Photographer Polina Washington is an expert in these “film soups” and describes the process as a risk that could destroy your work.
She dropped a 35mm roll in ramen broth, stirred another roll into her drink at the bar, and even soaked her negatives in water sourced from the less-than-pristine Neva River in Saint Petersburg, where she lives.
The longer you soak your film, the stronger the effect.
The idea came from my interest in water pollution.
I wanted to see the result of soaking in a mixture of ingredients, so I decided to use a popular cocktail.
I really like such the result of this soak because the effect is soft, with no damages but an interesting range of colors.
I thought that this literal film soup would have the most exciting results, but it didn’t end up creating any really standout effects.
Next time I would definitely soak film longer in this soup, maybe for several hours or even a full day.
As long as you follow the general outline here, you won’t damage your film or your camera while doing it.
Don’t be afraid to experiment—it’s often how you get the best results.