3 Key Tips for Making Ultra Large Format Calotype Paper Negatives

This article will share valuable insights and practical tips I’ve gained while creating ultra-large-format handmade calotype paper negatives.

Of all the photographic processes I’ve explored over the past four decades, the handmade calotype paper negative holds a special place in my heart. While it was incredibly challenging to master initially—even with smaller formats like 4×5 and 5×7—the effort was well worth it. The early frustrations, including subtle chemistry quirks, gradually became a deeply rewarding practice. With patience, persistence, and a lot of experimentation, the process transforms into something magical.

As you refine your skills, you begin to feel a profound connection to the legacy of the pioneers who came before us—visionaries like William Henry Fox Talbot, the inventor of the calotype, and photographic trailblazers such as David Octavius Hill, Robert Adamson, and Gustave Le Gray. These early masters developed and refined the process after its invention in 1841, demonstrating its incredible potential for artistry and documentation. Working in their footsteps, you’re not just making photographs—you’re walking on the shoulders of legends, continuing a tradition that shaped the very foundation of photography.

Just a quick note—I’ve created a ‘Gear for Sale‘ page as I begin downsizing the equipment I’ve collected over the years. I’m regularly adding new items, so be sure to check back often!”

Are You Investing in Your Creative Growth? Photographers often invest heavily in gear, equipment, and supplies—but how often do we invest in ourselves? For just $10 a month, the Darkroom Diary Premium Membership offers you the chance to join a vibrant community dedicated to growth, learning, and sharing creative journeys.

This is more than a membership—it’s a space to connect, evolve your vision, and draw inspiration from fellow analog photography enthusiasts. If you’re ready to take the next step in your creative journey, we’d be honored to have you join us in building this unique community.

Calotypes are Special

I am deeply passionate about the calotype paper negative process because it allows me to fully realize the creative vision I have been searching for my entire life. I feel an unparalleled connection to my work with calotypes—something I’ve never experienced with any other photographic process. Their unique ability to capture and render natural light is unlike anything I’ve ever encountered, offering a subtle beauty and depth that continually inspires me.

I also cherish the profound connection this process gives me to the pioneers of photography. Standing on their shoulders, I feel a sense of gratitude and responsibility to create work they would not only be proud of but might also enjoy themselves. The calotype process has become my calling, and I revel in every moment of learning, growing, and evolving my skills to create new works of art.

It’s taken me forty years to reach this point, but I’m hopeful I still have many good years ahead. My goal is to create meaningful bodies of work that could one day serve as my legacy—a lasting contribution to the art form I hold dear.

Tip # 1 – It Pays to be Clean!

Among all the photographic processes, the calotype paper negative demands exceptional cleanliness. The workflow is highly sensitive to contamination; even the slightest deviation can lead to unexpected issues. You might be tempted to cut corners or dismiss the advice of seasoned calotypists, but this process has a way of humbling you. It will quickly remind you that meticulous cleanliness and adherence to a proven workflow are non-negotiable.

Initially, I made the mistake of trying to streamline the workflow by using a single glass tray for the sensitizing process. My approach seemed logical at first: I soaked the iodized paper in distilled water, emptied the tray, then immersed the wet paper in the silver sensitizing bath, poured the bath back into its storage bottle, and followed up with three rounds of washing using distilled water. Simple and efficient, right? Wrong.

This shortcut led to all kinds of contamination issues in the negative. The results were inconsistent and frustrating, so I repeated the process three times to rule out other potential causes. Sure enough, the culprit was the workflow itself. That experiment was all the proof I needed to abandon the “one-tray” idea and dedicate individual trays for each step—trays that are never repurposed for anything else.

To minimize contamination risks, always use glass or stainless steel trays for processing and store your chemistry in glass containers. These materials are non-reactive and less likely to introduce impurities into your workflow.

After each use, thoroughly clean your trays and containers with hot distilled water and sodium carbonate. And yes, distilled water is essential—tap water, even when it appears clean, often contains trace contaminants that can wreak havoc on your calotypes. From the calotype’s perspective, every impurity matters.

If you enjoy articles like this, now is the perfect time to join our exclusive analog photography community. I’m narrowing my focus to deliver even greater value to Darkroom Diary Premium Members by creating higher-quality articles, guides, and videos tailored to their needs. For just $10 a month, you gain access to an ever-growing library of insightful content designed to inspire and enhance your analog photography journey. Plus, there’s no long-term commitment—join and explore at your convenience.

Tip # 2 – General Contamination Issues

In addition to the development and processing issues discussed above, a few other tips related to contamination will help you avoid wasting a lot of time.

Never touch your paper with bare hands at any part of the workflow. If you do, throw it out and save yourself a lot of time. I only touch the outer edges with gloved hands and still have issues that crop up on the very edges.

I figured out a simple trick to avoid many nasty edge contamination issues. The first step in the workflow is to iodize your paper and let it fully dry before sensitizing it in a bath of silver nitrate and glacial acetic acid. I cut my paper an extra inch on both sides to give me a safe border for handlining the calotype during preparation and processing. For my 11×14 ULF calotypes, I buy 14×17 paper and trim it to 12×15 as my first step. Then, when I iodize it and hang it to dry, I attach the paper with clips to the drying line in this gutter area. I put pencil marks on the paper to know where to trim it later.

I have an extra-long pair of paper trimming scissors about 14 inches long, which allows me to trim the end and edges of the paper in a single cut. Trying to do that with a regular pair of scissors often leads to issues.

Tip # 3 – Plate Holders

I often get questions from photographers interested in the calotype process, particularly about plate holders. You’ll need a single-plate holder, similar to those used for wet plate collodion photography. This type of holder is essential because it allows you to sandwich your sensitized, moist calotype paper between two sheets of glass. The glass keeps the paper flat and helps it retain moisture during exposure—a crucial aspect of the process.

Invest in a high-quality wet plate or silver gelatin dry plate holder to make this work. Then, find two sheets of glass that fit your specific holder. Remember that this step may require research and experimentation to find the right combination. It might take a few attempts, but with persistence, you’ll figure it out and have a setup that works perfectly for your calotypes.

Another essential tip: always clean your two glass plates thoroughly before each use. I recommend using a mixture of equal parts calcium carbonate, Everclear alcohol, and distilled water. This formula works perfectly and is the cleaner I use for my collodion work.

Let me share a lesson I learned the hard way. I once cleaned some new plates with glue or tape residue on them with a commercial cleaner like Windex, thinking it would be fine. But I forgot to follow up with the proper cleaner. Can you guess how badly silver nitrate reacts with ammonia? Spoiler alert: it’s not good. The results were disastrous—and, of course, this mistake happened while I was working on a 14×17 Ultra Large Format plate to make the experience extra memorable. Lesson learned: never skip the proper cleaning process, no matter how tempting it seems.

Stay tuned for many more articles and videos about my handmade calotype paper negative workflow, including 5×7, whole plate, 8×10, 8×20, 11×14, and 14×17 formats. I love making salt prints, Kallitypes, and Platinum/Palladium prints from my calotype paper negatives.

Why I Love Making Calotype’s

In my artistic endeavor, a deeply personal exploration borne from the heartache of losing my daughter, Abby, I have found a profound connection with the historical technique of Calotype paper negatives. This choice, deeply intertwined with my emotional journey and artistic expression, resonates with the very core of my being.

Why do I gravitate towards Calotype paper negatives? The answer lies in this medium’s unique, almost tangible soulfulness.

The Calotype, with its roots stretching back to the 1830s, possesses a distinct texture and quality that modern techniques cannot replicate. Each handmade negative is not just a medium for an image; it’s a canvas of my emotions, an imprint of my journey through grief and remembrance. -Tim Layton

The softness and rich texture of the Calotype negatives align beautifully with the narrative of my project. The way the paper fibers impart a dreamy character to the images aligns with my desire to capture more than mere visuals. These negatives help me translate the blur of memories, the weight of emotions, and the healing path into visual form.

Working with Calotype paper negatives is an immersive, hands-on process. There’s something profoundly therapeutic in handling the materials, sensitizing the paper, and watching the images emerge in the darkroom. This physical engagement with the art form creates a visceral connection between my inner turmoil and its external expression.