UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023

‘The Latent Image’—

The Negative Process in Calotype
Ju-Ying Lin
14348233
vicky_lin0718@hotmail.com
UvA, Photography Specialisation

Introduciton tive and the printing of the positive. There are

The source I refer is the negative process of Calo-
type which is the first half of “The Calotype Pro-
cess: A Handbook to Photography on Paper”1, the
second edition, written by Thomas Sutton and
published by Sampson Low, Son & CO. in 1856
(See Fig.1).
six main steps in the negative process of Sutton’s
recipe: (1)A sheet of paper is firstly coated with
silver nitrate solution and potassium iodide. (2)
When dry, sensitizing the paper with a mixture of
aceto-nitrate 0f silver and saturated gallic acid so-
lution. (3) Expose in the camera. (4) Develop the
exposed paper with a stronger concentration of
sensitizer in a darkened room. (5) Fix the image
with thiosulfate. (6) Wash the paper with com-
mon water.

Even though the adaption of Calotype among

Fig.1 The front page of
Sutton’s Calotype.
Calotype was first introduced in 1841 by Wil-
liam Henry Fox Talbot2. It contains two parts of
the printing process: the production of the nega-
photographers was less than thirty years, heated
discussions were taken place in several photo-
graphic journals. In addition to my source, I
found two online scan versions of the first edi-
tion of Sutton’s Calotype, one was contributed by
Getty Research Institute 3 and the other was by
National Art Library4, both published in 1855.
But the exact number of copies and editions were
still unknown. Relevant sources in the same dis-
cipline published in 18505 and 18696 were found
as well.

1. https://ia904602.us.archive.org/24/items/1856Calotype_process_handbook-BP62-2/BP62-2-RPS.pdf. Accessed 4th Feb 2023.

2. William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877) is the first person who introduced Calotype and patented it in 1841. He first named it Tal-
botype and changed to Calotype later.
3. https://ia800206.us.archive.org/11/items/gri_33125001117569/gri_33125001117569.pdf. Accessed 4th Feb 2023.
4. https://ia804604.us.archive.org/8/items/1855Calotype_process_photography-BP57-12/BP57-12-RPS.pdf. Accessed 4th Feb 2023.
5. “Directions for Preparing Talbotype Paper.” Scientific American 5, no. 33 (1850): 257–257. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24932432.
6. A.G. Greenlaw. “Calotype Process”. The Photographic News XIII, no. 541 (1869): 28.
1

By studying the making of Calotype, I could gain
insight into the evolution of light-sensitive mate-
rials used in photographic printing process and
apply the finding to historical practice. But how
reliable is my source? And to what extent does it
reflect historical practice? I will start from discuss-
ing who is the author, the appearance of my source
to the content itself, and then examine its reliabil-
ity.
About the author
Thomas Sutton (1819-1875) was one of the pio-
neers in photography history. He learned the
Calotype process in 1851. Applying his belief that
paper negatives, as the negative process of Calo-
type, were the best suited to capture the poetry
of nature, he not only made a number of posi-
tive prints from them (See Fig.27), publishing the
handbook, but also established a photographic
company that produced prints from Calotype
negatives.
Fig.2 Thomas Sutton, “Harbor Scene”, 18.7cm x 25.1cm,
ca.1855
Sutton was very assertive and serenely confident
about the success of the result if only the manipu-
lators would follow his instruction minutely. As
he stated in the preface that ”…if the manipulator
will carefully attend to the directions hereafter
given, he will find the process, if not absolutely
unfailing, at all events very nearly a CERTAIN
one.” 8 Sutton also pointed out that the success
was guaranteed by his publisher who witnessed
7. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/631050
8. Sutton, 2nd ed., preface: v.
9. “A Modification of Mr. Sutton’s Printing Process”, Photographic Notes, vol.I, no.1 &2, 2nd ed., London(1856):6-9. https://
www.google.nl/books/edition/Photographic_Notes/droaAAAAYAAJ?hl=zh-TW&gbpv=1&dq=Photographic+Notes&pg=RA2-
PA217&printsec=frontcover. Accessed 19th March 2023.
10. https://nal-vam.on.worldcat.org/search/detail/9300461?queryString=The%20calotype%20process%20&clusterResults=false&group
VariantRecords=false
2
UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023
how he practiced the process in all its stages.
Besides publishing the handbook, Sutton submit-
ted his Calotype recipe to “Photographic Notes”9,
a photographic journal, to promote Calotype that
he believed as an exceedingly easy and simple one
to amateurs.
How does the source look like?
Some hand-written notes and marginalia anno-
tations can be found in some pages (See Fig.3),
however, it is difficult to deduce the writer of the
annotations. Between pages 66 and 67 is inter-
leaved an 8-page pamphlet entitled “Photogra-
phy” and dated 1867 (See Fig.4). We could almost
certain that the pamphlet was not part of the
original piece. This is because not only the pub-
lish dates are different but also the topic of the
pamphlet, “To secure the adhesion of collodion
to the plate”, is irrelevant to that of the book.
Fig.3 Manuscript an-
notations about the re-
lationship of the size of
lens to exposure time
Some information about the appearance of my
source is missing from the online scan version
such as the cover of the book and the table of
content. However, according to the National Art
Library’ notions10 who has the physical copy, it
is in a bound volume of works acquired from
the Royal Photographic Society. More informa-
tion regarding the format and the content can

be found in the scan version provided by Getty
Research Institute. For examples, two samples of
iodized paper (See Fig.5), the table of contents
(See Fig.6) ,and twelve pages including all the
price of materials and chemicals used by Sutton
at the end (See Fig.7). Advertisements regarding
apparatus and chemicals were in this section as
well (See Fig.8). Surprisingly, a new reprint was
UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023
published in 201811 by Forgotten Book and can
be purchased online.
Besides the difference mentioned above, a pro-
nounced distinctiveness between my source and
the first editions is the modification of the pro-
cess by adapting another chemical of the iodizer.
This was added in the notes.

Fig.5 The paper samples contain an Fig.6 The table of contents.

Fig.4 The inserted pamphlet not only
unwashed iodized paper and a washed
published in different year but by dif-
iodized paper. Only in my source can
ferent publisher.
text be found.

(Left) Fig.7 Brands and prices of materials and chemicals used by Sutton. (Right) Fig.8 Advertisment.

11. https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en/books/TheCalotypeProcess_10868606. Accessed 25 March 2023.

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Analysis of the content
Sutton described the printing process in great
detail as if he had been seen at work to serve his
intended audience which is the photographer
tourists. For example, he gave the manipulators a
good workflow of how to put a sensitized paper
in the dark slide without leaving any stains on the
image side. Moreover, explanatory notes about
the use of the equipment, the choice of the pa-
per, and another option for iodize the paper were
given at the end of the book.
However, some texts were less clear and did not
correspond to other relevant source. For exam-
ple, in the making of saturated solution of gallic
acid, Sutton specifically mentioned that the solu-
tion should be filtered on the following day (See
Fig. 9) but he did not give any explanation. On
the contrary, in Greenlaw’s recipe, he strongly ad-
vised that the gallic acid solution should be used
as soon as possible because it is a readily decom-
posed chemical (See Fig. 10). To verify the two, I
set up a treatment group with the fresh gallic acid
in the experiment. Regardless some precipitate
can be observed when filter the following day
gallic acid solution (See Fig. 11), there is no dif-
UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023
ference in the final image between using the fresh
gallic acid and the one from the following days.
Fig.11 Some white precipi-
tate can be observed at the
bottom one day after it was
made. Image: Ju-Ying Lin.
What does the reconstruction say to
the source?
By reconstructing the process, I realized that the
negative process is not a difficult one to conduct
because the instruction provided by Sutton is
very clear. Even though part of the description
is hard to understand only by reading the text
such as how to decide the ratio of the developer,
it became understandable by gaining more expe-
rience. After several tests, I gained a pretty good
result (See Fig. 12).

Fig.9 Sutton advised that the bottle contains the saturated gal-
lic acid solution should stand in hot water to dissolve the acid
and filtered the solution on the next day.

Fig.12 Sumi-e 80gsm paper, exposed under a sunny day

for 3.30min., 37min. developing, the developer ratio of
Fig.10 In Greenlaw’s recipe, he even added the spirit of cam- aceto-nitrate of silver to saturated gallic acid solution: 10/15
phor to preserve the gallic acid solution drops. Image: Ju-Ying Lin.

12. An apparatus where the sensitized paper was placed sits in the camera. When exposing the sensitized paper, photographers remove
the slide allowing the light hit on the paper.
4
 UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023
can the authors describe. The instruction about
the choreography of developing the image, from
how to place the exposed paper on a slab to apply
the developer on it, is extremely comprehensive.
This cannot be done by someone who did not
operate the process himself. Therefore, we can
deduce that Sutton Calotype is a primary source.

Secondly, as an amateur, I had achieved a pretty

good result by following his instruction. And this
could surely increase the reliability of the source.
As the amateurs were the audience the author
aims to target, Sutton provided a series of cause
of failure for the absolute beginners to examine
their unpleasant result. He offered some practical
Fig.13 A paper negatvie object.“Gezicht
options for amateurs as well. For example, coat
op een onbekend huis”, by Eduard Isaac the paper with brush instead of soaking them in
Asser,10.5cm x 7.9cm, ca.1845, Rijksmusem a solution bath since less expensive materials is
collection, no. RP-F-AB12278-AF.
required. He also adapted his description of the
The ease of making the negative process of Calo- process to meet the inconvenience of space where
type is something the author keeps emphasiz- the amateurs may have. This was proven through
ing throughout the book. This can be verified my historical practice as I used very basic equip-
through reconstruction as little apparatus and a ment and developed my image in my bathroom.
room with small or no window needed. Take my
experience as an example, the apparatus I used Moreover, the physical paper samples in the on-
were considerably basic: pipets, beakers, glass line-scan version of the first edition provided an
plates, a hairdryer, a film camera, and brushes, extremely valuable information for the manipu-
and I developed the image in my bathroom. lators to compare their result with Sutton’s. By
referring his samples, they could assure that they
were on the right track(See Fig. 14). However,
Discussion inserting physical paper samples could imply that
Below, I will discuss the reliability of the source less copies was published since it would take a lot
from various aspect. of efforts. This may also explain why I could not
find other publications or articles referring his
Firstly, even though the trace of use in the hand- process due to limited copies.
book is not as heavy as those which were used
every day by craftsmen and has stains spread all Finally, Sutton’s recipe is not a particular source
over, Sutton’s Calotype process was definitely for making a Calotype because relevant sources
applied by someone due to the hand-written an- which applied similar chemicals can be found
notations which are about the proportion of the (See Table 1). As Table1 marked, when preparing
fixer, and the relationship between the exposure iodizing solution, silver nitrate and potassium io-
time and the size of the image. I also strongly be- dide are applied in Sutton’s and Talbotype to form
lieve that Sutton’s Calotype is a primary source iodide of silver. Only potassium iodide and po-
because he had conducted and documented the tassium bromide were used in Greenlaw’s recipe
process himself since this is something he be- to make an iodizer, however, this was brought up
lieved as a useful photography handbook should as a second option for iodizing the paper in Sut-
be: only by performing the process themselves ton’s second edition. In mixing sensitizer, satu-

5

rated gallic acid solution is used in both Sutton’s
Calotype and Talbotype. Even though acetic acid
replaced gallic acid in Greenlaw’s recipe, it is used
in Sutton’s recipe to make the aceto-nitrate silver
solution. For developer, saturated gallic acid so-
Fig.14 Left: Sutton’s
paper samples. Below:
My result. In my result,
on the left is washed io-
dized paper and on the
right is unwashed io-
dized paper. Compare
mine with Sutton’s, for
the washed ones, both
are slight yellow; for the
unwashed one, bothe
seems to be whiter than
the washed one. Image:
Ju-Ying Lin.
Table 1.The information of chemicals of Talbotype here refers to the article “Directions for Preparing Talbotype Paper”,
not from the recipe Henry Talbot patented in 1841.
6
UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023
lution is applied in all of the three. Lastly, in the
step of fixing the image, thiosulfate, or hyposul-
fate soda is used by the three as a fixer to avoid
image fading. By having these chemicals in com-
mon with other two, we can imply that Sutton’s
Calotype is not a unique source only suit himself.
Conclusion
So, how reliable the source is and to what extent
does it reflect historical practice? I have proven
that Sutton’s Calotype is a primary source with
the evidence he conducted and documented the
procedures himslef. Second, my success in the
reconstruction verified the authenticity of the
source. Third, Sutton’s Calotype and other rel-
evant recipes have a lot in common regarding the
chemical used and this imply that Sutton’s Calo-
type is not a particular one. Therefore, I conclude
that the reliableness of Sutton’s Calotype can be
ensured and it facilitates the understanding of
historical practice.
Even though Sutton’s Calotype is trustworthy to
a certain degree, some questions and issues are
still underlying it. One thing is that I have not
found any other publication or articles referring
Sutton’s recipe. The other thing is that regardless
how comprehensive the source is, implicit knowl-
edge lay in the source. For example, an absolute
beginner may not know to what degree a well-
 UvA, MA1, ATSR, Ju-Ying Lin,2023
coated paper can be recognized as “having suffi-
cient solution in the paper”. Nevertheless, Sutton’s
Calotype can be seen as a very useful and reliable
source.

Bibliography
A.G. Greenlaw. “Calotype Process”. The Photo-
graphic News XIII, no. 541 (1869): 28.

Bertrand Lavedrine, “Photographs of the Past:

Process and Preservation ” 2nd ed., Getty (2009).

“Directions for Preparing Talbotype Paper.” Sci-

entific American , vol.5, no. 33 (1850): 257–257.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/24932432.

Thomas Sutton,” The Calotype Process: A Hand-

book to Photography on Paper ” 2nd ed., Samp-
son Low, Son & CO (1856). https://ia904602.
us.archive.org/24/items/1856Calotype_process_
handbook-BP62-2/BP62-2-RPS.pdf.
Thomas Sutton,” The Calotype Process: A Hand-
book to Photography on Paper ” 1st ed., Sampson
Low, Son & CO (1855).
https://i a800206.us.archive.org/11/items/
gri_33125001117569/gri_33125001117569.pdf.
https://ia804604.us.archive.org/8/
items/1855Calotype_process_photography-
BP57-12/BP57-12-RPS.pdf.

Thomas Sutton ed., “A Modification of Mr. Sut-

ton’s Printing Process”, Photographic Notes , 2nd
ed., vol. I, no.1 &2 (1856).