What is FPP? The Film Photography Project seeks to inform, engage and inspire amateur and professional photographers working in the traditional film medium. Launched by FPP founder Michael Raso in 2009, FPP provides a forum for photographers from around the globe to share their creative output, challenges and product reviews, while promoting the viability of vintage cameras and film through frequent give-aways and exchange programs. In addition to the Film Photography Podcast Internet Radio Show, the Film Photography Project network of imprints includes the FPP Flickr Page, YouTube Channel, Facebook Group, Twitter Account, newsletter and the Film Photography Project Store.
In the last few weeks there has been an explosion of interest in home development from listeners of The Film Photography Podcast. After 16 months and 27 episodes I'm surprised that it has taken this long for us to launch the "Darkroom Corner" segment led by FPP co-host Duane Polcou.
I've even jumped on the bandwagon and just ordered a home development kit from Freestyle Photographic. It's been a long time since I've developed my own BW negs so the recent input from FPP listeners has been very, very helpful. Plus, when I have a question, I just shoot an e-mail out to one of the FPP listeners for a quick, speedy response.
The Film Photography Podcast has become a really awmazing community of folks over the last year and what better way to start a creative project than with film friends!
Today's edition, contributed by long-time FPP listener Dan Domme is a detailed step-by-step of the home development process. Thank you, Dan. I hope this entry is as helpful to others as it's been helpful to me!
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Image by Dan Domme - developed in Rodinal
Greetings, FPP listener! You say you’re interested in developing your very own black and white film! Of course, there are guides out there for developing your own film, some even penned by our own FPP listeners. But when it comes to learning something new, it never hurts to have more fresh perspectives. I’m Dan Domme, and I’m writing this guide just so you’ve got all the information at your disposal before you start developing 35mm or 120 film. I think that you’ll have a lot of fun developing, and it can be a real money-saver as opposed to shooting color. Note: in my instructions that follow, I will keep referring to a Paterson Super System 4 Tank, which is what I use to develop my film. If you decide not to use a steel tank, your plastic tank may vary.
Step 1 - Equipment Checklist
Unless you have the required equipment, you could risk ruining your film before you get a chance to develop it. I’ll list everything you’re going to need here, with the giveaway items marked with an asterisk:
- developer - I prefer to use a liquid developer, since powders can produce flying particles when you mix them, but that’s just me. - stop bath - fixer - a pitch-black room or a light-tight changing bag. I’d recommend a bag if you can get one. - developing tank, plastic or steel. More about plastic vs. steel in a second. - appropriate reel for the tank. - plastic for plastic and steel for steel. - graduated cylinders or other measuring device, about 700-800 mL. (I'd recommend eventually getting one for each chemical you use.) - a reliable timer, such as a stopwatch - 2 or more chemical storage bottles (usually black or dark brown plastic, get one for each chemical other than wetting agent, and don’t get one for the developer if you’re working from a liquid rather than powder.) - black clamp-style paper clips or equivalent to hang strips for drying. - a thermometer (dial or digital) is also highly recommended. - hypo wash (optional but not recommended) - wetting agent (optional, recommended if you have hard water)
Notes: virtually anyone’s fixer will suffice, and if you’re going to buy stop bath, I’d recommend “indicator” stop bath, which changes color when its pH gets too high to be useful. For developers, I prefer either Kodak HC-110 or Agfa Rodinal, which is currently available as Adox Adonal. Both are liquids. D-76 is a powder developer, which is also a great choice for a newbie. I use Zonal Pro stop bath and fixer, but Kodak also makes great stop bath and fixer.
Before buying tanks and reels, here are some key differences. Steel tanks generally take less chemistry per roll than plastic, and they don’t have to dry completely before you use them again. However, it can be more difficult to load, according to who you speak to, and you need different reels for each size of film. I use plastic for the following reasons: they’re just as easy to load as steel; they are less susceptible to temperature changes; they don’t have to be flipped to agitate, and you can fill and drain the tanks faster. It’s also less likely that you’re going to put an image-crippling kink in your 120 roll film if you use a plastic reel.
Step 2 - Chemical Preparation
First and foremost, make sure you check the instructions on the chemicals you buy. Usually they're pretty straightforward, but if you have any questions, do the magic series of steps to find your answer: (1) Use “Da Google” to see if you can find an answer. Usually links to threads on photo.net or apug.org are helpful if they’re not overly technical. (2) Don’t be afraid to ask the FPP group on Flickr - we all try to be as friendly and as helpful as we can! (3) If you’re still stuck, try asking over at apug.org - if you tried your research and take your time when writing your question, I’ve found everyone to be quite helpful, even if there are a lot of different opinions. But anyway...
Mix up the stop bath and fixer and store them in your chemical bottles. When mixing the fixer, make sure you mix for the film dilution, which is stronger, rather than the print dilution. If you’re choosing to use hypo wash, which I have not used before, then you may have to dilute it and store it as you would the stop bath and fixer. You can dilute and store Kodak’s wetting agent, but I only put a few drops in my final round of rinse water. As always, check the instructions for your chemicals if you’re not sure.
If you're using HC-110 or another liquid developer from concentrate, you will likely not need to use a chemical storage bottle for it, since you'll be dumping it down the drain afterward. Stop Bath and Fixer should be re-used until they’re exhausted. I believe hypo wash may be reusable, and the wetting agent should also be reusable if you’re deciding to mix it all at once. Check all the instructions.
Step 3 - Loading the Film
Here's where the fun begins. You might want to take a second to see if your reel is adjustable, such as the Paterson Super System 4. The reels for that system are sold as 35mm, but you can twist them apart to unlock them, readjust the size, and use them for 120 film. Make sure your reel is set to the appropriate size before tossing it in the changing bag (or turning the lights out!)
If you’re working with 35mm film, clip the thin part of the leader so that you’re starting with the full 35mm width of the film, and round the corners just a little bit. If you don’t have access to your leader, then you’ll have to do these steps in the darkroom or changing bag, which can be a hassle. I’ve found I can just pry the felt opening apart to get to the film, but be careful about sharp edges! Other people use a bottle cap opener on one end of the 35 mm canister.
In your changing bag, put your film spool(s), your tank, and your reel(s). Then zip it up and stick your hands in the sleeves. (If you're in a darkroom, just make sure the room is now completely dark.) For 35mm film, I just pull all the film out of the canister, careful to handle it by the edges, and clip it at the canister once I can’t pull any more out. For 120 film, what I do is slowly unravel the spool. for a while you will only be unspooling paper, but soon the film layer start to unroll. Start collecting this into a roll, using your fingertips to hold it along the edges. At the opposite end of the film, there is masking tape attaching the paper to the film. I detach this from the paper and fold the sticky side over so that it forms a tab on the end of the film. Make sure no sticky parts are exposed, or else you might get some gunk on your film. In either case, now you have a complete roll of film in your hands.
Plastic reels load from the outside in. There are some tabs on the reel which I call thumb rests. You feed the first inch or so of film (the end without the tape) past these tabs and the ball bearings in the reel. Then, you can twist the reel back and forth, with your thumbs on the thumb rests to prevent jamming, to automatically feed the film into the spiral. If you have some extra 35mm or 120 film you don’t mind wasting, it’s VERY helpful to try this in the light first.
Steel reels are different - they load from the inside out. At the center of the reel, there is a spring-loaded clip (or even two teeth to grip the sprocket holes on some 35mm reels) which you use to hold one end of your film. Then, holding your film straight, but ever-so-slightly curved, like a celery stick, rotate the reel so that it gently pulls the film from your hand. Typically I hold the reel in my left hand and the film in the right hand.
Once you've loaded the reel, put it in the tank. Plastic reels usually go on a center post, which forms a light seal with the funnel top, and then covered with a lid. Steel tanks have the light trap built into the lid. Once the tank is closed up, you're safe from light and can take the tank to the kitchen sink.
Step 4 - Development Times
What you need to figure out now is how long you're going to develop your film. Different speeds, films, and developers all have different times, and it can be a real hassle keeping them straight.
So go here: http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php - This is the Massive Development Chart, and it has most of the possible combinations of films and developers. Select what film and developer you have on the left hand side, and you'll get a table that probably shows you different dilutions and ISOs. You can mix your dilution down to either conserve your developer or create subtle tonal effects. In general, though, more dilute developers give you more pronounced grain. Select a dilution and ISO combination, and read the time (in minutes) from the 35mm or 120 column - they should be the same 99% of the time. Also, check to see if there are any notes to read in the last column. If there are no notes, assume constant agitation for the first minute, and 10 seconds every subsequent minute (more on this later). (5 seconds of agitation every 30 seconds should also work)
Stop bath times are usually 1 minute with constant agitation, and fixer times are usually 5 minutes: constant agitation for the first minute, and 10 seconds every subsequent minute. Hypo wash usually takes 2 minutes or so, and I use wetting agent for a minute, both with constant agitation. Needless to say, a timer really helps.
Step 5 - The Chemical Process
Measure out your required chemicals in your 3 graduated cylinders, which I have labeled in Sharpie marker as "Develop," "Stop," and "Fix." If you don’t have three graduated cylinders, use one to measure, and transfer the contents to large cups you’re not planning on using for drinking. It is important to have all three liquids ready to go, since this is a time-sensitive process.
Paterson tank volumes are printed on the bottom of the tank. I think it’s 300 mL for a roll of 35mm film (600 for 2 rolls) and 500 mL per roll of 120 film. Steel tanks hold 8 or 16 oz, depending on whether it’s a 35mm or 120 tank. Note that a steel 120 tank will also take 2 35mm reels.
Open the tank while keeping the light-tight part of the lid on. Patersons have a thin black plastic Tupperware-like cover. This is the only thing you should remove... anything else will expose the film to light. For steel reels, only take the smaller part of the cap off.
Pour the contents of the developer cylinder into your tank, strike it lightly against a counter to dislodge air bubbles, and then start agitation - if your plastic tank came with a small black plastic wand, you should be able to stick it in the center hole and twist back and forth gently to agitate. This is quicker than trying to put the lid on as quick as possible after the chemicals go in. Otherwise, replace the cap tightly, and slowly turn the tank upside down and right-side up. Go slowly, about one inversion every two or so seconds. I've found it's not terribly important how many twirls or inversions you get in every 10 seconds, just that you agitate for 10 seconds.
Developing converts the silver salt on the film which has been exposed to light into silver. This silver remains on the film throughout the developing process and as long as you have your negatives. This is why areas of the image that have been exposed to more light become darker.
Once the developer step is done, remove the cover, pour it down the drain, and immediately pour in the stop bath. Gently agitate the tank (via the stick or inverting it upside down and back upright again) for one complete minute. Then pour the stop bath back into its chemical storage bottle (a funnel helps).
Stop bath is a simple acid - usually acetic acid, which is the primary component of vinegar. Since all developers are bases - chemicals with high pH’s - stop bath makes the tank very acidic very quickly, making sure that any leftover developer on your film won’t continue to work.
It's not as important to be so immediate with the changing of fluids from stop bath to fixer, since the most time-dependent step, developing, is over. With the stop bath back in its container, you can now pour in your fixer. Treat it as you would your standard developer: one minute of constant agitation, then 10 seconds per minute until you've done a grand total of 5 minutes. Then pour the fixer back into its storage bottle.
During the fixer step, all the silver salts that didn’t get converted to pure silver by the developer are now sucked away into the fixer chemistry. This leaves the film with nothing but stable silver on the plastic film base.
Now, you'll want to wash that nasty fixer (also known as “hypo”) off your film. Typically, water is all that is needed, but if you want to be super-extra-safe, you can pour hypo wash (at the appropriate dilution) into your tank and treat it as you would stop bath - constant agitation, but give it a bit longer... around two minutes. Note that I don’t do this step myself. Hypo wash is typically used for prints, and even then only on fiber-based papers, which are harder to wash than resin-coated papers. If you’re deciding to use this hypo wash, follow the instructions and pour the hypo wash back into its storage bottle, or down the drain - whichever is appropriate.
Regardless of whether you’ve chosen to do the hypo wash step, fill the tank with fresh water and give the tank five inversions. Empty the tank, then repeat except with 10 inversions in fresh water. Then, do it again, only with 20 inversions. You are now done washing your film. This is known as the "Ilford Method." It is a pretty simple method of washing, and it uses a relatively small amount of water.
Alternatively, you can also use a force-washing hose, which you just attach to your faucet and turn on at a relatively low flow rate. It doesn’t matter how much water is moving over the film, just that it’s moving. This is done for five to ten minutes, depending on whether you are using a hardening fixer, which takes more time to wash off.
Note: If you have hard water - i.e., tap water with a lot of mineral content - you'll want to prevent film spots. This is why you have wetting agent. I use Kodak Photo-Flo, and rather than dilute the whole bottle, I use a drop or two in a final tank full of water. Your wetting agent may be different, so read the instructions. But mix the appropriate solution and treat it just like the stop bath - constant agitation for a full minute.
Finally, disassemble your tank and get to the reel. With a Paterson reel, you can twist the reel apart just like you do to adjust the reel to fit 120 film. If you have a steel reel, just unwind it from the outside.
If your fingers are clean, you can slide your index and middle finger once down the length of the film strip to "squeegee" it dry. They also sell film squeegees. This is especially important if you did the wetting agent step, since your film will have bubbles over it. I use two black paper clips to hang the film to dry overnight - one with an attached piece of dental floss to hang it to my shower curtain rod, and the other used as a weight to keep the film straight. They also sell film clips for this purpose. Just make sure you choose a dust-free environment, or else you might get spots on your negatives. If you’re in a bathroom with a shower, running it before you develop might help eliminate some of the excess dust.
The following day, or a few hours later, you can trim up the film strip and then either scan or enlarge your photos. The downside: you need a scanner or enlarger. Or, you can send the negatives to a photo lab that can make prints for you. Just be sure to contact them first to be sure they can make black-and-white prints.
Anyway, there you have it. don't hesitate to contact me on Flickr.com (username yeknom02) if anything I said was unclear or if you have more questions. I hope this was helpful, and please let me know if it was! I hope you have fun developing black and white film!
- Dan Domme
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Launched in October of 2009, the Film Photography Podcast is a 90 minute, bi-weekly Internet radio program, exploring a wide range of topics relevant to the experienced and aspiring photographer using film as a medium. Hosts Michael Raso and Duane Polcou enthusiastically dissect and debate the pros-and-cons of film formats, do-it-yourself techniques, digital technologies, and vintage and contemporary cameras and accessories in a thorough, informative and casual manner. Regular features include Camera tests and reviews, “book of the month”, interviews, a listener-generated Q&A, and film-related giveaways.
Produced in the United States, the Film Photography Podcast is broadcast around the globe via iTunes and direct stream from http://www.filmphotographypodcast.com
Street photography. An entire genre dedicated to photographs taken on the street. How did it come about, what is it all about, and perhaps most importantly, how do I get in on it?
Characteristics
Rather than try to define the genre specifically, I think it's best to define by example characteristics. For instance, it's not photos of bridges and road signs. A form of photojournalism, street photographs are taken out in public - usually, as the name implies, on the street - and usually having other human beings as the subject. They are not portraits, but rather candid shots - often, the subject will not be aware of being photographed, or will realize it only after the fact. A majority of photos are a bit grainy, taken on medium-speed (400 ISO) black-and-white 35mm film, with a standard or wide-angle focal length. The camera often captures a very specific moment on the film, and the end effect conveys some emotion or theme, such as irony. In all, the genre is about photographs that are a "slice of life."
The Masters
Photography started out large. Press cameras, like the more modern Speed Graphic, took 4x5 sheet film. While they were arguably portable, were hardly inconspicuous. As 120 roll film became popular, so did smaller cameras such as the classic twin lens reflex architecture. But it wasn't until 35mm film came out that you could take a photo without getting noticed.
[Henri Cartier-Bresson, Behind the Gare St. Lazare, Paris. Image from Wikipedia]
Most people would agree that the great-grandfather of the genre, the all-knowing master, was a French man named Henri Cartier-Bresson (pronounced on-Ree Car-tee-AY breh-SAWN) (b.1908 - d.2004). Cartier-Bresson pretty much founded the idea of trying to capture a "decisive moment" on film. Furthermore, he knew that to observe the moment, you must not interfere. His camera always acted as an imaginary window to a particular point in space and time and was rarely acknowledged, possibly assisted by the fact that the shiny chrome parts of his camera were painted black.
If Cartier-Bresson was Socrates, then the role of his student Plato was played by Garry Winogrand. Well, he wasn't actually a student, but he was a natural successor. People shoot photographs for a variety of reasons, but Winogrand did it because that was the only way he could live. He died leaving behind nearly 300,000 unedited images, and more than 2,500 undeveloped rolls of film. His published photos documented the mid-20th Century, particularly the 60's and 70's, and they typically exhibit some sort of wit or irony.
Watch Winogrand at work here (sorry, but it's overdubbed):
Nowadays, color film and digital have sort of taken the edge off street photography, and you'd struggle to mention modern masters of the genre. Yet, there are certain people I admire, such as Gary Gumanow (Flickr) and some of the work of Chris Weeks (who has a number of sites, but I prefer his Flickr site.
The Equipment
First off, you should know that every name I've mentioned so far has used one brand of camera - Leica. Cartier-Bresson used a Leica III and an M3. Winogrand used an M4. Gumanow uses an M6-TTL, among other cameras, and Weeks uses an MP (also a digital M9, but we won't go there...) The Leica camera, a bayonet-lens-mount "rangefinder" camera, was introduced in 1930, and underwent a few iterations before the Leica M3 - arguably the quinessential Leica - came out in 1954. They were used heavily in combat photography, because they are durable and reliable. I've had the pleasure of handling a Leica M3 - though it is small, it's built like a tank.
The Konica Auto S2. Photo by Flickr user sparkrobot
Now if you're like me, then a Leica has too much of a rabid cult following to be affordable anymore. However, there are solutions if you want to go about getting into street photography more cheaply! What you must shop for is a combination of speedy operation and inconspicuousness. The answer lies in the architecture of the 35mm rangefinder. First, the rangefinder is quick to focus, because you line up two identical images in the viewfinder to focus on a particular object. It is generally a bit quicker than dealing with a split-image prism or other manual-focus SLR focusing screen. As far as stealth is concerned, the rangefinder does not have a rising mirror as can be found in SLR cameras - in which you compose through the lens - so there is no mirror snap sound produced when you take a picture. The shutter just fires, and that's it. Leicas are renowned for their quiet focal plane shutters, but leaf shutters are also especially quiet. Therefore, I would recommend any 35mm rangefinder with a 50mm lens, preferably with a leaf shutter. I now use a Konica Auto S2, which has all these features, except that the lens focal length is actually 45mm. Don't worry about whether the lens is removable. You'll want something close to 50mm about 95% of the time. If not, then something wider will suffice to get up close and personal. You might want to carry around a Superheadz Ultra Wide and Slim knockoff for backup.
If you're using 35mm film, your best bet would be to load up on a 400-speed film such as Kodak Tri-X or my personal favorite, Ilford HP5+. They've got the perfect amount of grain to give you that "edgy" photojournalism look, without being too distracting. For developers, I'd recommend either Kodak HC-110 or Agfa Rodinal, but that's really more of a personal preference once you find one you like. If you're printing the old-fashioned way, try printing the full frame of the negative with some black border, the way Cartier-Bresson did.
Of course, who's to say you can't shoot color, or even a roll of Kodachrome before the end of the year? A few of my shots below feature Kodachrome. Street photography is what you make it and is more about the craft than the tools you use.
The Craft
Before you even attempt your first street shot, I can tell you that your biggest problem you're not close enough. Most of my street shots are taken from too far away. You need to get right up in the faces of your subjects, which may or may not be so easy depending on where you are. I'd imagine the attitudes of passersby in India are much different than those in Manhattan.
One thing that may help your sneakiness is taking the photograph without looking through the viewfinder - a true "point and shoot" technique. Simply set the camera's focus to what you think is right, aim to where you think the subject will be in frame, and shoot it. It's not like you've got anything to lose, especially if you're shooting black and white, which is relatively inexpensive. The downside is that the closer you are, the less latitude you have with respect to your focus setting. Wider apertures help.
(Note: I'm not a lawyer, so don't hold me responsible for the legality of this next paragraph...)
Generally speaking, you're perfectly within your rights to photograph people in public, because people in public have no expectation of privacy. The legal question becomes more muddy once you try using your photos commercially, though, since you need permission to use someone's likeness for financial gain. So while you're practicing your art, you can shoot away in public places and no one can really do anything about it - but it's also common sense to try to be as personable as possible if and when you get "caught." Remember, it's not like they're Michael Phelps, and it's not like they're smoking pot.
Shameless Self-Promotion
I've got a long way to go, but I thought I'd close with a handful of shots that I've taken, which you can find on my Flickr page.
Dan Domme is a film photography enthusiast and PhD student in the Acoustics department of Penn State. He's been a serious photographer for the last two years, and now shoots nearly exclusively on film. (He even owns a sweet Hasselblad.) You can view his Flickr stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeknom02/ or his photography blog at http://dommephoto.wordpress.com/
I started recording a monthly Internet Radio show called the Film Photography Podcast last October in order to share my enthusiasm about shooting film. At that time I was already recording a monthly show covering underground B-Movies (called the Alternative Cinema Podcast). I was chewing up so much time on the AC podcast talking about film photography that I decided to branch out and record a show solely devoted to shooting film.
Noel “Scotch” Anderson’s art for the Alternative Cinema Podcast
I had no idea how popular and well received the show would become. I’ve met so many amazing artists these past months and most recently Dan Domme, a podcast listener even visited my studio and did a guest spot on the show.
Dan Domme visits the FPP! / Polaroid Transfer using the Colorpack II camera and Fuji FP-100c film
Duane and John during a 2009 episode / Shot on Keystone 125x Auto-Instant Camera using expired Kodak 126 film
I’m really happy to tell everyone that I’ve expanded the show to twice a month starting with this July 1st episode. An amazing thanks to Duane Polcou and John Fedele for coming along for this great ride. The show is really picking up steam and remains firmly rooting in its original theme – Have Fun Shooting Film!
Dan Domme shot this image of me outside the famous Mac’s Diner / Eastar TLR camera on Kodak Portra 160NC
Enjoy and Thank You!
Episode 10: The Epic Film Photography Summer Episode!
