How to Develop Film with Coffee

What do coffee and film photography have in common? More than you might think.

Caffenol, an alternative film developer made with coffee, vitamin C, and washing soda, has been a part of experimental photography since the 1990s. The technique was pioneered through research by Dr. Scott Williams at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), making it a particularly fitting subject for a collaboration between Whole Latte Love and the George Eastman Museum’s Community and Volunteer Liaison, Vivian Rivers.

To explore this connection between coffee, photography, and sustainability, we teamed up with Rivers, to experiment with developing film using Whole Latte Love coffee. Leading up to the project, the George Eastman Museum, Whole Latte Love and other local photography groups hosted a “Cameras and Coffee” Photowalk also led by Rivers. There we took most of the photos developed using this recipe, as well as a few photos of the coffee sorting process itself after the event.

For this project, we used defective coffee beans that would otherwise have limited use, turning them into an unexpected ingredient in the photographic process. Combined with vitamin C and sodium carbonate (commonly known as washing soda), the coffee creates a developer capable of processing film similarly to traditional dark room processes that typically require some pretty harsh chemicals.

Caffenol offers an accessible entry point into alternative film development, using ingredients that are relatively easy to find and giving photographers a more hands-on approach to the process. It's also an opportunity to rethink how we use everyday materials and explore more environmentally conscious approaches to traditional darkroom practices. A guiding principle between Rivers' alternative concepts and Whole Latte Love's approach to coffee is to try everything and experiment often, and this experiment was a great collaboration of these shared values. 

In this guide, we'll walk through the materials, recipe, and process we used to develop a roll of Kodak Tri-X 35mm black-and-white film with Whole Latte Love coffee.

Materials You'll Need

Before getting started, gather your materials and make sure you have a clean, organized workspace. As with making coffee, consistency matters: measurements, temperature, timing, and technique can all influence the final result.

Caffenol Developer Ingredients

• 40 grams of coffee: We used Whole Latte Love coffee beans that were rejected through the SOVDA Pearl Mini, a coffee sorter that rejects quakers, burnt beans, stones, and damaged coffee to ensure that every bag of coffee produced is exactly the same.

Note: We ground this coffee to a Turkish grind size so access to an espresso grinder is vital in this recipe. Luckily, there are plenty of grinder options that can achieve this grind size on Whole Latte Love. 

• 8 grams of Vitamin C: Used as part of the developing chemistry.
• 34 grams of Sodium carbonate (washing soda): Helps create the alkaline conditions needed for the developer to work.
• 2 ounces of Photographic Fixer: Used to dissolve the silver halides so the developed image won’t change when exposed to light.
• Water: Used to prepare the developer, stop development, and rinse the film. Access to a sink is suggested here.

Film Development Equipment

• Roll of Kodak Tri-X 35mm black-and-white film
• Dark bag or access to a completely dark darkroom
• Film opener or bottle opener
• Scissors
• Film reel and paterson developing tank
• Scale
• Pitchers or other suitable measuring vessels
• Stirring utensil
• Thermometer
• Kettle, stovetop, or other means of warming water
• Timer
• Protective gloves
• Access to an appropriate facility for disposing of used fixer

The Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace and Equipment

Start by laying out your materials so everything is within reach. Film development is a timed process, and having your equipment ready will help you work efficiently once you begin. Prepare your coffee developer ingredients, water, tank, reel, and fixer. You'll also want to establish the temperature and timing you'll use throughout the process. Think of it like dialing in an espresso recipe: small changes in temperature, timing, and preparation can affect the outcome.

It is also good to ensure you are in a space with plenty of room and air circulation if you are experimenting somewhere that is not a designated dark room. In our case, we were in an open space near a warehouse door with more than a 5 ft distance away from any object. 

Step 2: Load the Film in Complete Darkness

Because undeveloped film is light-sensitive, this step must take place in a traditional darkroom or a completely dark film-changing bag.

Using a film opener, carefully remove the film from its canister. Use scissors to trim the film leader if necessary, then load the film onto the developing reel. Make sure the film is seated correctly and evenly spaced on the reel. Improper loading can cause the film to stick together, preventing the developer from reaching the entire surface evenly. This can honestly take a bit of time to master so it is important to practice ahead of time with some exposed film in the light.

Once the film is loaded, place the reel inside the developing tank and secure the lid. In this example shown we used a Paterson tank but we suggest using the equipment you feel most comfortable with. Check that the tank is light-tight by listening for the audible click that occurs when the top is locked into place before bringing it out into the light.

Step 3: Prepare the Caffenol Developer

Most Caffenol Developer recipes you will see all include instant coffee due to its ability to fully and immediately dissolve in water along with all of the compounds required to develop film. Our goal here was to share a recipe where instant coffee or access to espresso and some math calculations are not completely necessary, and we don’t have to waste our tasty coffee while doing so.

For our experiment, we measured out 40 grams of rejected Whole Latte Love Colombian Cundinamarca coffee. Although most of what is rejected within the sorting process are semi-quakers, this coffee still has all the compounds necessary to develop film, specifically in this case, caffeic acid.

One key thing to note here is that all of our acids are present in (and in a very high concentration in most cases) this coffee and only rejected due to a lower concentration of sugars through the underdeveloped nature of the coffee cherry.

While the coffee provides the high concentration of compounds that contribute to the film-developing reaction, the vitamin C and washing soda help create the chemical conditions needed for development.

We took the 40 grams of rejected coffee and ground it to a Turkish grind size to ensure we get as much soluble substances as possible. While caffeic acid is more soluble at high temperatures, there is no need to heat your water to extract enough of the compound for this process which makes it less time consuming.

Combine the ingredients, ensuring that the coffee is dissolved using agitation and brought back to the temperature of 77 degrees F (which is where you can save a bit of time by not heating up your water). We achieved this by using our Varia Aura kettle set to 104 degrees fahrenheit and the solution cool to the desired temperature.

This process can vary depending on the roast level and variety of coffee used. Caffeic acid can decompose during the roasting process since it is a fairly volatile compound, so to summarize, the lighter the roast, the better chance you have to create a suitable developer, the darker the roast, you could run into some issues or you will need to use heat to get a better extraction of the compounds needed.

Temperature is especially important in film development because it can change the rate of the chemical reaction and affect the final negatives.

Step 4: Develop the Film

With your film safely inside the sealed tank and your developer at the correct temperature, you're ready to begin.

Pour the Caffenol developer into the tank and start your timer.

For the process demonstrated during our session, the agitation routine was:

• Agitate continuously or according to your tank's instructions for the initial 30 seconds.
• After the initial agitation, agitate for 5 seconds every 30 seconds of the process.
• Continue for the full development time of 10 minutes and 30 seconds.
• Once the development time is complete, pour the used developer out of the tank.

Step 5: Rinse the Tank and Stop Development

After pouring out the developer, rinse the tank with water at least twice to remove residual coffee and developer from the tank.

Next, fill the tank with fresh water to act as a stop bath. In this case we used a BWT Bestmax Premium filtered water with approximately 70 PPM GH and 50 PPM KH although in testing, the water during this process did not affect the overall outcome. This is not to say it won't be a factor in some extreme circumstances if your water does contain a large amount of minerals, so the safer choice here is to use distilled water if possible. 

Agitate for the first 30 seconds, followed by approximately 5 seconds of agitation every 30 seconds. Do this step for four minutes to ensure the development has stopped.

Step 6: Fix the Film

Once development has stopped, it's time to fix the film. Fixer removes the remaining light-sensitive silver halides, making the developed image stable enough to be viewed in normal light.

For our process, we used standard photographic fixer diluted at a ratio of 2 ounces of fixer to 8 ounces of water, following a four minute fixing period.

During fixing, we used the same agitation routine: an initial 30 seconds of agitation, followed by approximately 5 seconds every 30 seconds.

Once the film has been properly fixed, dispose of your fixer (refer to Step 8) or keep it to re-use.

Step 7: Wash and Dry Your Film

After fixing, thoroughly wash the film to remove residual processing chemicals. During our development process, Rivers washed the film for approximately 10 minutes.

Once washed, carefully remove the film from the reel and hang it in a clean, dust-free area to dry. Avoid touching the image area of the negatives while they're wet.

After the film has dried, you'll be ready to inspect your negatives and scan or print the images.

In our example, you can see that there is a bit of dust and hair since we were not conducting the experiment in a controlled environment, which in our opinion, also gives it its special characteristics.

Step 8: Handle and Dispose of Materials Responsibly

One of the motivations behind this project was to explore alternative approaches to darkroom chemistry. However, alternative developers don't eliminate the need for responsible chemical handling and disposal.

Wear appropriate protective gloves, avoid contact with processing solutions, and follow the safety guidance for every ingredient and product you use.

Most importantly, never pour used photographic fixer down the drain. Fixer can contain dissolved silver, which requires appropriate collection and disposal. Keep used fixer in a clearly labeled, suitable container and take it to an approved collection facility. In Rochester, residents can consult Monroe County's EcoPark for current guidance on accepted materials and disposal procedures.

Final Thoughts

Developing film with coffee is a reminder that creativity often comes from looking at familiar materials in unfamiliar ways.

Through our collaboration with Vivian Rivers and the George Eastman Museum, we explored Caffenol as both a photographic technique and an example of experimental thinking. If you have ever watched me on our YouTube channel, you would know that is right up my alley. By repurposing rejected coffee beans, we found another potential use for a material that might otherwise go to waste.

For photographers interested in exploring analog processes, Caffenol can be an intriguing place to start. It offers an opportunity to get more involved in the process of making a photograph, learn about the chemistry behind film development, and experiment with alternatives to conventional darkroom developers.

If you'd like to explore more environmentally conscious photographic practices, Rivers recommends Sustainable Darkroom, a UK-based nonprofit focused on ecologically responsible darkroom practices, as well as The Analog Cookbook, an independent publication featuring alternative photographic processes and recipes.

As creatives here at Whole Latte Love, we're always interested in the many ways coffee connects people, disciplines, and creative pursuits. Most of the time that connection happens in the cup. Other times, it helps bring a photograph to life.

Photo Gallery

Photography by Quinton Marchand · Tap or click any photo to see it full size

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