Make Your Own Dichroic Solution

What's a dichroic solution? Learn more about this colorful liquid, why it is important to photography, and how to make your own at home in this episode of Darkroom Magic!
Generous support for this talk provided by Art Bridges.
This video has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: NEH CARES.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this video, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

[@Nisfornarwhal1990]

Does anyone know if there are variations of the red/green colour set that can be derived naturally? An alternative to green leaves maybe?

[@andhewonders]

I would say different leaves would give different shades.

[@orecchiedilupo]

I love watching your video! Is this the Edmond Becquerel 's chlorophyll dye ? A video about early pioneers like Cros or Luois Docus and Heliochrome wuold be great !

[@nickbrandreth]

Braun, Vogel and Ives first used this with collodion in the 1870's

[@davidhjortnaes2000]

Wonder if spinach would be darker?

[@nickbrandreth]

Spinach would work, give it a try.. Remember if the solution is too dark. Just dilute it with extra alcohol.

[@clementpontier6379]

Would it work with spinach leaves?

[@benjaminpeters7184]

sorry if this is a dumb question, but is it the same dichroic found on glass for glass blowing ? I've been trying to figure out how to make my own and there's no definitive video that seems to answer the question

[@mihaiilie8808]

Rare earths oxides.

[@missparadise879]

They use a vacuum for real dichro

[@calvinf9218]

Now, if mix this with collodion, will it be sensitive to green light?

[@nickbrandreth]

In theory it could work, Give it a try! But there are superior modern dyes that might work a little better.

[@Kitsaplorax]

@@nickbrandreth I remember from an old photo chemistry book c. 1910 that chlorophyll dyes don't store well. You'd need to use the emulsion fairly quickly after making it.

[@nickbrandreth]

@@Kitsaplorax Gordon, I wouldn’t use this for an emulsion, There are better dyes to use. This is more of just something that’s neat to look at.

[@Kyle-sg4rm]

It would be great if this video went into more detail about its historical use in photography and how you might go about replicating it. I wonder if pumpkin seed oil was ever used in photography for its dichroism? Copper nanoparticles in glass can create a dichroic filter. Silver and gold nanoparticles can also. And maybe transparent materials, other than glass, can be used?

[@colorsmith5569]

Incredible

[@joshhyyym]

I didn't know that chlorophyll was dichroic, interesting.

[@maxmustermann5353]

You could use olive oil instead. It contains a bit of chlorophyll too.