Sampson - Dark Room Photography Guide #2: How to Develop Your Own Film and Create Your Own Prints in a Dark Room

Dark Room Photography Guide #2

How to Develop Your Own Film and Create Your Own Prints in a Dark Room

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If youve spent a little bit of time in a darkroom, youll know that there are lots of steps to go through before you get to your finished print. But before you can even begin to think about printing, you need to shoot your film.

A (Very) Quick Refresher in Shooting Film

Just some quick tips for a refresher: dont rely on your phone camera or on a digital camera to give you the correct metering for your image. Use a film camera that has a built in light meter. If this isnt possible, and you need to use your phone, download the app Pinhole Assist, which, though it costs about two dollars, is the most accurate overall and is very handy for on-the-go metering.

Another option is to look up the manufacturers exposure suggestions, based on the brand and ISO/ASA (speed) of your film. Take these numbers with a grain of salt; the ISOs of film are legally allowed to vary. An example would be an ISO 160 film which may, in reality, only be about ISO 80. For the best exposures, try stopping down two stops from the meter reading. Remember that this means you will actually be letting less light into the camera. So, for example, if your camera tells you to make a photo at f/ 8 and 125 th of a second, keep the shutter speed the same and shoot at f/ 16. Use only whole stops when employing this technique.

Unsure about getting a proper exposure? A technique called bracketing can help. Keep either your aperture or shutter speed constant, and move one stop up and one stop down from the original exposure to ensure that youll get a usable frame.

Finally, when selecting your film, choose a speed that is in the middle. This will be the simplest to work with, particularly if you are a beginner, because your film will neither be too sensitive to light, nor not sensitive enough.

Please remember that the instructions in this book apply only to black and white film, and that C-41 (color) film development is an entirely different process. Please note also that I am mainly referring to 35 mm film here, although medium format film works in much the same way.

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Rewinding

Rewinding film may seem like a bit of a no-brainer, but in my experience, Ive run into a few jams. Once youve shot your first roll, youll need to know whether your camera has an automatic or manual rewind mechanism.

If the camera has an automatic rewind, then the film should begin to rewind after youve exposed your last frame. This may either be at 24 or 36 frames, depending on your film. If the roll is technically finished and doesnt rewind, dont worry. In some instances, 37 or even 38 exposures are possible. If you dont want the extra frames for storage reasons, your camera should have a small, possibly recessed button somewhere that you can press with a pencil tip to rewind. Check the cameras manual to locate it. You should be able to hear the rewind happening with an automatic feature, and once it stops, you can safely open the back of your camera.

Its important to note, however, that these mechanisms can be faulty, especially on older cameras. If this is a concern, my suggestion is to watch the numbers on your display go down as the camera rewinds, to ensure that it goes all the way back to zero. If the mechanism jams before it gets to zero, do not open the back of your camera outside of a light tight space.

In the case of manual rewinds, you seldom, if ever, need to worry about the mechanism jamming unless your camera is in bad shape. Once you reach your last frame, follow the manufacturers instructions to rewind. Generally, there will be a hand crank on top of the camera that youll turn, but you may also need to release the film via a button or lever beforehand. If you need to do this and you arent already familiar with the cameras design, be very careful not to release the back of the camera. As the crank is turned, there will be a series of small clicks as the sprocket holes move, and you will be able to feel the tension of the film as it turns. Once the tension releases, turn the crank one or two more times and open the back. If there is a bit of a tail sticking out, dont worry. This part will be trimmed off later anyway.

Preparing Film for Processing

After youre finished with all your rolls, its time to load them. As you know, you will need a film loading area. If youre using a local public darkroom, theyll have it. If youre using a darkroom that you created, and you dont have a space just for film loading, your best bet is to use your bathroom. Just be sure to make it completely light tight (meaning, no safe lights can be on, outside lights that may penetrate need to be off, and doors need to be shut).

Before you begin loading, youll need a few things. You should have a loading tank, the appropriate number of reels for the tank (typically 2, 3, or 5), a pair of good scissors, a can opener, and of course, your film. There are a number of types of tanks and reels that you can use, but Im going to introduce you to the simplest first. I use Paterson Universal Film Tanks with two reels. If you want to expedite the process, you can use a three or five-reeler, but bear in mind that once youve added your chemicals, the tanks can become rather heavy during the process.