Black & White Film
Developing black and white photographic film may be convenient but there is a good reason why you may want to get into processing black and white film instead. More often than not, sending your photos to the lab for processing may reduce quality and control. You may not know it, but processing black and white film by yourself may give you the quality, control and perhaps the creativity that you need.
Have the time but don’t know where to begin? Then here’s how.
First, load the film onto a reel and put it in a tank. You will need a can opener, film reel, film cassette and tank cover. Note where you put them and then switch off the lights. When it is totally dark, take out the film from the cassette. With a can opener, pull the flat end off the 35mm black & white film canister. Unwind the film and take out its end by peeling off the tape connecting it.
Load the film on a plastic or metal film reel. Starters may opt for plastic since you can just slide one end of the film into a slot on the reel’s outer edge until it is loaded. Put the loaded reel in the film tank ad cover. Your film should now be in a light and tight container. Switch on the light and prepare to process your film.
For this phase, you will need the following chemicals such as a film developer, fixer with hardener, hypo eliminator bath and a stop bath. The temperature of these chemicals, especially the film developer should be carefully controlled Remember that development time is affected by the film’s speed and the developer’s temperature. Ideally, the temperature for processing should be at around 68-70 degrees, although you may develop at quite lower or higher temperatures provided that you make adjustments. Also, processing time may vary from one brand to another and may have recommended processing times and temperature as well.
Black and white film is usually processed at about 65 to 75 degrees. When the temperature is higher, the film may appear coarse and overly grainy. This is known as reticulation.
Then, pour the developer into the opened portion of the sealed film tank, also called the pour spout, and leave it open. You need agitation to maintain fresh chemical on the surface of the film all throughout the process. To agitate, turn the tank upside down once every minute. Tap several times when it is upright again to prevent air bubbles from forming on the film while agitating, otherwise these bubbles can leave dark, underdeveloped patches on your negatives.
Once finished, remove the lid from the tank’s pour spout and pour it into the sink or back into a container for later use. Always follow the developing time that is stated on the packaging. Pour water into the pour spout for about a minute to stop development. You may also use a small amount of glacial acetic acid mixed with 1/3 water and set aside for about thirty seconds to wash it off.
The next phase is fixing. Make sure to use a fixer with the hardener to protect the negative from getting scratched easily. Fixing time may vary according to the fixer used, whether normal or fast. You may now check the negatives at the end of the fixing time. Fully remove the tank cover and let the film sit in cold running water for about five minutes. Remove fixer traces to avoid white stains on your negatives. Pour a generous amount of Hypo Eliminator and let it agitate for a couple of minutes.
Do a final wash for about five minutes and then pull the film out of the tank. Hang dry the film with the use of film clips or washing pins. Never attempt to touch them. Your black and white film will be dry in about an hour or so. Then, you can cut them in between the photos’ spaces. Store the negatives in PVC plastic negative pages or clear glassine envelopes. Voila! You have just processed black and white film by yourself.