The Magic of Film Souping

One of the joys of shooting film is how it refuses to behave. You can meter perfectly, focus carefully, and still get a surprise when the negatives come back. Film souping takes that unpredictability and makes it the whole point.

If you’ve never tried it, film souping is basically dunking your roll in weird stuff from the kitchen and seeing what happens. Citrus, cola, wine, beer, herbs…you name it, someone has probably tried it (and that someone is probably me!).

The results can be dreamy or chaotic, sometimes both. Streaks, flares, unexpected colour shifts, it’s like handing your film over to chance (or the gods of household cleaning products).

One of my favourite “recipes” is the classic Caffenol. Yes, you can literally develop your negatives in instant coffee. It’s eco-friendlier than traditional chemistry, and honestly, the smell makes my kitchen feel more like a café than a darkroom (don’t mix up the mugs).

Here’s a simple version I’ve used:

Caffenol Recipe

• 16g instant coffee (the cheaper the better, save the good stuff for drinking)

• 8g washing soda (sodium carbonate, not baking soda)

• 1g vitamin C powder (crush a tablet if you have to)

• 300ml water

Mix it all, stir it, and you’ve got developer. Just like with everyday chemistry, develop your film at around 20°C, agitate occasionally, and watch the magic happen. The negatives come out with a soft, grainy look, moody and almost cinematic.

I love Caffenol because it captures everything I adore about film souping: it’s resourceful, it’s messy, and it feels like you’re part scientist, part artist, part witch brewing up a potion.

I’m putting some of my favourite soups and experiments together in a new zine. It’ll be part recipe book, part photo diary, because nothing says “serious photography” like a roll of film soaked in beer and herbs.

For me, film souping is a reminder not to take it all too seriously. The best images aren’t always the perfect ones; they’re the ones that surprise you.