A contact print is created exposing a sensitized piece of material, such as developing paper, to light while in direct contact with a negative. Until the invention of the enlarger, this was the standard method for developing photographs, and it is still used today. Fine art and proof sheets are the two most common modern applications for contact prints. Many new photographers learn how to make contact prints early on in their careers so that they can create proof sheets for their images.
A contact print is created placing a light sensitive surface face up under a light source, such as an enlarger. The negative is then placed on top of the sensitized material and the light is turned on to expose the paper. The light is turned off after a certain amount of time has passed, and the paper is developed. Many people use this technique to make a proof or contact sheet out of a bunch of negatives so they can look at small versions of the photos they took before deciding which ones to develop.
The size of the negative obviously limits the size of a contact sheet. Photographers working in fine art use large format negatives that can vary in size. Contact prints of large format negatives are popular among artists because of the resulting richness of detail, which can be breathtaking. The detail in a photograph can become distorted or muddy during the enlargement process, but a contact print preserves all of the detail perfectly. Large format negatives also perform better when enlarging; for example, Ansel Adams used large format cameras to create his distinctive work.
This rule applies to digital photography as well. Photographers who use digital cameras have probably noticed that the more data they store in a photograph, the more they can manipulate it. A digital camera with a low megapixel capacity will produce grainy large prints with obfuscated detail, whereas more megapixels equals more detail and a higher print quality as a result.
A contact print does necessitate some effort. When using an enlarger as a light source, the lens will need to be adjusted, as well as the height of the enlarger head. A test strip is also required the photographer in order to determine which exposure level is best for the contact print. Other tools such as contrast filters and other tools can be used to alter the final print quality. Photographers who have never used a large format camera before should give it a try.