considerably longer exposure times due to the lower UV intensity.
To monitor the printing process, periodically remove the frame from the light source and open half of the split back. You will see the image forming directly on the paper – hence, “printing-out paper.” However, the image at this stage is not the final print. Toning and fixing will lighten the print somewhat, while drying will darken it. Experience and observation are key to determining the optimal stopping point.
A general guideline is to print until detail just begins to appear in the highlight areas. Shadow areas will likely appear very dark at this stage but will lighten sufficiently during processing to reveal detail. The toning process also influences the stopping point. If toning in gold before fixing, follow the highlight detail guideline. If toning in gold after fixing, expose the print for longer, making it considerably darker than it appears “normal” at the print-out stage, as fixing first will bleach the image more significantly. When using selenium toner, always fix the print before toning; otherwise, the toner will react with the silver chloride and create a “fuzzy” appearance.
From Latent to Lasting: Processing Albumen Prints
Rinsing
Once the print has reached the desired exposure level, remove it from the printing frame and immediately rinse it in running water. Initially, the water will become milky as unreacted silver salts are washed away. As rinsing progresses, the print’s color will shift from a bluish-purple to an orange-brown as the light reaction is halted. Continue rinsing for about 30 seconds, or until the water runs clear, to remove excess silver and prevent exhaustion of the toning solution. If you have a dark border on your print from using larger paper, trim the excess border now to avoid wasting toner on areas that will be discarded.
Toning
After rinsing, immerse the print in the toning solution of your choice and gently agitate. Toning times typically range from 3 to 12 minutes, with longer times generally producing cooler tones. The color of the print while in the toner is not indicative of the final print color. Instead, observe the change in color to determine when toning is complete. With practice, you will develop an intuition for the ideal toning duration.
Fixing
Fix the toned print in two successive baths of non-hardening fixer for 5 minutes each. Use fresh fixer for each bath to ensure complete fixation. During fixing, another color shift will occur, bringing the print closer to its final appearance. However, be aware of the “dry-down effect.” A print that looks perfect in the fixer will invariably be too dark once dried.
Washing
Before the final wash, immerse the print in a hypo clearing agent (like Kodak HCA or a solution of EDTA and sodium sulfite) for 2-3 minutes. This significantly reduces washing time and improves archival permanence. Wash the print in running water for 60-90 minutes (or about 30 minutes if using hypo clear), ideally in an archival print washer. Proper washing is crucial for the longevity of albumen prints. One of their remarkable qualities is their archival stability; well-processed albumen prints can last for generations.
Finally, hang the prints to dry. Once dry, they can be straightened in a dry mounting press if needed.
Alternative Toning Methods
For selenium or gold toning after fixing, follow the standard rinsing and fixing steps, and then wash the print thoroughly. After washing, tone in either gold or selenium. Wash again for another 30 minutes after toning. This post-fix toning method is essential for selenium toning and optional for gold toning. Prints toned using this method will exhibit different characteristics compared to those toned before fixing, primarily due to the different timing of the bleaching effect.
Consider unconventional toners like tea or coffee. Steep 5-6 tea bags (standard orange pekoe works well) in a quart of water. Let it cool, and use this infusion as a toner. Tea and coffee toning can produce archivally stable warm tones, although they may require longer washing times.
Toning Formulas: Recipes for Tonal Control
While plain non-hardening fixer is the only absolutely essential chemical for processing albumen prints, toning is usually employed to achieve more pleasing and stable image tones. Here are some popular toning formulas:
Two-Part Gold Thiocyanate Toner
| Stock Solution |
|—|—|
| Part A | Part B |
| Distilled water: 490ml | Distilled water: 500ml |
| Gold chloride 1% solution: 10ml | Sodium thiocyanate: 10g |
| Working Solution |
|---|
| Distilled water: 900ml |
| Part A: 50ml |
| Part B: 50ml |
The stock solutions have a long shelf life. When Parts A and B are mixed, the solution will briefly turn red before becoming clear – this is the working solution, which should be used for a single toning session as gold thiocyanate oxidizes and becomes ineffective quickly. After toning each 8×10 print, replenish the working solution by adding 8ml of each stock solution to maintain consistent toning. Tone prints before fixing with this formula.
Gold Borax Toner
| Stock/Working Solution |
|---|
| Distilled water: 350ml |
| Gold chloride 1% solution: 6ml |
| Borax: 3g |
| Distilled water to make 400ml |
This toner is more stable, reusable, and can be replenished. Experiment with toner strength to adjust toning times. Tone prints before fixing.
Selenium Toner
| Stock/Working Solution |
|---|
| Distilled water: 500ml |
| Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner: 1-2ml |
Selenium toning requires experimentation to master, as it can be sensitive to concentration and time. Lower concentrations and slower toning are generally easier to control. Rapid toning can produce interesting split-toning effects. Tone prints after fixing with selenium toner.
When toning and fixing, use trays that are one size larger than your prints (e.g., 11×14 inch tray for 8×10 inch prints). Ribbed trays can be used, but require constant agitation to prevent uneven toning lines where the paper contacts the tray ribs. Flat-bottomed trays are preferable for even submersion, especially when using smaller volumes of toner to minimize waste.
Key Considerations for Albumen Printing Success
- Sensitized Paper Freshness: Use albumen paper within hours of sensitization for optimal density and speed. Expect a 1.5 to 2 stop reduction in sensitivity if paper is stored for longer periods after sensitizing. Adding 15g of sodium citrate to the albumen solution during preparation may help extend the usable life of sensitized paper.
- Contrast Control: Print contrast can be increased by adding a drop or two of a 6.5-7% potassium dichromate solution to the sensitizing solution. Caution: Dichromates are highly toxic and must be handled with extreme care to avoid inhalation or ingestion.
- Albumen Aging: Aging the albumen coating solution for several months can further denature the proteins, making the solution less viscous and potentially improving coating characteristics. Some believe “the older, the better” for albumen solutions.
- Negative Contrast: Albumen prints demand high-contrast negatives, typically with a density range exceeding 2.0. This usually requires overexposing negatives (at least one stop more than for silver gelatin prints) and using extended development (N+2). Negatives that are challenging to print on low-grade silver gelatin papers can often be successfully printed on albumen and other print-out papers.
Further Exploration
Image alt text: Book cover of “Historic Photographic Processes” by Richard Farber, a resource on alternative photographic techniques.
For deeper knowledge and more resources on albumen and other alternative photographic processes, consider these references:
Historic Photographic Processes
by Richard Farber
An extensive resource for in-depth research and techniques in alternative photography.
Basic Techniques of Photography 2
by John Schaefer
Albumen printing offers a rewarding journey into historical photographic techniques. With patience, careful execution, and a spirit of experimentation, you can create beautiful and enduring images that echo the artistry of photography’s past.
