As terms used within the photographic
community can vary, we designed this quick list of “definitions”
to help our customers familiarize themselves with A&I’s
language. For your convenience, definitions are grouped into
categories. Follow the links below to learn more:
General
A&I
Prepaid Mailers
A&I offers prepaid mailers directly as well as through
a partnership with B&H Photo Video Pro Audio in New York.
A&I Mailers offer clients a substantial discount on processing
as well as free return shipping.
D-Max
The darkest exposure area on the film (e.g., the black).
Density
Measure of how dark or light a negative or transparency is
as a result of exposure.
Negative
A negative image on film. Associated with color negative and
B&W films.
Proof
Print
Prints ordered at the time of processing. Available in a range
of sizes, the most common being 4x6 or 5x5.
Reprint
Individual prints made after processing. Available in a range
of sizes.
Transparency,
Slide or Chrome
A positive image on film. Associated with slide films.
Overexposure
A condition where too much light was allowed to reach the
film during initial exposure. Overexposed negatives will be
dense, whereas overexposed transparencies will appear washed
out.
Underexposure
A condition where not enough light was allowed to reach the
film during initial exposure. Underexposed negatives will
be thin, whereas underexposed transparencies will be dark.
top
Chemistry
C41
C41 is the chemistry used to process color negative film and
C41-process B&W film. Film requiring C41 processing is
usually labeled “C41 process” on the side of the
canister, film label or box.
E6
E6 is the chemistry used to process color transparency film.
Film requiring E6 processing is usually labeled “Process
E6” on the side of the canister, film label or box.
K14
Chemistry used to process Kodachrome. A&I discontinued
processing Kodachrome, but refer clients to Dwayne's
Photo.
Scala
Scala (B&W transparency film) utilizes a proprietary processing
chemistry manufactured by Agfa. A&I does not process Scala,
but refers clients to Main
Photo & Imaging Service for Scala processing.
Xtol
& D76
Xtol and D76 are the two most common chemistries for processing
B&W film. A&I uses Xtol.
top
Contact
Sheets
B&W
Contact Sheet
A&I’s B&W contact sheets are produced on 8-1/2x11
paper. Each roll of processed film is analyzed to determine
best exposure before the contact sheet is made. The times
associated with our proprietary development and print process
help render a unique range of tones.
Type
C Contact Sheet (Color Negative Contact Sheet)
A&I’s Type C contact sheets are produced on 11x14
paper. These are standard color contact sheets featuring negative
strips from one roll of film. Type C contact sheets have a
black background.
Enlarged
B&W Contact Sheets
B&W enlarged contact sheets are printed traditionally
via an enlarger in a darkroom on matte or glossy RC paper.
They are then hand washed and air dried.
Digital
Proof Sheets
Digitally generated proof sheets offer the ability to proof
digital files from most media or create enlarged contact sheets
from C41 and E6. Printed with either a black or white background
with rich color and superior quality, these proof sheets can
be presented in any number of views, from 2 to a page to 40
to a page.
top
Finishing
Services (Negatives & Transparencies)
Imprinting
Imprinting involves putting lines of text onto a slide mount.
A&I can put up to six lines of 21 characters each on a
slide mount.
Mounting
Transparencies
Mounting transparencies involves cutting processed film into
individual images and placing each image into a cardboard
mount.
Numbering
Numbering involves application of sequential numbers to slide
mounts within a given roll.
Paging
Negatives
Paging a roll of film means the negatives cut into strips
by a hand-operated machine and then inserted into archival
plastic file pages for storage. For large orders, A&I
will page negatives or transparencies by hand. Prices are
quoted on a per-job basis.
Sleeving
Negatives / Transparencies
Sleeving negatives or transparencies means that the film is
returned uncut in a long protective sleeve. Photographers
who need to scan an entire roll of film often request that
the film be returned sleeved.
Slide
Pockets
Slide pockets are archival plastic file pages in which mounted
transparencies are placed. A&I will put any roll of mounted
E6 film into slide pockets.
Stacking
Negatives
When customers order B&W processing services, we return
the negatives stacked in a glassine. As B&W negatives
are more fragile than color negatives or transparencies, this
helps ensure that the negatives endure minimal handling.
top
Prints
Type
C Print
Custom print made from a negative. A variety of borders are
available; outer-most borders are white (unless print is bleed).
Digital
Type C Print
Digital Type-C Prints are true photographic Type-C prints
made from digital files. At A&I, Digital Type-C’s
are made with a truly amazing digital enlarger/printer called
a Lightjet. The Lightjet takes a digital file and uses a digital
enlarger (rather than a traditional, optical darkroom enlarger)
in a high-tech process that utilizes an extremely fine laser
to expose traditional Type-C photographic paper. The paper
is then developed in traditional darkroom chemistry.
Custom
Print / Enlargement
Custom prints are made by hand or using digital enlargers.
Custom prints include burning, dodging, color compensation
and desired cropping.
Duratrans
Print
A Duratrans print is a backlite print often used in product
displays. Duratrans prints are often positioned behind product
counters (e.g., cosmetics, auto parts, etc.) and lit from
behind.
Exhibition
Exhibition prints involve ultra critical color matching or
extremely difficult printing requirements. They are enlarged
either by hand or digital enlarger (depending type of print
requested), then color corrected, and burned and dodged as
required.
Machine
Print / Reprint
Machine reprints include basic color compensation but do not
include cropping. They are made by print machines rather than
by hand. A variety of borders are available.
Metalic
Print
Metalic prints are made on a Kodak paper that gives off a
metallic cast. Whites tend to appear slightly silver.
Super
Glossy Print
Super Glossy prints are made on a plastic-based paper whose
surface is similar to Cibachrome.
top
Pushing
/ Pulling
Push
Processing
Giving film a longer-than-normal processing time to compensate
for under-exposure. This is most critical for transparency
film. Pushing makes slide film lighter and negative film more
dense.
Pull
Processing
Giving film a shorter-than-normal processing time to compensate
for over-exposure. This is most critical with transparency
film. Pulling makes slide film darker and negative film thinner.
top
Reproduction
Addl’s
The term “add’ls” refers to multiple prints
from the same negative frame, transparency frame or digital
file, e.g., 24 copies of one image.
Dupe
A copy of an original transparency, photo or rendering.
Flat
Art
Any print, drawing or rendering in flat form. A&I is able
to scan flat art and create slides from the digital files.
top
Snips
Snip
Test
Any length of film less than a full roll that is processed
to determine how the balance of the roll should be processed.
Snips are usually one (120), two (220) or three frames (135),
but A&I can do a snip of any length and at any processing
speed.
Balance
The remainder of a roll of film from which a snip has been
processed.
Balance
Box
A 4x5 box that holds a snipped film balance. Balance boxes
are taped shut and should never be opened in the light.
Judge
and Run
When a client asks an A&I employee to judge their film
and run the balance according to their judgment.
Running
a Balance
Processing snipped film after judging the snip for exposure.
top
