 |
 |
Art Design Graphics for Print and Web |
|
|
 |
||
 |
black & white photography |  |
|
 |
|||
| Developing
and printing your own films. This information is spread over four pages. FILM -General Comments Learn to use the exposure meter on your camera, because your aim is to achieve a film whose negatives are all of a similar darkness/density level, even in different light situations. You achieve this through consistent, accurate exposure times. If the meter is unavailable, refer to the printed exposure guide packaged with the film. This is surprisingly accurate. Absolute darkness is necessary when loading the film onto the spool, which goes into the developing tank - but if you haven't a darkroom available, a wardrobe at night in a darkened room will suffice. The spool must be thoroughly dry, or the film will stick and not load properly. When loading the film onto the spool, be very careful to not kink, or crease the film, and keep fingerprints away from the emulsion surface (which is the inside of the curled film). When developing film, all chemicals (developer, stop-bath and fixer) are kept at the same temperature, ie: 20°C (or 68°F). Within half a degree. One reason for this is that you can then predict the outcome of your developing process. Film developing depends on two things.. temperature, and time. The other reason is that film might 'craze' on its surface if subjected to abrupt temperature changes, although modern films are somewhat resistant to this defect. Although usually you use two different developers for film negatives and prints, you can use a Universal Developer which you dilute at different rates for both materials. This is convenient and is a good way to start, as developer oxidises in storage, so you must use it reasonably quickly after you open the bottle. Using the same developer for both processes saves wastage if you're not doing a lot of processing. Of course, the developer is mixed at different dilutions for film and paper. For paper it can be reused until it turns a pale yellow, whereas for film you mix it fresh each time and throw it away after use. The developers I use most are Agfa Rodinal for film (because I like to push, or increase the film speed a lot) and Ilford Bromophen for printing. This is a powder, keeps well in stock solution ( a mixed concentrate ready for diluting for use) and is inexpensive. In developing film, the critical time factor is the length of time that the developer is in contact with the film, as this dictates what you will see on your negatives. Also the freshness of the developer, as an oxidised developer will be much weaker. Stopbath and fixer times are not critical, but their temperature should be close to 20°. Wash water should start at the same temperature, and can be reduced gradually with a couple of water changes, until cold tap water can be run through the tank for a thorough wash, lasting 20 minutes approx. Film Developer is one-shot, and not reused. Stop and Fixer are recycled back into their bottles, until exhausted. Water works ok as a stopbath also. |
||||
|
||||