Latent image

A latent image is an invisible image produced by the exposure to light of a photosensitive material such as photographic film. When photographic film is developed, the area that was exposed darkens and forms a visible image. In the early days of photography, the nature of the invisible change in the silver halide crystals of the film's emulsion coating was unknown, so the image was said to be "latent" until the film was treated with photographic developer.

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Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC0

PLATEANDFILM

The old ways of the image — ambrotype, tintype, and film-photography heritage.

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