1. EachPod

How does *color* film photography work??

Author
Bleav + For Your Life
Published
Thu 24 Jul 2025
Episode Link
https://bleav.com/shows/chemistry-for-your-life/?post_type=gp_podcast_episode&p=368

In this continuation of our two-part series, Melissa and Jam dive into the intriguing chemistry behind color film and Polaroid photography. The episode picks up from the previous discussion on black and white film, focusing on color theory and how it applies to both traditional and instant photography. Listeners will learn about the science of additive and subtractive colors, how multiple layers of dye-sensitized silver halide work together to capture images, and the unique processes involved in developing these images. For those fascinated by the intersection of chemistry and photography, this episode is a must-listen.


00:00 Introduction and Recap

01:42 Understanding Color Theory

05:08 Additive and Subtractive Colors

07:00 Color Photography Basics

08:45 Film Development Process

13:03 Negative and Positive Images

17:33 Practical Applications and Examples

23:28 Understanding Negative Images in Photography

24:26 Principles of Color Photography

25:22 Exploring Color Negatives and Filters

27:14 Layers and Sensitizers in Color Film

29:51 The Development Process of Color Film

34:22 Introduction to Polaroid Photography

35:20 The Chemistry Behind Polaroid Development

40:06 Fascination with Photography and Color Theory

40:50 Favorite Black and White TV Shows

44:12 Closing Remarks and Community Shoutouts


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References from this episode:



  1. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/epdf/10.1021/ed052p622?ref=article_openPDF

  2. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00400

  3. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/10.1021/ed081p694

  4. https://edu.rsc.org/experiments/making-a-photographic-print-using-silver-chloride/454.article

  5. https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/articlesbytopic/metals%20and%20nonmetals/chemmatters-feb2006-digital-photo.pdf

  6. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rolf-Steiger/publication/279964154_CHEMICAL_SENSITIZATION_OF_SILVER_BROMIDE/links/5a7d8b55aca272341aef2f6f/CHEMICAL-SENSITIZATION-OF-SILVER-BROMIDE.pdf

  7. https://www.acs.org/education/celebrating-chemistry-editions/2024-ncw/chemistry-of-polaroids.html

  8. https://cen.acs.org/articles/87/i12/Instant-Film.html

  9. https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/land-instant-photography.html

  10. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/epdf/10.1021/ed051p72?ref=article_openPDF





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