Foraged Developers
Film developing is chemically intensive and environmentally destructive. Chemicals such as Silver Halide, Sodium Carbonate, borax and Sodium Sulfite leach into the soil and water systems ending up in our drinking water and rivers. Silver if not disposed of correctly is considered toxic to soil microorganisms and avian and mammalian species. Its adverse impacts include reduced growth and reproduction and increased mortality.
The film industry must change to mitigate the ecological damage. The below images are created by taking multiple exposures on medium format fomipan 200. Developing them in plant based developers made from Pine Needles, Blackberry and Hawthorn and fixing for 48 hours in a salt water solution.
