JPG Magazine: Stories: How To: Film Acceleration

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Film Acceleration
By Jeff DeLaCruz 31 July 2007

There's not much data left in the world in relation to film acceleration. This is probably due to the shift in interest from film to digital. Myself and Augusta Quirk heard about the process in passing when we were researching manipulating color films to get a sort of faded color found in old pictures captured in 70's. In 2003, only a few people had tried the process, but nobody wanted to discuss the results. We discovered a copy of a copy of an email, floating around the web on an RIT website about an assignment at Brooks that was discussed in an article by Marc Bloom that was published in Photographic/November 1992.
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JPG Magazine: Stories: How To: Film Acceleration

It was confusing start and we had yet to see any examples of the process and we were shocked when we received our first rolls back. What Does Film Acceleration Look Like? Acceleration resembles something similar to an extreme cross processing because it is in effect a cross process with a little added something. The film speed increases, the color balance is dependent highly on the color of the film base and the grain becomes very intense. The acutance becomes highly pronounced and can often create hallows. The contrast increases greatly. Blown out areas turn the color of the film base. Testing Start Point. Shooting 1. Choose and E-6 Film Transparency film. Note that the film base color changes the film a lot. There is a large difference between Kodak and Fuji Films and differences between Kodak's VS and G films. (This can be done with negative film as well, but I've never done it.) 2. Start your test by setting your ISO to 2 stops under the recommended ISO. So 100 will be 400... Film Processing (loosely based on the info from the RIT article) 3. Pre-soak the film in water at 75 degrees for two minutes. Agitate constantly. 4. Develop in chosen black and white film developer. Refer to the chart for times, temp and type. Agitate as you would black and white film developer. 5. Rinse in water for one minute with agitation. Don't use stop bath.

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JPG Magazine: Stories: How To: Film Acceleration

6. Fix the film in non-hardening fixer for five minute. 7. Wash the film for 10 minutes with agitation. You may expose the film to light. 8. Bleach the film for 10 minutes. The Bloom article recommends e-6 or c-41 bleach, but I just use Potassium Ferricyanide bleach found in sepia toner kits. 9. Wash your film for 10 minutes at least. Do not use photo-flo. 10. You now have a choice you can either: a. Leave your film in the canister in water or b. Hang the film to dry. I recommend this option, it's less conspicuous to your lab and you may have to ship out the film. 11. Now comes the hard part. Most labs have never heard of film acceleration before and will not touch the film. I've tried to convince many a labs that the film will not harm their chemistry, but most will choose to safe. There are 2 labs I know of that have said they will process accelerated film and are fairly easy to ship back and forth to if your local color lab won't touch it. They are mentioned below. 12. Have your lab send the film through c-41 processing, no push processing. Have them print for skin-tones if you have them. 13. Enjoy the crazy results. Developer Data Film EI Developer Time Temp Kodak E100 VS 400 T-Max Developer 1:4 14 min 75 Deg Kodak E100 SW 400 T-Max Developer 1:4 10 min 75 Deg Test Film +2 T-Max Developer 1:4 10 min 75 Deg Film's mentioned in the Bloom article don't exist anymore and the above are the films are those that I've tested. The last unit named Test
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JPG Magazine: Stories: How To: Film Acceleration

Film is a good starting place for any film. If you try something different than the above, let me know so I can update the data. Film Bleach Note that interesting effects can result when changing the time or dilution of the bleach. We usually diluted the bleach 1:4 so that the effects were toned down a little. Photography Labs That Do Film Acceleration Samy's Camera: Santa Barbara, CA Gamma Photo Labs: Chicago, IL If you find a lab in your area that does film acceleration that's not on the list please update me and I'll update this list on my blog. Have Fun. By Jeff DeLaCruz and Augusta Quirk www.jeffdelacruz.com/blog http://www.aquirkimagery.com/

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