What are the best ingredients for film soup?
What’s great about the film soup technique is how it is a do-it-yourself project. There are no strict rules when it comes to creating a film soup recipe. You are the captain of your film soup journey.
However, there are key liquid ingredients that most experienced film soup enthusiasts gravitate towards. Think of water, cola, juice, wine, beer, coffee, contact lens solution, vinegar, soy sauce, to name a few. Keep in mind that film soups produce interesting results when an ingredient with some acidity is present in the mix. These are the staple liquids that usually bring about interesting results when mixed with other substances. They are all unique in their own ways and can stand the test of time.
With film soups, you can build your repertoire as you go, gradually experimenting more and more, and diving deep into the immersive experience of it all. Allow your imagination to go wild and keep brewing those creative soups! Who knows what you’ll come up with next.




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Can you soup black and white film?
Yes, black and white film can be souped. As with color negative and slide film, Black and White films have layers that can be manipulated through the use of chemicals and various substances to produce weird and wonderful images.
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Should you do film soup before or after shooting?
Film soup can be done either before and after shooting a roll of film. Allowing drying time for the film is necessary in both cases.
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Can you soup 110 film?
Yes, it is possible. Film soups can be done with all film formats, from instant photographs to 120. However, you would need to take a different approach and work with a 110 film specific developing reel.
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Can you soup 120 film?
Yes, 120 (Medium format) film can undergo film soup. All film formats – 35 mm, 110, 120, and instant film – can be souped. The best practice for souping 120 film would be to fully utilize the developing tank reel to ensure an evenly distributed film soup result.
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How long should I soup my film for?
The duration of your film soup is totally up to you. There are no set rules in place for how long you should soup your film for. It all depends on the kind of results you’d like to produce with your images. Feel free to experiment and explore!
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How to dry my film soup quickly?
Soak, Rinse, and Dry. These steps are instrumental to executing a successful film soup. Once your film has been rinsed, go to a completely dark space and use a hair dryer (set to moderate intensity) to dry out the film. You should be in total darkness while doing this so as to not run the risk of any light leaks in your image.
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Why does my photo lab refuse to develop my film soup?
Labs may be concerned with the possible malfunction and destruction of their equipment when dealing with film rolls that have been souped.
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Can I give my film soup to a lab?
Some labs will accept souped film, but this is not always the case. The chemical residue from your film soup could potentially damage lab equipment and other people’s film. For this reason you should always inform the lab of the film soup, and give details of the chemicals and elements used.
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Can you soup film after development?
Yes, it is possible to do a film soup once your film has been developed. It is not common, however it is a technique that can still be done and produce unique results.