Some photographers still prefer film to digital.
With the increased popularity of digital cameras, darkrooms in schools and homes have almost become obsolete. However, despite the ease and speed of creating a final print from a digital camera, there's artistry in developing and printing one's own SLR film, which is usually 35mm. Although many stores are phasing out their stock of photo chemicals, both the chemicals and necessary equipment can still be found in online stores and from individuals who have switched totally to digital.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Mix all chemicals -- developer, stop bath, fixer and a hypo clearing agent-- according to the instructions. These first three chemicals are essential to the developing process, while the fourth is highly recommended. The developer converts the silver ions on the film to a metallic silver, thus revealing the images. Stop bath, usually a weak acetic acid solution, stops the developing process, while the fixer washes away any unexposed silver ions on the film, thus "fixing" the image. A hypo clearing agent, such as Hustler, decreases the time needed to wash the film by removing excess fixer. Since many chemicals used to develop and print film are light-sensitive, store them in brown bottles.
2. Determine the temperature of the chemicals by placing the end of a thermometer into the chemical storage bottles. Sixty-eight degrees is considered the ideal temperature for developing black-and-white film. Chemicals that are warmer than this will lead to faster development but more grain. Temperatures cooler than this can increase developing times. Place the chemical bottles in a sink of water of the correct temperature, 68 degrees, to warm or cool the chemicals.
3. Place the developing tank, its lid and the developing apron or reels in an easy-to-find location in either a light tight room or a developing tent. Since you will need to take the film out of the cassette in total darkness, you will need to be able to locate all items easily.
4. Remove the end of the film cassette in either the darkroom or developing tent using the bottle opener.
5. Pull the reel and film out of the cassette and remove the film from the reel.
6. Wrap the film around the apron or slide it into the reel before placing the film in the developing tank. Be sure that the film does not touch itself. If you are using an apron, you will need to put a weight on top of it in the tank to keep the film in place.
7. Place the tank lid on the tank. Once you are sure the lid is closed tightly, you may turn on the lights or remove the tank from the developing tent. The remainder of the process can be done in room light.
Developing
8. Pour developer into the tank until you can just see it in the tank opening.
9. Give the tank a couple of taps on the counter or sharp shakes of the wrist to dislodge any bubbles on the film.
10. Let the film develop. You will need to allow 4 to 19 minutes for developing, depending on the film speed and type of film. An average time with Tri-X film in D-76 developer, a general all-purpose developer, is usually 8 or 9 minutes. If you develop it too long, the negatives will be too dark to print; if it is not developed enough, the image will be too light and without contrast. Agitate the film for a few seconds every minute to make sure the developer covers all parts of the film.
11. Pour the developer out of the tank and back into the bottle of stock solution -- the stored, undiluted solution from which which you obtained the developer you used -- a few seconds before the developing time is over. Next add stop bath for 30 seconds, gently agitating it during that time.
12. When the stop bath time is over, pour it out. While most of the chemicals can be used over again, there are some that are best used fresh; stop bath is one of these.
13. Add fixer to the tank and agitate for thirty seconds every two or three minutes. Your film must remain in the fixer for ten minutes before it is no longer light-sensitive. Return the fixer to the storage bottle when the time is up.
14. Add a hypo clearing agent to the tank for one minute, then pour out.
15. Remove the tank lid, and place it under running water for approximately five minutes. When you have finished washing it, take the film out of the tank and hang it up to dry, attaching the end of it to a clothesline or hook with the clothespin. When the film is dry, you may store it in storage sleeves or print it.
Tags: stop bath, will need, developing tent, film cassette, hypo clearing, chemicals used