Layered negative + positive film technique

[syncrasy]

Among my father's old 4x5" negatives (circa 1950), I found an interesting assemblage in which he layered two film "negatives" together: an original negative and a positive copy of the same image (or perhaps a different exposure). He aligned them almost perfectly but slightly off register, then taped the corners to keep the layers together. The resulting image looks similar to a solarized or 3D image. I've attached a small sample of the upper left corner (those are tree branches); you can see some of the larger positive film along the edges.

Does this technique have a name?

[Popdoc]

Your father made "masks" to optimize the prints from those negatives he was making in the darkroom. Cool guy!!!


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[Jeremy Roussak]

Among my father's old 4x5" negatives (circa 1950), I found an interesting assemblage in which he layered two film "negatives" together: an original negative and a positive copy of the same image (or perhaps a different exposure). He aligned them almost perfectly but slightly off register, then taped the corners to keep the layers together. The resulting image looks similar to a solarized or 3D image. I've attached a small sample of the upper left corner (those are tree branches); you can see some of the larger positive film along the edges.

Does this technique have a name?

I used to call it "bas relief", a very long time ago.

Jeremy

[syncrasy]

Ah, yes. Bas relief! I couldn't remember the term. Thanks. Definitely an interesting effect.

[Jeremy Roussak]

It was. Almost the only other print I have from my darkroom days was a tone line. Print onto lith film (ultra-high contrast: just black or clear); contact print that; place the two exactly in register, back to back, so the emulsions are separated by the backing; clamp a third sheet underneath then illuminate from the side, on a rotating turntable. You get a line drawing, from which you make your paper print.

It took me ages in my school darkroom, back in the mid-70s. In PS, it takes a couple of clicks. Isn't technology wonderful?

Jeremy

[nirpat89]

Ah, yes. Bas relief! I couldn't remember the term. Thanks. Definitely an interesting effect.

The right image looks like the High Pass filter or the Find Edge filter in Photoshop.  Also there is one called Emboss.  Wonder if they are based on related principles.