# my shot at blogging my progress in learning Darkroom and Film



## addicted2glass (Aug 27, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I prefer to study in a group.  It is not always that easy to find people with the same interests.

I have my first student level SLR Camera. 

Why go back to film and darkroom?
Shooting with film I feel in a way is like comparing a vacuum tube amp and a modern digital amplifier.  The digital amp can put out crystal clear sound and also capable digital enhancements possibly beyond what the human ear can appreciate.  Vacuum tube amp added kind of a slight distortion in the sound that gave it something that seemed very warm and pleasing. Out of the speakers the richness along with the sound rose as the volume knob was turned up.


Digital and Film photography is in my opinion more different than most people realize - than I had realized.
The lens, The film itself is the other half of capturing the image and the image is actually on the film like the grooves in a vinyl record.  You can see the image on a negative and you can drop a phonograph needle where you see the next song start on an analog record album.  

Film photography to me is more believable.  Images cannot be manipulated in the way digital images can be.
I recently saw a commercial with a tiger running across a football field.  Was a animal handler involved in the creation of this clip?  Did the football field have to be rented for the filming?  
Most of us today without much though would think no animal or football field was involve just digital editing. 

 As with digital computer photography as an art we like to master digital editing and printing. 

Film photography being I desire it to be my artwork I feel it makes sense to be involved in the entire  process including darkroom.

I have to admire the photographers that afters snapping a possible award winning image had to set up a corner in their bathroom and carefully take the film out of the film can in the dark...


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Keeping on the subject of darkroom I now own  two darkroom books;  "into your dark-room step by step"  and another one that is way more advanced for me - a beginner.   I read a chapter on cutting the film can open and getting the film on the spool, into the tank, temp, solution, shake, time,  dump, next solution and ...  somewhere later finished negatives   

I have an enlarger.  I though it would be wise to place a negative in the enlarger to see how the light shines though it;



 The Enlarger has a 60w incandescent bulb I will later see how the top comes apart.

I am getting sleepy now 9:12 am.

The top kind of wiggles out:


(I wish I could be more spontaneous adding images I have some issues getting my images where they should be)


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## ann (Aug 27, 2011)

you need to be sure the bulb is a proper enlarging bulb. If the "writing" is on the top part as most house hold bulbs are, don't use it in the darkroom. You will end up with writing on your images.

Developing negatives is very simple and easy to do. THe hardest part will be rolling the film onto the reel. Practice with an old roll until you can get it on the reel with your eyes closed or  your hands under a table. As this part MUST BE DONE IN THE DARK.

Learning to print will take more time and lots of practice. Don't be afraid to fill the "learning bin" a.k.a trash can.


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## Greggh (Aug 27, 2011)

I agree with Ann, rolling the film on the reel takes practice, however once you get it done the rest is a breeze. As for printing welcome to a great and fun world to explore. I can spend hours at a time in the darkroom. Pure pleasure.


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## addicted2glass (Aug 28, 2011)

ann said:


> you need to be sure the bulb is a proper enlarging bulb. If the "writing" is on the top part as most house hold bulbs are, don't use it in the darkroom. You will end up with writing on your images.



That's good to know.
I got past chapter five in the Darkroom manual only to wonder if all that was about developing the negative. I hope to read the book over and over until I understand enough at least to avoid doing such as mixing a batch of solution for 300 rolls of 36 film that cost $$$ and has a shelf life of 3 months.


- I guess that is what the learning bin is about 

I'll later practice getting the film on the spool.  

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(by the way: I SEEK EMPLOYMENT WORTHY OF MY CAPABILITIES)


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## ann (Aug 28, 2011)

I would suggest using HC-110 at solution B as a one shot developer.  It will last a very long time in it's concertrated form.  Stop bath is cheap and just mix a few drops with water for the film and maybe an ounce with 32 of water when printing.

Fixer also has a long life, it depends more on the amount of silver it contains than age.  A gallon of concentrated fixer will keep for a long time.  Mix the proper ratio for film and keep in a separate container.  You can use some hypo check that will let you know when the fixer needs to be replaced. (it becomes cloudy).

With paper, you can count prints to determine how long to use the prepared fixer.

Developing negatives is really very easy.  Yes, be careful when setting up chemistry in the correct order and check the temperature to be sure it is correct, especially for the film. After loading film, now it is a matter of clock watching.

The most important thing I tell my students. consistency is critical for making printing fun .


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## addicted2glass (Aug 28, 2011)

The timer: I have this vintage darkroom clock.  I plugged it in. It is capable of buzzing.  I will later try setting the time and replacing the plug with a grounded plug as it was intended to be used with.  I was hoping to find a ground plug that would look like it belonged.  For now I have a modern looking white ground plug. I have not attempted to set the time on this because was not sure how.  I would guess that the center knob on the clock hands must be turned.  (If it doesn't work I have a backup clock.  The backup works but only shuts off one device.)  I may be fussy about the ground plug as far as ascetic value. I believe the original plug was molded onto the cord. A restoration would be to find an entire replacement cord with a ground plug molded on from a discarded toaster or something else from that time period.  I spent enough on this clock to keep it vintage looking and hopefully functional.


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## ann (Aug 28, 2011)

basically this timer runs backwards. 

Is there someone in your community or a class you could take? It would save you lots of time, engery and money to find someone to assist you. 

There is a lot of information available here and elsewhere on the internet, but it can also be hit or miss and very time consuming. MUch easier and faster to talk with someone face to face.

Someone with darkroom experinece in your area who has serious experience and knowledge could help you set up you darkroom and equipment in less than an hour.


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## addicted2glass (Aug 28, 2011)

Wording it in a constructive way I will see if I can locate any photographers that understand darkroom.  With the advise I have gained here I should have a better chance finding some experienced photographers that know darkroom. I'll try the places I would go for supplies.  I will have to travel - a necessary evil.

I believe This THREAD - "MY SHOT AT BLOGGING MY progress in LEARNING DARKROOM AND FILM" is becoming inappropriately too large of a project for a forum.  So I am moving this thread to www.juzeppy.com  (feel free to give me any advise about the website.)   
I can upload as much content as I want.

  I guess time to for me to advance from the bargain pack color film I earmarked to be  processed commercially and move on to shooting with the B&W film I will eventually process myself.  

Ill check back here for advise.


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## Josh66 (Aug 28, 2011)

Check the phone book.  I live in a small town, and even here, there are multiple darkrooms for rent (inside of local pro's studios).  Anybody that has a darkroom for rent should be more than capable of providing a few pointers.

Call around to local photographers and ask if they would be willing to rent darkroom time.  If so, they would most likely be willing to give you some help.

A lot of the 'old timer's' probably still have all of their darkroom stuff, even if they don't use it much anymore.  Call around and ask.  Tell them that you're interested in renting some time in the darkroom, and if possible a little guidance from them.  If you can get them on a slow day it shouldn't be a problem.


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## addicted2glass (Aug 29, 2011)

I hope by the end of the week to find a brick and mortar place with face to face communications.

Not sure what it is.

 I realized I had uploaded images without any watermarks. 
(I edited them out of my posts)

Another reason I am looking forward to learning darkroom and film.

And occasionally getting away from all the computers and cell phones and televisions maybe living with the Amish.

I'll try my best not to be too self conscious. 

And hopefully have fun


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## addicted2glass (Aug 31, 2011)

Thanks Ann,Greggh, and olllllo,
 I would prefer to enroll in a credited college to learn film and photography unfortunately I'm not sure I could afford the tuition or how my bones would be after sitting in classroom desk for a couple hours along side a bunch of people more recent bodies than my own.

I made a visit to my camera store. Sales person was helpful especially now that I have a better understanding of the darkroom. I am back with what should be the correct chemical supplies.  Next time to practice with getting the film on the spool and later the research for what comes next.
(Oh and shoot some B&W film to be developed)


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## ann (Aug 31, 2011)

In my darkroom classes, very little sitting but a lot of standing in a darkroom.

Too bad a junior college is not in your area with a darkroom.


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## addicted2glass (Sep 4, 2011)

ann said:


> Learning to print will take more time and lots of practice. Don't be afraid to fill the "learning bin" a.k.a trash can.


*
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!!! *

(I've been dieing to use that sentence)

I am half way through shooting my first roll of B&W film.  I have not just art here or practice but memories of the unofficial last weekend of summer on this roll!


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## Josh66 (Sep 4, 2011)

Developing the film itself is pretty easy.  You might not get it perfect the first time, but it's pretty hard to mess up so badly that you get nothing at all.

Just make sure you don't expose it to light until after it's fixed.  

Probably the easiest mistake to make is too much or too vigorous agitation.


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## ann (Sep 5, 2011)

Sorry, but FAILURE is going to occur. THat is how we learn. IF everything turns out perfectly we are clueless as to why; when we make a mistake we learn what not to do and more importantly what to do differently.


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## LoveTheEmulsion (Nov 25, 2011)

I did get prints off both rolls.  One did not end up quite wound on the reel the way it should and a lot of the film was stuck together.  

 The effect of the partially destroyed images that were printable was a bit charming for me. 

(Actually- I think anything that was not completely blank the first try would have been fine with me!) 


 And I have stopped compulsively looking at the back of my camera after each shot expecting to see an image.          

The gem was neither of these rolls was the one I was treasuring.
 I later successful converted those into negatives and scanned some of the images onto my website.

LoveTheEmulsion, (formerly addicted2glass)


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## Robert_Maxey (Dec 28, 2011)

My "I'll never waver from my opinion" opinion is learn to develop negatives. Even if you never make a print and black and white film is something you decide to want to learn to use, develop your own negatives. It takes very little time and very little equipment and you do not need a darkroom.

When you do it yourself, you have complete control. And once you dig past the basic how to stuff on the web, you can learn all kinds of tricks and techniques that help you create great negatives, not just good negatives. A great negative is easier to print with less effort. Your printer will love you.

Consider something like Water Bath Development.

Basically, the film is immersed in film developer for a shorter period of time. This causes film to absorb developer. Then the film is placed in a bath of water to deferentially slow development. In the highlight areas, the film "runs out" of developer, and density increase slows down. In shadow areas, development continues because there is more developer than is required.

Shadow areas develop normally without the highlight areas becoming too dense.

I recall seeing a picture in a book, of a large lamp against a page of text. the lamp was turned on and not only could you see filament detail, but you could read the text. The film was developed using water bath techniques and the print was a straight print on #2 (perhaps #3 paper. An old process with many useful applications.

So go for it. Buy some basic supplies and develop your own film. Remember, if your lab makes bad prints from great negatives, they can be reprinted. If the lab screws up your negatives, well, thank goodness for PS and film scanners, I suppose.


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## Robert_Maxey (Dec 28, 2011)

ann said:


> you need to be sure the bulb is a proper enlarging bulb. If the "writing" is on the top part as most house hold bulbs are, don't use it in the darkroom. You will end up with writing on your images.
> 
> Developing negatives is very simple and easy to do. THe hardest part will be rolling the film onto the reel. Practice with an old roll until you can get it on the reel with your eyes closed or  your hands under a table. As this part MUST BE DONE IN THE DARK.
> 
> Learning to print will take more time and lots of practice. Don't be afraid to fill the "learning bin" a.k.a trash can.



I had a learning dumpster. Do you know how costly it was to dump it every fifteen minutes? Smiley


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## ann (Dec 28, 2011)

yep, have been doing darkroom work for over 64 years, however, the wastebasket is smaller these days.


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## cepwin (Dec 28, 2011)

It's cool you're trying this...it will open you up to things like large format photography and other creative areas.  Looking forward to following your progress.  Funny, when I was growing up it was film only...one of my schoolmates had her own darkroom and I got to visit it once...thought it was pretty cool.  I think I also did some stuff at summer camp but I can't remember the details.


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