really thin film = positive image + negative image

[jnantz]

hi there:

can anyone tell me why you can see a postive image if you hold unprintable thin negatives and look at them ( at an angle )? there is barely a visible image on the film.

i have always figured it was just something that happened when the light hit the film "funny" and it probably happens with normally exposed film, i just can't see it very well.

thanks!

john

[N Dhananjay]

When held at the right angle, the silver will reflect light while the areas without silver will allow the light to pass through. This means the areas with more silver (the highlights) will look lighter than the areas with less silver (the shadows). Hence the impression of a vague positive image. Cheers, DJ

[jnantz]

dj!

thank you very much for the explanation :)

-john

[Deniz]

and that phanamenon is exactly how an ambrotype and ferrotype image works..