Definition
Photographic film or plates that contain reversed tones, where dark areas appear light and vice versa, used as the master from which positive prints are made. In analog photography, negatives were essential intermediates in the printing process.
Example Usage
The photographer carefully stored her negatives in archival sleeves to preserve them for future reprinting.
Origin
From the Latin 'negativus' (denying), adopted in photography to describe the inverted image produced by chemical exposure.
Fun Fact
Professional photographers historically kept negatives as their most valuable asset—the original 'master copy' from which unlimited prints could be made.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
Related Terms
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