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Popular Photographic Print Processes: Gum Bichromate prints


Gum bichromate print
F. Holland Day, photographer. [ Girl in dress with white collar]. Gum bichromate print, [1905]
LC-DIG-ppmsca-13700

Dates in general use: 1894-1920

timeline 1894-1920

Description: A non-silver printing method using paper coated with a solution of gum arabic containing potassium or ammonium bichromate to make it light sensitive, and a pigment to provide image tones. This process allows extensive physical manipulation of the image by the photographer, sometimes resulting in an image which looks more like a drawing or watercolor painting than a photograph.

Further information and examples


View Photographic Print Processes Introduction and Table of Contents

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  March 25, 2022
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