FILM

The chemical component in a traditional camera is film. A collection of tiny light-sensitive grains, are spread on the film (a strip of plastic) These grains will undergo a chemical reaction when exposed to light.

After a certain amount of photographs, the film roll is ready for developing. The film with the grains will be exposed to different chemicals.

In black and white film, the developer chemicals darken the grains that were exposed to light. This produces a negative, where lighter areas appear darker and darker areas appear lighter, which is then converted into a positive image in printing.

Color film has three different layers of light-sensitive materials, which respond, in turn, to red, green and blue. When the film is developed, these layers are exposed to chemicals that dye the layers of film. When you overlay the color information from all three layers, you get a full-color negative.

But in order to get a decent picture you need to control the exposure of light on your film. The following things are important for a camera with a film roll.

1. The film has to be kept in the dark before developing.
2. You have to precisely control the amount of light that hits the film.

If there is to few light on the grains of the film, you're picture will come out too black, and vice versa.