Many chemical photography processes are expensive when it comes to adding up the costs of materials needed to create them. This is before the necessary camera equipment, darkroom, and other apparatus are accounted for.
There are quite a few photographic processes you can try that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Either because the materials and apparatus are readily available, or you don’t need a lot of expensive gear to make them. Below you'll find the least expensive chemical photography processes.
Cover photo by Anuj Gogari
Chutipon Pattanatitinon
Cyanotype Printing
Cyanotype is a simple and affordable alternative printing process. It uses a light-sensitive iron-based solution coated onto paper or fabric, resulting in blue-tinted prints. Cyanotype requires minimal equipment and inexpensive chemicals, making it a more budget-friendly option.
This chemical photography process uses affordable chemicals, although you won't find them at home. These are ammonium iron (III) citrate and potassium ferricyanide. The process is created on a variety of surfaces, including paper and fabric. You can use anything which provides flexibility and affordability. Cyanotype kits are available, making them accessible to beginners and hobbyists.
Bertha Evelyn Jaques - Untitled, c. 1900, cyanotype
Salted Paper Printing
Salted paper printing is an early photographic process that produces sepia-toned prints. It involves coating paper with a light-sensitive solution of salt and silver nitrate and exposing it to UV light. While the process requires special chemicals and preparation, it is inexpensive compared to other historical processes.
The cost of salt and silver nitrate is low, making it an affordable option. However, the process may need some specialized chemicals and careful handling techniques.
Hill & Adamson - James Ballantine, Dr George Bell and David Octavius Hill. a salt print from acalotypepaper negative, c. 1844
Van Dyke Brown Printing
Van Dyke Brown printing is a contact printing process that uses a light-sensitive iron-based solution. Through this, it creates brown-toned prints. It is simple and requires minimal equipment and affordable chemicals.
The materials required, including ferric ammonium citrate and silver nitrate, are generally affordable. The process can be done on various surfaces, allowing for flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
Indra Moonen
Photograms
Photograms are created by placing objects directly onto photosensitive paper or film and exposing them to light. The process requires minimal equipment and without a camera. It is a cost-effective method of creating unique, cameraless images.
The light-sensitive paper can be store-bought or made at home. Objects in and around the house are used for creating shapes or patterns. The cost is relatively low, making it an affordable option for cameraless photography.
Anna Atkins - Cyanotype photograms of Festuca grasses
Disposable Film Cameras
Disposable film cameras are inexpensive, pre-loaded cameras that offer a simple and accessible way to capture images on film. They come with fixed lenses and limited controls, making them a budget-friendly option for film photography.
These are specifically designed to be affordable and accessible. They come pre-loaded with film and are used once before disposal or sent for film processing. The image quality may not match that of higher-end cameras. They do provide a budget-friendly option for capturing photos on film.
bady abbas
Lomography
Lomography refers to a style of photography characterized by the use of inexpensive, plastic cameras. These are styled on vintage Russian cameras such as the Lomo LC-A. It embraces light leaks, and vignetting to create artistic and unpredictable images.
Lomography embraces a style of photography that values spontaneity and the unique qualities of inexpensive cameras. Lomo cameras, such as the Lomo LC-A, are affordable and widely available. The company encourages creative expression and embraces the imperfections that these cameras often produce.
Beni Rivas - Photo of Madrid
Toy Camera Photography
Toy cameras, such as 35mm film cameras made of plastic, are low-cost options that produce distinctive and often dreamy images. They have simple lenses and limited controls but offer creative opportunities.
Their basic parts, limited controls, and light leaks add to their charm. Toy cameras provide an affordable entry point into the world of film photography. They also offer opportunities for creative experimentation.
Fisheye-lens photo of Wakayama Castle
DIY Pinhole Cameras
Building a pinhole camera using inexpensive materials is a cost-effective way to experiment. It's a great way to break into the pinhole photography process. It allows for creative exploration and learning about the fundamentals of photography.
Making one is simple using everyday materials such as cardboard, tape, and aluminum foil can be a cost-effective way to explore pinhole photography. These homemade cameras need minimal investment and the lack of lenses and intricate mechanisms reduces costs. They offer a hands-on learning experience while producing intriguing and artistic images.
Ewan McGregor - An example of a 20-minute exposure taken with a pinhole camera
Camera Obscura
The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an external scene onto a surface. While it is not a traditional photography process, it serves as the foundation for understanding the principles of image formation. It is easily created with simple materials.
You don't even need to make something, as a darkened room, a small hole or aperture, and a surface to project the image are enough. The cost is minimal, making it an accessible tool for learning about light and optics, especially for kids.
Gampe - An image of the New Royal Palace at Prague Castle projected onto an attic wall by a hole in the tile roofing