PhotoStudious

So for the past couple of weeks, I have been hanging out in the school's darkroom while taking a class on digital photography. The school that I am attending at gives us a chance to use the darkroom as long as we have a class that is photography related. Below is a video tour of the darkroom. 

Here are some helpful notes displayed around the darkroom: 

Black and White Film Processing Instructions

1. In total darkness, load your film on the processing reel and place the reel into the tank, close the tank, and turn on the light.

2. In a graduated beaker, mix one part D-76 with one part water.

3. Check the temperature of the D-76(1:1) and determine the proper development time from the development chart.

4. Set the timer to the desired time.

5. Fill the processing tank with water (at the same temperature as the developer) and agitate constantly for 1 minute; then dump the water down the drain.

6. Pour the D-76(1:1) into the processing tank; start the timer; and agitate constantly for the first 30 seconds. 

7. Agitate for 10 seconds every 60 seconds for the remainder of the development time. 

8. Dump the D-76(1:1) down the drain 15 seconds prior to the end of the development time. 

9. Immediately fill the processing tank with stop bath and agitate constantly for 30 seconds. 

10. Pour the stop bath back into the stop bath container. 

11. Immediately fill the processing tank with fixer and agitate constantly for the first 30 seconds.

12. Agitate the tank for 10 seconds every 60 seconds for 3 minutes.

13. Pour the fixer into the fix return bottle. (your film is now light safe). 

14. Rinse the film for 1 minute in water. 

15. Fill the processing tank with hypo-clear and treat your film in it for 2 minutes with constant agitation. 

16. Pour the hypo-clear back into the hypo-clear container. 

17. Remove  the reel from the tank and place it in the hurricane washer for 5 minutes (at home I wash the film in a pail with running water). 

18. After the film has washed, treat it in Photo-Flo for one minute with constant agitation.

19. Hang your film in the film dryer and turn the dryer on. The film will take approximately 20 minutes to dry. 

20. Wash and dry all of the equipment and the work area. 

Five Variables of Print Exposure

1. The negative

2. The enlarger height

3. The lens aperature

4. the exposure time 

5. contrast filters

Note: If you change any one of these variables it will necessitate the need for a test print. 

Print Evaluation Guide

1. If the print has... 

 Deep black shadows, no detail, and no pure white in the highlights

The Problem: too dark

The Solution

Less exposure, shorten the time or stop down the lens aperture

2. If the print has...

Blank white highlights and no maximum black.

The Problem: too light

The Solution

More exposure, lengthen the time or open the lens aperture. 

3. If the print has....

Good white highlight areas awith detail but no maximum black. 

The Problem: low contrast

The Solution

Change to a higher contrast filter number or paper grade. 

4. If the print has...

Good black shadow areas with detail but no pure white.

The Problem: low contrast

The Solution

Change to a higher contrast filter number or paper grade.

5. If the print has...

Black shadow areas with no detail and blank white highlights areas. 

The Problem: too contrasty 

The Solution

Change to a lower contrast filter number or paper grade.