DEFECTS IN NEGATIVES AND PRINTS 531 



with a warm (not hot) flatiron. For negatives badly curled, soak in water and dry 

 with weights as described above. 



Frilling or Softening. 



1. Distinguishing Characteristic. — Emulsion at edges of negative loosened from its 

 support. Edges of negative may be corrugated. 



2. Cause. — Frilling may occur as a result of: (a) using solutions which are too 

 warm; (b) insufficient hardening of the emulsion; (c) exhausted fixing bath; {d) fixing 

 bath containing insufficient hardener; (e) too strong a fixing bath; (/) excessive wash- 

 ing, especially in warm water; or {g) careless handling. 



3. Prevention. — The manner of prevention depends upon the contributing causes, 

 (o) Keep processing solutions between 60 and 70°F. During the summer it may be 

 necessary to immerse tanks in cold water solution to which ice may be added. Ice 

 should never be added to the processing solutions, as this dilutes them and may intro- 

 duce undesirable contaminations. (6) The negatives may be hardened before process- 

 ing in a 10 per cent solution of formalin. Contributing causes (c), (d), and (e) are 

 the result of improperly prepared or improperly used fixing baths and may be eUmi- 

 nated by using properly prepared fixing baths at temperatures between 60 and 70°F. 

 (/) Ordinarily, excessive washing is not harmful if the temperature is 70°F. or less. 

 {g) Proper handling technique, involving care and cleanliness, is essential in all 

 photographic operations. 



4. Remedy. — None. 



Lint or Dust Particles. 



1. Distinguishing Characteristic. — ^Lint or dust particles adhering to the surface 

 of the negative. 



2. Cause. — Drying the negative in dust- or lint-laden atmosphere. The emulsion 

 gets tacky during drying, and at this stage particles floating in the air may easily 

 adhere to the negative, especially if this is a film. 



3. Prevention. — Clean atmosphere during drying is the best preventive, although 

 much can be done to prevent this defect by removing the surface water from the 

 negative before hanging it up to Avy. A lintless cloth or blotter or a viscose sponge 

 should be used for this purpose. The film should be blotted or patted rather than 

 rubbed with absorbent, as scratches may occur in the latter case. 



4.. Remedy. — Frequently there is no remedy for the removal of dust or lint particles, 

 and these will show up as white spots on the finished print. The situation is especially 

 serious in the case of miniature negatives from which enlarged prints are made. Some- 

 times improvement can be made by rewashing the negative in plain water and redrying 

 in a clean atmosphere. 



Pit Marks. 



1. Distinguishing Characteristic. — Fine holes or pits in the emulsion. 



2. Cause. — (a) Excessive amount of alum in the fixing bath. (6) Precipitate of 

 sulphur from the fixing bath present when the negatives are fixed in tray or tank. 

 (c) Too rapid drying of the negative. 



3. Prevention. — The prevention becomes obvious when the cause is definitely 

 determined. 



4. Remedy. — Retouching of negative or print. 



Reticulation. 



1. Distinguishing Characteristic. — Emulsion wrinkled and indented, having the 

 appearance of leatherlike grain. 



