Sean Esopenko

Printed Ilfochrome Yesterday

June 12, 2011

The Ilfochrome process (formerly known as Cibachrome before Ilford acquired it) is a photographic printmaking process that uses Azo dyes embedded in a photographic emulsion for slide reproduction in print form.  It works specifically well with Kodak Kodachrome slides due to the slightly muted nature of the slides (Ilfochrome is extremely contrasty paper) and the limitation of cross colour errors in shadow and hi-light areas (blue shadows, magenta hi-lights, or vice versa).  It’s also extremely saturated because the Azo dyes are embedded deep in the paper and stripped out through the process creating CMY colour values.  It’s technically not a paper but instead a photographic emulsion suspended over a plastic film.  It is supposed to be one of the most saturated photographic printing processes with the largest dynamic range out of any printing technology to date.

Recently I had acquired an Ilford CAP-40 roller transport unit.  It’s a machine for processing darkroom photo paper and specifically designed for the Ilfochrome process.  I had plans to modify the machine, speeding it up for the 45 second development time required for RA-4 colour negative paper.  However, when I arrived to pick up the machine I discovered that the gent selling it was including some boxes of Ilfochrome chemistry and paper.  About $500-1000 in Ilfochrome chemistry and paper; I knew I couldn’t let it go to waste.

Alex Moon, a good friend of mine and printmaker/video-artist, had a large collection of Kodachrome slides taken by his late great uncle.  Kodachrome processing was discontinued in 2007 meaning there will be no more Kodachrome slides produced any more.  Ilfochrome is unavailable in Canada and the availability of the product is spotty at best in USA.  After some discussion we had decided to use some of the paper and chemicals I had received to produce prints of his uncle’s slides and organize a show of them.

Friday I had acquired my colour enlarger finally and yesterday I learned how to print colour photographic paper using the Ilfochrome process.  The results were outright amazing!  The tones and colours have a luminescant quality, appearing to be back-lit due to light reaching deep into the paper and reflecting back to the viewer, similar to the surface of a pearl.  The colours are rich and I have never seen a print with such deep blacks and bright whites.  We were working with expired paper and chemicals and accidentally contaminated our first batch.  However, we finally have our colour balance figured out and we should be able to turn out a large number of prints today.  I believe Alex Moon and myself may be the last people in Canada to have ever made a Cibachrome print.  This is exciting stuff.  I’m pretty busy making prints so when I have a chance I’ll post a scan or two but unfortunately these prints have to be seen in person.  The Ilfochrome print is something that a computer monitor just cannot match or even mimic.  These prints look so good.

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