Can I Use Vinegar As A Stop Bath In Photography? A Comprehensive Guide

Looking for an alternative to a stop bath in your film and paper development process? Instead of using a traditional stop bath, you can opt for a simple water rinse method to effectively halt the development process. Here’s how it works: After the developer stage, immerse your film or paper in a continuously flowing water bath for approximately one minute. If a continuous water source is not accessible, you can achieve similar results by filling a tray or tank with fresh water. Agitate the film or paper within the water for 20 to 30 seconds, then discard the water and repeat this rinsing process three times. This alternative method will help you achieve the desired development control without the need for a stop bath solution.

Subject: Creating a Homemade Stop Bath Using Citric and Acetic Acid

In order to prepare a homemade stop bath solution using a combination of citric and acetic acid, you’ll first need to create a 28% stock solution of acetic acid. This can be achieved by blending 3 parts of glacial acetic acid with 8 parts of distilled water. For practicality, I typically mix approximately 16 ounces at a time, which equates to 4.5 ounces of acid combined with 12 ounces of distilled water. This solution serves as a crucial component in the stop bath process for photography development.