About

SilverGelly.com

This website presents my personal explorations in traditional black and white film photography and gelatin silver darkroom printing.

I love all genres and forms of photography, and I especially enjoy the monochrome aesthetic and the physical craft of a fully analog process — from creating images with vintage cameras to using a variety of film emulsions and chemistry to enlarging and printing negatives in a wet darkroom to matting and framing finished pieces of handmade photographic art.

For inquiries about my photography or to purchase silver prints, please contact me here or find me on Instagram. You can also view my previous digital project documenting the San Francisco jazz scene at The BayTaper Archive.

Thanks for visiting!

Film Development Process

  1. Film: Ilford HP5+ / FP4+ | Kodak Tri-X
  2. Developer: Kodak D-76 (1+1) | Ilford ID-11 (1+1)
  3. Stop: Kodak Indicator Stop | Ilford Ilfostop (30 secs)
  4. Fix: Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+4 (4 mins)
  5. Initial Wash: Running Water (5 mins)
  6. Hypo Clearing Agent: Perma Wash (2 mins)
  7. Final Wash: Running Water (10 mins)
  8. Wetting Agent: Kodak Photo-Flo (1 min)
  9. Drying: Negative Drying Cabinet (20 mins)

Darkroom Printing Process

  1. Paper: Ilford Classic MG Fiber Glossy or Matt
  2. Enlarger: LPL/Saunders 4500 II
  3. Developer: Kodak Dektol 1+3 (2 mins) or Ilford Multigrade 1+9 (3 mins)
  4. Stop: Kodak Indicator Stop or Ilford Ilfostop (30 secs)
  5. Fix: Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+9 (4 mins)
  6. Initial Wash: Water Bath (5 mins)
  7. Hypo Clearing Agent: Perma Wash (5 mins)
  8. Final Wash: Running Water (20 mins)
  9. Drying: Air Dry on Screens or into Drum Dryer
  10. Flattening: SEAL Heat Press + Cold Press to Cool
  11. Dry Mounting: BufferMount onto 100% Cotton Rag Mat Board

Note: All photographs are scans of film negatives except those of prints, processes, and equipment (which were shot digitally).