CROSS-PROCESSING Cross-processing (also known as 'x-pro') is the procedure of deliberately processing one type of film in a chemical solution intended for another type of film. As particular chemical solutions are optimized for specific kinds of film, you will get unpredictable and interesting results when they are combined differently. Before anything else, let us tell you about the different chemicals used for the 2 most common types of consumer film.
Colour negative film uses C-41 chemicals for processing. You will get negatives as a result of this type of processing.
Colour slide film (also known as 'reversal' or 'transparency' film) uses E-6 chemicals for processing. You will get slides as a result of this type of processing. Think of slides as the slides that your grandparents used for slide projectors to bore everyone with their photos from their last vacation!
Now comes the fun part. When you cross-process, you use the chemicals for colour negative film with your colour slide films, and vice-versa. So, when you crossprocess colour negative film you process it using E-6 chemicals. And when you cross-process Slide film you process it using C-41 chemicals.
Cross-processing
Colour negative film in slide film chemicals (E-6) generally yields soft, subtle and
grainy results. A little art-house, a little lo-fi, it's the intimate face of cross-processing. Each particular film brand and emulsion will give different shifts in color, alternate levels of contrast, and disparate proportions of sheer insanity. Browse through the dedicated
film galleries for a small glimpse at the signature looks and grand possibilities by brand. Here a few examples to give you an idea!
If you cross-process your slide film in C-41 chemicals, the results are shocking (in a good way!!). The entire colour balance and contrast level of your images is thrown out of whack. Photos turn out saturated or with high contrast and you might get all kinds of other unexpected results as well! Different slide films have different characteristics when cross-processed. Some turn out more yellow or more green while
others turn purple or red.
Here are a few examples of the results you can achieve with this kind of
cross-processing.
The best thing about
cross processing is the element of surprise. Try as you may, it is nearly impossible
to predict exactly what effect cross processing will have on your images. But this is where the fun lies. Every roll of film you develop is like a box of rabid hamsters. You never know what you're gonna get!
http://www.crossprocessing.info/