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How to Use an Enlarger for Negatives

Photographic enlargers are used to magnify 35mm film negatives to create contact sheets or prints. Old enlargers tend to be large in size, requiring an entire tabletop for proper use. New models are streamlined and much smaller by comparison. The advent of digital photography has made the enlargement process mostly obsolete, but the machines are still used by students and film loyalists.

Things You'll Need

35mm film negative
Canned air
White paper
Photographic paper
Easel

Instructions

- 1
  Place your negative into the enlarger's negative carrier so the emulsion side faces up -- the shiny side should be facing down. The carrier is located just above the accordion-style bellows on most enlargers. Clean the negative of dust or dirt with canned air.
- 2
  Insert a piece of plain white paper into your easel and place it under the head of the enlarger.
- 3
  Move the lens aperture ring, located on the underside of the head, to f/8. This lens opening provides optimal image quality in the resulting print.
- 4
  Turn on the enlarger's lamp to project the negative onto the paper. Fit the negative into the frame of your easel, using the head adjustment knobs to the side of the enlarger.
- 5
  Bring the image into sharp focus using the enlarger's focusing knob. Avoid disturbing any of the adjustment knobs once proper focus is achieved.
- 6
  Turn off the lamp and replace the sheet of white paper with a sheet of photographic paper. Reposition the easel beneath the enlarger head.
- 7
  Check that the room is as dark as possible, to ensure proper exposure of the photographic paper. Turn off all interior lights and cover any windows.
- 8
  Switch the lamp on. Expose the photographic paper for the time recommended by the manufacturer.
- 9
  Remove the paper from the easel and continue the printmaking process.

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