Embarrassing First Attempt...

[Xia_Ke]

So I got my paper developer in today but, didn't really have the time to play tonight so I was going to wait until Friday when I could lock myself away. I ended up processing a roll of Tri-X today and couldn't seem to get a couple shots scanned right. I got so pissed at the scanner I caved and marched into the bathroom. Quickly threw everything together, mixed up my chemicals and said my prayers...LOL I only had enough time to try 5 prints but, definitely gave me a good idea of what I'm up against. All I have to say is F*** YOU DUST AND CAT HAIR!!!! :mad2: ...LOL I'm embarrassed that this is the best I have to show but, what are you gonna do right? Oh well, time for bed

PS- The cat hair and dust is on the print, not the scanner. Please disregard the fingerprint (note to self, do not grab paper with sweaty hands) and also disregard the rub mark (another note to self, be careful agitating paper with the tongs)

[Greg McCary]

I am glad you are off and running. Now put that cat out where it belongs.....

[SpeedingSphere]

you may want to get a cheap hepa filter for your bathroom. run it for about 20 mins before you plan to develop and you should be set.

[mjs1973]

Ahhh yes, this brings back memories! Consider it a learning experience. When I took my photo class in 2004, I spent a couple hours in the darkroom, and came out without a single print. I did gain a lot knowledge in those 2 frustraiting hours tho. Mostly what not to do, and how to do things better the next time. It went a lot smoother the next time I went to the darkroom to make some prints.

[Xia_Ke]

I realized something after I went to bed, I never even measured the temp of my developer...LOL Guess that's what happen when you're caught up in the excitement and rushing along. I'm looking forward to Friday when no one will be home and I can take all the time in the world to play.

SpeedingSphere, thanks for the recommendation. I'm definitely going to have to get something. It was a lot worse than I thought it would be

[another view]

Well, it's better than any darkroom prints that I've ever made!

A friend used to do a lot of darkroom work in his condo, was really OCD about dust and had no pets. He still said it was a problem... It's also a problem for the large format shooters loading film holders, a problem for DSLR shooters with dust on the sensor, etc... Can't you just photoshop out the dust?

I don't know exactly what they did, but I had a B&W darkroom print made a few years ago that I liked a lot except for one small highlight from a light fixture on the wall in the back of the shot. They painted on some sort of dye, and I had a hard time finding the repair even knowing it was there and where to look. Not that I'd plan on doing this as a form of dust control, but it can be an option.

[Xia_Ke]

...Can't you just p******** out the dust? ...

Hey, this is a family friendly place. No swearing in the Film Forum

You can buy retouch kits like this:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_pro...t_id=&pid=2449

for dust spots and what not but, obviously I would rather get it right to begin with. It's going to be a challenge but, it will be fun and I'm really looking forward to learning.

[Old Timer]

I had a photography teacher in college that was a stickler for retouching prints. You didn't turn one in that didn't have every dust spot retouched. I got pretty go with the dyes and a fine tip brush.

[Xia_Ke]

I had a photography teacher in college that was a stickler for retouching prints. You didn't turn one in that didn't have every dust spot retouched. I got pretty go with the dyes and a fine tip brush.

So I guess it's just something I'm going to have to get used to then huh? :cryin:

[photophorous]

Awesome. You just over exposed it a little. A few more tries and you'd have it. Are you making test strips before you make a full-size print? Test strips should get you pretty close.

I got started with all this stuff by taking a short class through the local art museum, and the teacher taught us how to use ink to spot out dust. After that, I never did it again. Never even bought any ink. I just reprinted until I got rid of the dust, which usually wasn't too hard. Get some canned air. A blower bulb will work sometimes, but canned air is a lot stronger. Just be careful not to spray your negative with propellant. You may need to buy some negative cleaning solution for dust that get's stuck to the negatives while they're drying. It saves time, but you can always rewash and dry the film too.

My dumb self decided to try my microfiber lens cloth to clean off a negative the other day because I couldn't find my antistatic cloth. Don't ever do that. I should have known better. It left micro fibers all over the film and I had to rewash that strip before I could scan it. Doh!

Paul

[mtbbrian]

You Go Aaron!
Just what remember the things you did that you didn't do or hadn't intended to do and you'll improve next time.
Thanks for sharring!!
:thumbsup:
Brian

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks Brian I just need to remember not to get complacent. I'm so used to film developing that it's total autopilot now and I feel like I could do it in my sleep. This was an eye opener that paper is a whole other ballgame. Just need to settle down and take my time until I get the swing of things.

[mtbbrian]

Thanks Brian I just need to remember not to get complacent.

That happens!
But don't be embarrased either!
What you are doing is going against convention of photography today, so be proud!
And Have Fun!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Brian

[Loupey]

... I'm so used to film developing that it's total autopilot now and I feel like I could do it in my sleep. This was an eye opener that paper is a whole other ballgame...

Bingo! It's great to watch someone ambitious enough to want to learn the entire process :thumbsup:


You are now enjoying the most creative part (more creative than the actual shooting? Hmmm, worthy of debate me thinks ) of B&W photography IMO. Like many other things in life, you can always get better but never fully master it. Therein lies the beauty of it.

There is always something new to learn and one has to start somewhere. You are already beyond that.

[Xia_Ke]

...You are now enjoying the most creative part (more creative than the actual shooting? Hmmm, worthy of debate me thinks ) of B&W photography IMO...

You will get no debate from me there. I view PS the same way. Capturing a beautiful scene or moment and being able to "bring it to life" in a print are 2 very different stories.

After my first venture beyond just straight printing on Saturday, I will say this much, it's one thing to read about a Photoshop process and be able to replicate it. Reading about dodging and burning techiniques and trying to successfully implement them in printing is a whole other ballgame! That definitely hit home how much I have to learn. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun though...LOL Maybe it was the intoxicating fumes of fixer

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks Paul I did a quick test strip but I was rushing through the whole thing quite a bit. I did my first test strip, then bumped my easel, so I opened up the lens aperture so I could see better to line back up but, when I went to stop back down, I don't think I went back to where I was originally because using the time from the test strip gave me a completely blown out print. Jesus this whole thing is sounding like a trainwreck...LOL Not sure what I was thinking last night Remind me to slow down and take a deep breath on Friday...LOL I swear I'm much more precise and methodical in all other aspects of my photography

[photophorous]

Thanks Paul I did a quick test strip but I was rushing through the whole thing quite a bit. I did my first test strip, then bumped my easel, so I opened up the lens aperture so I could see better to line back up but, when I went to stop back down, I don't think I went back to where I was originally because using the time from the test strip gave me a completely blown out print. Jesus this whole thing is sounding like a trainwreck...LOL Not sure what I was thinking last night Remind me to slow down and take a deep breath on Friday...LOL I swear I'm much more precise and methodical in all other aspects of my photography

I agree with Brian, this is nothing to be embarrassed about. I had someone in the darkroom showing me what to do the first few times, and I still wasted lots of paper. I'm sure you'll end up with a nice print next time, and the basics will soon become second nature just like your film developing.

Paul

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks for the encouragement Brian :thumbsup:

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks Paul I'm sure Friday will go better once I slow down a bit. Hopefully I'll have something decent to show you guys on Friday night or Saturday morning

[drg]

If there is a shower in the bathroom where you are developing, run the shower for a few minutes to raise the humidity in the room.

If the air is overly dry, <30%rh, static will become more of a problem. If you have carpet in the bathroom, sigh, I know a tile guy. A HEPA filter will work, but I'd let it run throughout the process while you are working and turn off any forced air heating to the room. Baseboard heaters are best (or very controlled steam) in a printing environment because of dust(and it is a FOUR letter word I agree!!).

One technique I learned early was where to pick up and agitate a photo. The same place every time. It does not matterwhich, but always grab the same corner. That way you limit where potential damage occurs and you can even learn to print around it. That or print allowing for trimming to remove the 'claw' mark. I also went to silicone tipped tongs and they are better for me than nylon.

Are you contact printing or enlarging?? Wear gloves when contact printing at first as usually it can be a little fumbley to deal with the neg and the paper and not put a finger print where one shouldn't.

The magic is all about a repeatable and reliable technique. Print the same good negative several times and then process as one way to see how consistent you are. Just be sure to pop the exposed paper back in to the light safe. An enlarger or contact printer invariably leaks light worse than a Holga !

Best wishes and have fun!!

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks drg Right now I'm just doing enlarging. I have a contact printer but, I already know the negatives I want to work with so have no plans for that in the next couple of sessions. I'll have to try the shower trick before printing to see if that helps. The heating is baseboard and the bathroom is tile floor. I also have an overhead exhaust fan that I run. I really made no effort to take care of dust this first attempt, so I'm hoping next time, when I'm more conscious of it, that it won't be as bad I'll go out this weekend though and pick up some canned air, a static brush, and scope out some filters.

[Xia_Ke]

Here goes round 2. Keep your fingers crossed See you in a couple hours

[photophorous]

Good luck, Aaron! Looking forward to seeing the results.

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks Paul Going MUCH, MUCH better this time. Swapping negs right now to try printing something else. I have a couple decent ones. I'll scan later and post. Back to the bathroom

[rylan]

im excited to see the results! good luck with it all!