Analog photography for dummies

1. Analog photography for dummies Quick intro to chemical processing LOUNGE

2. Key to what follows Scope of this presentation: To provide basic knowledge and procedures to decently develop a bw film, print on chemical paper, develop the paper to obtain a bw photograph. Darkroom lounge: This is where you are at the moment, in this practical session we will go through the main steps to learn in practice the most commonly used methods and approach the tools available in Estec darkroom We will not: Describe/discuss theoretical aspects Treat advanced development and print methods We will: Mention useful publications where those aspects are introduced and detailed Collect your feedback to assess the opportunity to continue with deeper theoretical/practical sessions in the future

3. Film development Once a film is exposed by taking your photo with your analog camera, it needs development BASIC RULES: The film MUST be handled in total darkness The development process can take place in any dark enclosure, i.e. your studio or your bathroom at home Needed tools: Development tank (see pic.1) Thermometer Needed chemicals: Essentially three chemical solutions BRING AN EXPOSED BW FILM WITH YOU AT THE DARKROOM LOUNGE

4. Plastic development tank Components: Spiral – where you insert the film (in darkness) Holding support – to keep the spiral in the tank First cover – light tight Second cover – water tight Mixer – stick to move the spiral and ease action of chemicals

5. What to do to develop a film Steps: • Insert the film in the spiral – you need some practice, see darkroom lounge session. Insert the spiral in the tank, cap the tank with the first cover • Pour the film developer liquid in the tank – for a 35 mm film, this is the size and name of the one you use in your SLR (single lens reflex) camera, you need 300 ml of developer Keep the film in the tank for 10 min, agitate once per minute – see darkroom lounge • Dispose the developer in the dedicated container, pour the stop bath in the tank – Keep the film in the stop bath for 1 minute, agitate continuously Agitate: turn the tank, with second cap tightly closed, upside down gently, stay in that position for an instant, turn it back, wait for an instant. Repeat four times.

6. What to do to develop a film Steps: 4. Dispose the stop bath in the basin (no pollution), pour the fixer in the tank – Keep the film in the fixer for 5 minutes, agitate every 30 seconds • Dispose the fixer in the dedicated container, open the tank, rinse with water for 10 minutes • Pour one small drop of hand dish wash soap in water filled tank, agitate and rinse with flowing water • Take the film out of the spiral, hang it to dry for 30 min minimum • done Hang the film: clip the film on one side to hang it, clip it on the other side with a weight to keep it straight during the drying

7. What to do to obtain a photograph from a developed film Essentially we need to go through two phases: • PRINT: enlargement of a film negative on a sheet of chemically sensitive paper • DEVELOP: the printed sheet of paper must go through a process very similar to what seen for film development GROUND RULES FOR PAPER PRINT AND DEVELOPMENT Both steps can be done in darkroom under red-orange light A number of tools and equipment are needed, it is not advisable to perform this process at home unless specific set up is available It is necessary to go trough this process applying a repeatable and accurate procedure to avoid mistakes that could compromise the final result The Estec darkroom is perfectly suited to perform fine art printing and development …… Red-orange light: that is the only light allowed when photographic paper is out of its storage box, do not forget to always check that papers are box stored before switching on normal room light, to avoid risk to waste unexposed paper

8. What to do to print paper Essential tools Enlarger – to project the negative light on the paper below It is composed by several parts, among them those you need to use are: Lens diaphragm – as per your SLR, it is used to dose the light through the lens Focus scale – the enlarger head goes up and down to focus on the projection plane Grade filters- they are used to set the contrast of the final image. We will use the filter contrast #2. It is essential that a filter is placed in the enlarger to guarantee a decent final image Frame – to hold and align the paper Timer – to command the enlarger light to the desired exposure time They will be introduced during the darkroom lounge

9. enlarger Figures: main parts of an enlarger

10. What to do to print paper Essential steps: • Place the negative in the holder in the enlarger, align it using the enlarger alignment tools, see darkroom lounge Insert a grade 2 filter in the enlarger Set the lens diaphragm to f 5.6 focus the negative image on the projection plane of the enlarger, using the focus tool according to the chosen paper dimensions

11. What to do to print paper Essential steps: • Make a test print What is a test print: it is a sheet of paper where a number of different exposure times are printed in order to be able to visualise the optimum final exp time How to make it: • Expose the paper at 6 different times by gradually covering each of the six paper areas and exposing as follows: 32 sec, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 sec • Each exposure time will differ from the adjacent by one stop You will obtain a nice sample to develop and useful to decide about the final print parameters to use DON’T WORRY, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER AND INTUITIVE AT THE DARKROOM LOUNGE!

12. WHAT TO DO TO DEVELOP THE PAPER Yiu have now your test paper, here below the essential steps to deveop it: • Develop bath: 2 minutes • Stop bath: 1 minute • fix bath: 2 minutes • water rinsing: 5-10 minutes, better with flowing water • dry paper: either in heated roller drier (watch out! Only works for RC paper) or at ambient temperature hanging on a clip Notes: RC paper is plastic based, FB paper is natural fiber based and much more complicated to use. We will not use it. As done with the film development, all the baths will be ready and you do not need to worry about their preparation. See appendix for detail info on baths.

13. Developing paper Paper treatment: the three development steps, clipping the paper, hanging it to dry Always use different clips for each bath, always use the same clip for each bath

14. Whats next Now you have gone through the main steps. You might have perceived there is more behind the basic technique we managed to show you, it is on you to continue and refine your capabilities through experience and experimentation. We are available to assist you further as far as our own knowledge allows, do not hesitate to pose questions. We would appreciate your feedback on this session to improve it and correct if necessary. Thanks for your participation. Expose for the shadows, develop for the lights Volker Kohne Antonio Preden Fabio Caramelli

15. Appendix a: hints on further steps Film development: Try films with different sensitivity (ISO), explore the relation between film ISO and grain size. Sample films: Ilfod HP5, Rollei retro, Kodak Tmax (400 ISO). Ilford Delta 3200 (3200 ISO) Paper print and development: Assess the influence of enlarger diaphragm selection on print time Exercise to think in terms of F-stop when assessing paper exposure time Try print improvements by dodging and burning, where needed Experiment paper toning with dedicated baths Try larger paper size, experiment the impact on technique and image effects Try RC pearl paper (as opposite to the glossy paper we will use in the darkroom lounge)

16. Appendix b: film baths Film development: Developer: Kodak ‘D76’. it comes in powder, dilute in water following instructions to make the ‘bulk solution’. Use it at bulk dilution ONE TIME ONLY, then dispose. Stop bath: Ilford ‘Ilfostop’ stop bath. Use up to three months, store in a plastic dark bottle minimising the air contents in the bottle. Fixer: Ilford ‘rapid fixer’. Use up to three months, store in a plastic dark bottle minimising the air contents in the bottle Film and paper wash: Ilford ‘washaid. Used to facilitate cleaning of fixer and to shorten paper water rinsing time. No max. lifetime recommendation.

17. Appendix C: paper baths Development: Ilford ‘multigrade’ deveoper. Use up to three months, depending on the number of sheets developed, find out the optimum through experiment. Stop bath: see previous slide, same bath used for film and paper, change concentration to 1+10 Fixer: see previous slide, same bath used for film and paper, change concentration according to recommendation on instructions leaflet Notes: These baths can be used up to three months if stored in dark airtight bottles For all baths, detailed dilution recommendations are given in leaflets

18. Appendix D: EPC dark room rules …… …… To be completed