Caffenol has garnered attention in the world of photography. Both for its unique composition and cost-effective nature. It utilizes a combination of household ingredients to develop black-and-white photographic film and paper. 

With a history dating back to the 19th century, it offers a cost-effective and accessible option for film development. For a more thorough look at this alternative developer, read on. 

Cover by Mike Kenneally

Contempiafilm

What is Caffenol?

Caffenol is an alternative film developer that uses coffee, vitamin C, and washing soda as its primary ingredients. It is a low-cost option for photographers looking to experiment with developing methods. 

It was developed by Dr. Scott Williams in an experimental photography class in 1995. He tried using tea and coffee as both are rich in tannins (phenolic acids) which help reduce the silver in photographic film and paper. 

While Caffenol may not be suitable for all photographers, it can produce an incredible range of tones. It has gained popularity among experimental photographers in recent years. Plus, It also makes your negatives and prints smell incredible. 

Why Does Coffee Work as a Developer?

Coffee contains caffeine, which acts as a developing agent. it also reduces the silver halides to metallic silver, resulting in the formation of the image on the film or paper. The presence of tannins and antioxidants also helps the development process. It does so by enhancing the images’ contrast and tonal range.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) acts as a reducing agent and promotes the formation of metallic silver. Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate) acts as a pH buffer which is necessary for the development of the silver halides. 

Immersing the film or paper in the Caffenol solution starts the chemical reactions. The caffeine and vitamin C work to reduce the silver halides, while the washing soda helps to maintain the pH level for optimal development. The exposed silver halides transform into metallic particles, turning the latent image into a visible one.

Jennifer Stamps

What is Stand Development?

Caffenol is similar to other film-developing techniques, such as stand development and semi-stand development. It involves using a highly diluted developer solution and developing the film for an extended time with minimal or no agitation. 

This method produces high contrast and sharp images. Semi-stand development is similar but with occasional agitation during the process. This can help remove air bubbles from the negative and stop any areas from not developing correctly. Either stand or semi-stand work perfectly for Caffenol photography. 

Notable Photographers Who Use Caffenol

Caffenol has gained popularity in recent years. It is better suited to photographers looking to experiment with alternative development methods. As the materials are readily available and non-toxic, it is open for anyone to use, even children. 

Tim Layton has published a book on Caffenol development techniques. Markus Hofstätter has also created a series of portraits using this alternative development.

Markus Hofstätter

Benefits and Drawbacks of Caffenol

One of the primary benefits of Caffenol is its low cost and accessibility. The ingredients are found in grocery stores, making it a cost-effective alternative method. Caffenol is also environmentally friendly, as the coffee and vitamin C are biodegradable and non-toxic.

There are also drawbacks to using Caffenol. The development time is difficult to control compared with traditional developers. This can lead to inconsistent results. Caffenol can also produce a grainier image, which may not be desirable for some photographers.