New Le Gray Waxed Calotype Paper Negative

Over the past several weeks, I have worked through the 1851 Le Gray waxed paper negative workflow, which he developed based on Dr. Guillot-Saguez’s earlier improvements in 1847. In this article, I share my motivation for trying the Le Gray pre-waxed version and my results.

I have been using the Greenlaw 1855 version of the workflow for several years with fantastic results. Greenlaw and Le Gray adapted the original Fox Talbot process, incorporating significant advancements introduced by Blanquart-Evrard and Dr. Guillot-Saguez in 1847.

My reason for testing the Le Gray workflow is probably different from most. The celebrated advantage of Le Gray’s process in the 1850s was its ability to produce much sharper images. While this is true, I usually counteract sharpness by using soft-focus lenses, as this aesthetic aligns with the narrative of my work—though not always.

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One of the key challenges of the Greenlaw process is the requirement to sandwich the calotype paper negative between two sheets of glass during exposure to keep it flat. This presents challenges, such as finding modern holders and suitable glass to accommodate the process. However, I overcame these obstacles across all the formats I use, including 5×7, whole plate, 8×10, 11×14, 8×20, and 14×17. The larger ultra-large format (ULF) sizes were particularly cumbersome, but I engineered solutions to make it work.

A significant limitation of the Greenlaw process is that the sensitized paper must be exposed within 24 hours. While I have extended this window slightly through modifications to my workflow, it remains a constraint. Given the nature of my projects and travels, I needed a process that allowed for a longer gap between sensitization and exposure.

Last year, I experimented with the tannin-based Pelegry calotype process, which, like Greenlaw’s, is a dry process. Pelegry’s method was the last major advancement in the calotype process before wet plate collodion took over. While I made it work, it proved a significant challenge, and I found it difficult to connect with. However, its shelf life—lasting 4 to 6 months compared to Greenlaw’s 24-hour limit—was impressive. Unfortunately, the trade-offs in workflow complexity were significant.

I was particularly drawn to the Le Gray process because it enhances the paper’s rigidity, potentially allowing it to be loaded into regular film holders instead of being sandwiched between glass sheets. This alone motivated me, especially when working with ultra-large format sizes such as 11×14, 14×17, and 8×20.

After thoroughly testing the process, I’m pleased to report that I have a 100% reliable waxed paper negative calotype workflow. According to Le Gray’s notes from the 1850s, the expected shelf life of sensitized paper is around 2 to 3 weeks. However, I suspect the shelf life could extend to a month or more with modern chemical purity and an improved washing protocol after sensitization. I will conduct further tests to determine the exact limits based on my workflow.

I am excited to start pre-waxing and iodizing large batches of paper to build up a stockpile. When I’m ready to create multiple calotypes, I can sensitize them and enjoy the convenience of loading them into standard film holders rather than dealing with cumbersome glass plate holders.

In the video below, I provide a behind-the-scenes look at my journey through the entire workflow, culminating in my first calotype that successfully validated both the chemistry and the process.

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There’s an interesting story behind my test negative. I had been waiting for days to complete the testing process—all that was left was to create an exposure and develop the calotype to validate my chemistry and workflow. However, the winter weather refused to cooperate. After enduring three days of frigid temperatures, I finally decided to brave the cold and step outside the darkroom to make a test exposure.

It was so bitterly cold that within less than two minutes, my fingers began to ache. The closest subject I could find was a small cedar tree I had planted a couple of years ago. My Dallmeyer 3B 290mm F/3 lens was already mounted on my 8×10 camera and ready to go. I was well aware that the 3B would vignette on 8×10, but that didn’t concern me—in fact, I often use this effect to my creative advantage.

Based on my initial calculations, I estimated a two-minute exposure at F/4. Since the Dallmeyer lens is an F/3, I decided to cut the exposure time in half and shoot for one minute. However, in the freezing cold, I overlooked a small but important detail—I had previously used the lens at F/4 and forgot to adjust it. As a result, I metered for an F/3 exposure, but the lens was still set to F/4.

Fortunately, even with this one-stop discrepancy, I ended up with a good negative. In fact, this unexpected mistake taught me something valuable—when I need a slightly thinner negative, I can confidently reduce my exposure time.

I was extremely pleased with the results. The negative showed no signs of imperfections, contamination, or technical flaws. This successful test has given me the confidence to move forward and create my best work with this process.

Chemical Evolution of the Calotype

The calotype paper negative process, invented by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1840, revolutionized early photography by introducing a method to create reproducible negatives on paper. Over the next decade, prominent European figures refined the process, each contributing significant advancements that addressed its limitations. Below is a timeline highlighting key innovations and contributors.

1840 – William Henry Fox Talbot (English)

• Invention of the Calotype Process: Talbot introduced a three-step process: iodizing, exciting, and developing paper negatives using silver nitrate, potassium iodide, acetic acid, and gallic acid.  
• While groundbreaking, Talbot’s method was complex, requiring precise timing and preparation. The unstable chemistry also posed challenges for photographers.

1847 – Because Talbot’s process was unreliable, various improvements soon emerged. Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard (1802 – 1872) presented to the public a process in which chemicals were applied to paper by immersing or floating, not by brushes. Image quality was improved tremendously. Instead of sensitizing the negative with the so-called “gallo-nitrate of silver,” which very often destroyed paper even before it was exposed, Blanquart-Evrard, in the first step, treated the paper only with silver nitrate. He used gallic acid only as a developer. Guillot-Saguez (1807-1866) fundamentally altered Talbot’s and Blanquart-Evrard’s calotypes. He remarkably simplified the process by eliminating the first silver nitrate bath. Guillot-Saguez iodized the paper, applied silver nitrate, exposed it, developed it, and fixed it. This greatly simplified the process and made it stable and repeatable. From here on, we are no longer talking about calotypes but paper negatives.

1847 – Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard (First Major Refinement) (French)

Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard (1802 – 1872) refined Talbot’s process by applying chemicals to the paper by immersing or floating, not by brushes. Image quality was improved tremendously. Instead of sensitizing the negative with the so-called “gallo-nitrate of silver,” which very often destroyed paper even before it was exposed, Blanquart-Evrard, in the first step, treated the paper only with silver nitrate. 

Blanquart-Evrard’s major contributions to the calotype process, made primarily in 1847, were pivotal in advancing photographic techniques and accessibility:

Paper Coating and Preparation Techniques:

• In 1847, Blanquart-Evrard introduced improved methods for coating photographic paper, enhancing the consistency and quality of negatives and prints. This made the calotype process more practical and accessible for photographers.

Albumenized Paper:

• He popularized the use of albumen-coated paper during the late 1840s and early 1850s, which significantly increased image sharpness and tonal range. This innovation became the standard for photographic printing in the mid-19th century.

Commercialization and Dissemination:

• In the early 1850s, Blanquart-Evrard established a photographic printing company in Lille, one of the first large-scale photographic printing operations. This enterprise helped spread photography as an artistic and scientific medium by making high-quality prints more widely available.
• Throughout the late 1840s and early 1850s, his processes emphasized reproducibility and standardization, addressing the inconsistencies of earlier methods and setting the stage for broader adoption of photography.

Blanquart-Evrard’s contributions, especially in 1847 and the years following, were instrumental in transitioning photography from a niche experimental practice to a standardized and widely used medium.

1847 – Dr. Guillot-Saguez (Simplified The Workflow – New Era of Paper Negatives)(French)

• Single-Solution Iodizing: Guillot-Saguez simplified Talbot’s two-step iodizing method, using only potassium iodide to prepare the paper. Silver nitrate was added later during the exciting stage, offering greater control.  
• Indicator Color Change: His method produced a tell-tale violet or blue tint when potassium iodide oxidized, signaling when the exciting solution had fully penetrated the paper.  
• This innovation laid the groundwork for subsequent advancements, including Gustave Le Gray’s pre-waxed paper technique.
• Technically, Guillot-Saguez refined the calotype process in a new direction, which was considered a paper negative from this point forward. 

1851 – Gustave Le Gray (French)

• Pre-Waxed Paper Process: Building on Guillot-Saguez’s simplifications, Le Gray introduced pre-waxing the paper to improve its strength and reduce light scattering.  
• Enhanced Practicality for Travel: Pre-waxed paper could be prepared in advance, transported without degradation, and developed later, making it ideal for field photography.  
• Le Gray’s process was more stable and versatile than plain calotypes, bridging the gap between the calotype and the collodion processes.

1856 – Alexander Greenlaw (Scottish)

• Adapting to Hot Climates: Greenlaw found that Guillot-Saguez’s method excelled in tropical conditions, where other processes often failed. He tweaked the chemistry to work in the hot climate of India. His name became associated with this variation, which persisted into the 20th century. 
• Greenlaw did not pre-wax the paper like Le Gray. His workflow was a dry process, and then he waxed post-mortem after the paper negative was fixed and dried. 

1860s – Pelegry Tannin Process (French)

• Tannin-Based Workflow: Pelegry introduced a tannin-modified iodizing step that extended the shelf-life of prepared calotype papers to six months or more, addressing the instability of earlier processes.
• Pyrogallic Acid Developer: Utilized pyrogallic acid in the development stage to enhance the compatibility of the tannin-modified calotypes, achieving greater control over tonal range and density.
• Significance: This adaptation provided unprecedented flexibility for photographers, who could now prepare negatives well in advance without compromising quality. The innovation particularly suited photographers working in remote locations or under time constraints.

Key Contributions and Legacy

Each contributor addressed specific limitations of Talbot’s original method:

• Blanquart-Evrard improved Talbot’s original workflow by immersing or floating the paper during sensitization versus using a brush. He also modified Talbot’s original “gallo-silver nitrate” chemistry to only be silver nitrate in the first step of the process. He is also responsible for improving paper preparation and commercialization.
• Guillot-Saguez simplified and stabilized the iodizing stage, effectively creating the paper-negative process of the Victorian era and beyond. 
• Le Gray enhanced practicality for travel with pre-waxed paper.
• Greenlaw modified the Guillot-Saguez improvements and ensured viability in extreme climates.
• Pelegry extended the shelf-life of paper negatives using a tannin method and introduced new development techniques with pyrogallic acid. 

By the late 19th century, the calotype process reached a point of chemical refinement, balancing sensitivity, stability, and practicality. These innovations highlight the collaborative and iterative nature of photographic development, transforming early photography into a more accessible and versatile medium for artists and scientists alike.