Photographic printing Totally Explained

Everything about Photographic Printing totally explained

ť :This article focuses on optical/chemical printing. For non-optical digital printing, see Digital printing.

Photographic printing is the process of producing a final image for viewing, usually on sensitized paper from a previously prepared photographic negative or from a positive transparency or slide.

Printing from a Negative

The process consists of three major steps, performed in a photographic darkroom or within an automated photo printing machine:

Exposure of the image onto the sensitized paper using a contact printer or enlarger
Processing of the latent image through a multistep chemical immersion process.
1. Development of the exposed image. This step reduces the silver halide in the latent image to metalic silver.
2. Stopping development by neutralizing, diluting or removing developing agent.
3. Fixing the final print by dissolving remaining unexposed/undeveloped silver halide from the light-sensitive emulsion.
4. Washing thoroughly to remove chemicals used in processing, protecting the finished print from fading and decay.
If made on glossy paper, ferrotyping to enhance the reflective gloss.
Optional Toning of the print through additional chemical processes that replace all or part of the reduced silver in the image with other pigments.
Texturing and drying of the final print.

Optionally after fixation, the paper is treated with a hypo-eliminator to ensure complete removal of the fixative, which would otherwise compromise the long term stability of the image. In processing color prints additional steps are added to form the color pigments from precursors in the different color-sensitive layers of the emulsion.

Printing from a Slide or Transparency

Printing from a slide or transparency is similar to printing from a negative except that additional processing steps are added to form a reversal print.
Initial development of the print results in a negative image. This development isn't followed by fixation, but rather the reduced silver of the negative image is chemically removed from the paper. Since the paper hasn't been fixed, the unreduced silver halide remains in the emulsion. To form the positive image, the paper is then exposed to light, which creates a latent image in the unreduced silver halide coating. This latent image is developed and fixed to form the positive image.

Standard print sizes

Standard photographic print sizes are often denoted with a code of the format nR, where the number n represents the length of the shorter edge in inches. In the normal series, the long edge is the length of the short edge plus 2 inches (10" or less) or 3 inches (11" and above). The alternative Super series, denoted SnR has an aspect ratio of 2:3 (or as close as possible) and thus provides a better fit for standard 135 film (35mm) at sizes of 8 inches or above.
In Japan, the same print sizes (and several additional ones) are known by different names. The Japanese L is equivalent to 3R, while 2L — twice the size — matches 5R. KG represents the size of a traditional 4"×6" (4R) Japanese postcard (hagaki). The nP or series are defined in reference to a of 457×560 mm, with smaller numbers (fewer cuts) indicating larger sizes.
Unlike ISO 216 paper sizes, the aspect ratios of photographic prints vary, so exact scaling of prints isn't always possible. However, there are some logical correspondences between the sizes, noted below when applicable.

Print	Japan	Size (in.)	Size (mm)	300dpi (px)	spect ratio	Note
	E	3¼" × 4½	82.5 × 120 mm		11:16 (0.69)	Size in inches is approximate
3R	L	3½" × 5"	89 × 127 mm	1051 x 1500 px	7:10 (0.70)	Called "9cm x 13cm" worldwide.
4R	KG	4" × 6"	102 × 152 mm	1205 x 1795 px	2:3 (0.67)	Standard consumer print size in US and Canada. Called "10cm x 15cm" worldwide.
5R	2L	5" × 7"	127 × 178 mm	1500 x 2102 px	5:7 (0.71)	Twice the size of a 3R print. Called "13cm x 18cm" worldwide.
6R	8P	6" × 8"	152 × 203 mm	1795 x 2398 px	3:4 (0.75)	Twice the size of a 4R print.
8R	6P	8" × 10"	203 × 254 mm	2398 x 3000 px	4:5 (0.80)	Most common print size for medium and large format. Called "20cm x 25cm" worldwide.
S8R	6PW	8" × 12"	203 × 305 mm	2398 x 3602 px	2:3 (0.67)	Closest approximation to A4, twice the size of a 6R print. Called "20cm x 30cm" worldwide.
10R	4P	10" × 12"	254 × 305 mm	3000 x 3602 px	5:6 (0.83)
S10R	4PW	10" × 15"	254 × 381 mm	3000 x 4500 px	2:3 (0.67)
11R		11" × 14"	279 × 356 mm	3295 x 4205 px	11:14 (0.79)	Called "28cm x 36cm" worldwide.
S11R		11" × 17"	279 × 432 mm	3295 x 5102 px	11:17 (0.65)
12R		12" × 15"	305 × 381 mm	3602 x 4500 px	4:5 (0.80)
S12R		12" × 18"	305 × 465 mm	3602 x 5492 px	2:3 (0.67)

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