Fight on the bathroom floor

August 14, 2019 in journal

This is not how my evening was supposed to go.

I should've paid attention to the signs. I was too tired, and spilled the developer. Still, I went ahead.

I'd started this roll of film last year and just finished it today. It'd spent so much time in the camera that it didn't want to get in the reel.

It was a hard fight that went on for over 45 minutes, started on my desk and ended on the bathroom floor. Never before had I given up a roll.

As I opened the changing bag, I saw the result of my hard work: exposed, wrinkled and useless film. I really wanted to see those images. They are gone now.

Sometimes I wonder.

Developing film in half the time with CineStill Df96 monobath solution

July 19, 2019 in journal

I finally had the chance to try CineStill's monobath solution, Df96. This product promises to do the job of three chemicals, all in one: developer, bath stop and fixer.

While I could see how that would save a lot of time, I wasn't so sure about the results I could get.

I've only developed 2 rolls of Ilford HP5 with this solution, but so far, I'm pretty happy with the negatives. And the best of all: I was able to do it almost twice as fast.

I love shooting film, but developing it isn't my favorite thing to do. That's why I welcome anything that makes it easier and faster, like CineStill Df96.

These are some of the images from those 2 rolls, shot with a Bronica SQ-Ai and a Holga (this one was in the camera for over a year and still turned out mostly ok).

Why developing film is not a creative step of the process

July 18, 2019 in journal

Unless you are shooting large format and treating each image differently, I’d say no, developing film isn't a creative step.

Many people follow the indications from the manufacturer or some online recipe.

Others experiment with different developers, dilutions, time, agitation... and eventually settle on a formula that gives them the results they are looking for.

Most people just drop their film off at a lab.

In my case, I usually push my film 1 or 2 stops to create the aesthetics I want. It's a foundation that all the images from the roll will share.

This is equivalent to apply a preset in Lightroom or other editing software, something I wouldn't call creative.

In my opinion, it's when we compose, edit and print the image that we can be the most creative.

Pushing HP5 to the limit: ASA 51,200

December 03, 2018 in journal

In this video, I push my favorite film to the limit. I expose and develop Ilford HP5+ for an ASA of 51,200. Will it work?

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Finishing rolls of Ilford HP5 and FP4

October 15, 2018 in journal

I had a few rolls sitting around for a while, with a few shots left in them, so I decided to go out and finish them. This is what it came out of that morning out... and of those rolls.

Cinestill Df96, black and white film developing made easy?

September 03, 2018 in journal

Eduardo Pavez runs a great channel about film photography on YouTube. In his latest video he tries Cinestill Df96, a monobath solution that promises to make developing -black and white film- much easier.

Instead of dealing with multiple chemicals (developer, stop bath, fixer...), this solution does it all. Pour it in the tank and after 3 minutes your negatives will be ready to wash.

I can't wait to try it myself -I don't know of any place here in Europe that carries Df96 just yet.

I can see one gotcha with this new product: achieving the right temperature. The trick is to get the solution to the temperature indicated for your film stock and exposure.

If you've developed film before, you know that getting any solution to the right temperature can be the most challenging part of all! Surely, one of the most time consuming steps.

I have to hold off on giving my final opinion on this new monobath solution until I try it, but it looks like the savings in time from using just one chemical can be erased trying to get the solution to the right temperature.

Do not dump your Rodinal down the sink

August 07, 2018 in journal

You might know that I've recently set up a new darkroom after leaving all my equipment in the US. As part of this new setup, I got some **Rodinal** to try as my new developer. And I made a mistake.

How to prevent your Epson scanner (v550, v600...) from pausing between images when scanning multiple photos

August 06, 2018 in journal

If you have an Epson scanner, you already know which annoying bug I’m talking about. Today, I think I’ve fixed it! This is how.

3 reasons why I shoot Ilford HP5+ at 800

July 31, 2018 in journal

A bit more than a year and a half ago, I had no idea what it meant to push or pull film. When I started shooting film, I experimented a little bit with Ilford HP5+. I really loved the way HP5+ looked when shot (and developed) at ASA 800 and 1600. I absolutely loved the grain and contrast!

In the end, I settled on 800. Here’s why.

How to set up a darkroom for B&W film development at home from scratch: a shopping list

July 29, 2018 in journal

One backpack and one suitcase: that's all I had when I moved from the US to Europe. All my stuff had to fit in two bags, and after a careful selection of what I really needed, everything else had to stay behind.

Among the stuff that didn't make it with me was all my darkroom equipment. But after 3 months of shooting almost exclusively digital, I was missing my Bronica so much that last week I finally pulled the trigger and bought everything I need to develop film at home... again.

This is a list of all the stuff I bought. You can use it as a checklist if you are building your own darkroom, although you might find you need more -or fewer- items than these.

Developing HP5+ at 1600 using D-76 and TF-4

February 06, 2018 in journal

Short video about developing Ilford HP5, shot at 1600 ASA, using Kodak D-76 and Photographer's Formulary TF-4 as the developer and fixer respectively.

Recipe is as follows:

film stock: Ilford HP5+, 120 film
temperature: 70F - 21C
developer: Kodak D-76, 1+1
...notes: 18 minutes, agitation / inversion of 10 seconds
stop bath: water
...notes: 3 rinses, 1 minute agitation
fixer: Photographer's Formulary TF-4
...notes: 6 minutes, agitation / inversion of 30 seconds
wet agent: Kodak Photo-Flo