Developers:

In terms of developers and the way they are used, there is a range of factors that affect the final out come of the image tones.

Selection: The developer used is one factor and Manufacturers make a range. Agfa for instance produces:

• Neutol BA which is a Blue/black toned developer
• Neutol NE which is a neutral toned developer
• Neutol WA which is a warm toned developer

Developer Temperature: Like any photographic process, developers at higher temperatures tend to work more quickly and have a tendency to produce more contrast in the image, while developers at a lower temperature have the reverse affect.

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Developer Dilution:  The dilution the developer is used at also has an influence. Lower dilutions like 1-3, produce stronger developers that tend to work more quickly and have a tendency to produce more contrast in the image, while higher dilutions like 1-10 take much longer to work, but produce much softer working developers that lower the contrast.

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Developer Condition: 
Fresh newly mixed developers also produce more contrast in the image, but in some circumstances, developers that have been worked for sometime produce prints that tone better. Keeping tonal consistency between prints particularly those to be toned means keeping the chemicals at a similar state. Exhausted and oxidized developers tend to work poorly and should discarded.
 
 

Developing Time: The length of time the print is in the developer also affects the print. Generally the manufactures guidelines are adequate but some photographers might prefer to leave a certain print in longer than recommended. The first areas of a print to develop are the darker areas or those that had the most exposure. In some prints, the highlight areas take a long time to develop up and extending the print development time can bring out some fine tones that would other wise be lost.

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Two Bath Developers: Some photographers even use two bath developers. For instance, as the darker areas develop first they might use a more concentrated warm developer for the first part of the development time, then place the print in a wash, and then into a cool toned soft working developer to bring up the last areas of the high lights. This process will also become more enhance by the affects of Toning.