# Nigella sativa: a possible photo developer



## unpopular (Jun 14, 2014)

For anyone into caffenol, I've found a potential novel developer, thymoquinone found in N. Sativa. The raw oil from this plant can be obtained online as a health supplement.

Thoughts?


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## limr (Jun 15, 2014)

Hmm, I have no idea. I use Caffenol and have heard that even tea can be used. Have you tried this N.sativa? Any sites that show results or instructions?


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## compur (Jun 15, 2014)

I'm not a chemist but from a casual web search it appears that thymoquinone is closely related to hydroquinone, a well known developing agent that is often combined with another famous developer, metol, and used in many commercial developers for both paper and film including D-76, Dektol and many others.

But, of course, that doesn't mean that thymoquinone and hydroquinone are the same or that they have the same properties as developing agents.


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## unpopular (Jun 16, 2014)

I think it's pretty likely that it will have development properties. Photochemistry isn't terribly exact. Though I have no idea if the plant's oil will contain enough to develop film.

As for a how-to, I'm not sure. The oil would be a good starting point, basify with washing soda. If there is any percipitate, filter for further experiments.


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## vintagesnaps (Jun 18, 2014)

How did you come up with these seeds as a possible developer? Just wondered, never heard of them but I think you're probably right that getting enough oil out of tiny seeds may not be practical. Although maybe you could make a paste to coat paper??

I have a book on Anthotypes by Malin Fabbri that covers using plants. But like early photographic processes, they don't last; with the anthotypes they fade over time and there doesn't seem to be a way to fix them. People scan them to have a copy but can't preserve the original. Interesting to see what plants can be used to produce images as well as some of the trials that didn't work.

I'm just wondering with using seeds if there would be a similar problem of the negatives possibly not lasting or if storage would need to be in complete darkness to preserve them.


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