View Full Version : Stupid Darkroom Mistakes
Stephanie Brim
05-11-2007, 12:24
I've been developing film for at least two years and have never done something as stupid as I just did.
I decided to shoot the rest of a roll of Plus-X I had in my folder so that I could see how well it was working. Got done and thought I'd lightproof the bathroom and develop the film. Spent a good hour setting up the bathroom so that no light could get in to get the film onto the reel, dropped the reel in the tank, and set about developing the film. I take the lid off the tank to pour out the developer (Rodinal this time) and realize something is amiss. Look down at my feet and lo and behold, there's the core of the tank. You know, that piece that makes the thing lightproof? Yeah. It wasn't in the tank.
Quickly turned out the light, put the fixer in, and put the lid back on. Figure that hopefully not all the frames are dust.
Luckily they weren't...but man, that was stupid.
Anyone else want to share their really stupid mistakes?
Wayne R. Scott
05-11-2007, 12:41
I once showed a girl how to develop film, I measured out the developer, stop bath and fixer into seperate beakers. Then as I was talking to her I reached over and poured the fixer into the developing tank. Instantly turning my film into ISO Zero.
Fortunately it was a roll of film of an engagement couple and we were able to re-shoot the session. I made this mistake after 20 years of developing film.
Wayne
Step 1: Pour developer in graduated cylinder and then pour it's contents into the film tank.
Step 2: While developing the film, put yellow funnel on top of developer bottle.
Step 3: And while there's still some time, fill the graduated cylinder with stop bath.
Step 4: Ten seconds left . . . put a yellow funnel in the stop bath bottle also.
Step 5: Ding! Time is up. Dump the developer into the yellow funnel.
Crap! Anyone care for a cocktail?
Sometimes being frugal is not so frugal.
Stephanie Brim
05-11-2007, 13:08
I don't have a dark bag because i'm planning to build my darkroom (the real one) soon enough that I can go for a couple months...but the next time I'm going into the closet to load the reels. Safer.
I'm pretty error prone, but to my amazement, after 4 years in the darkroom I haven't exposed a whole box of paper yet.
Yesterday, I got where I was going to shoot the soon to be demolished Everett waterfront, only to find I had left home with no 120 film. It instantly became a 35mm project.
A few weeks ago I went on a long hike to some really interesting mining ruins. When I got there, I set up my camera and went to put film in it, only to find I'd forgotten to put the spool back in it after I cleaned it last. I had to waste a perfectly good 120 roll to use the camera...
More than once, I've left prints in the rinse tray and gone to bed, forgotten about them for a day or more, and found them molding in the tray. Doh!
Many many times I've forgotten to stop down the enlarger lens after focusing and overexposed my print...
And of course there will be more, but the worst by far was when I somehow deleted my entire digital mining picture folder from my harddrive.
Many many times I've forgotten to stop down the enlarger lens after focusing and overexposed my print...
Common for me too.
I've been developing my 35mm using a changing bag and daylight tank - so far no user errors.
However, I started shooting 4 x 5 a couple of months ago, and I'm not using the changing bag, but instead I'm blocking out the laundry room in the basement. So, the first time I unloaded my holders in the dark, I curled up the sheets taco-style and placed them in the daylight tank. I then turned on the lights, and about 20 minutes later as I was just about to poor in the Diafine, I realized that I had not put the light trap cylinder in the daylight tank!
Oh well, at least I'm using Arista EDU.Ultra at only $.30 per sheet.
Duane
Stephanie Brim
05-11-2007, 13:34
I luckily only destroyed 2.5 frames out of 8. But that's damn lucky.
I didn't even wait till I got to the darkroom. Today I "exposed" a complete roll with the lens cap on (hasn't happen before despite shooting film with a RF for a couple of years but I know it had to happen sooner or later). Then again, it was a landscape shoot. Just popped in another roll and did the retake. Or should I just say I was checking the body for light leaks?:)
tetrisattack
05-11-2007, 14:49
Working in a college darkroom, my favorite is when first timers start their prints in the hypo clear, then move them to the fixer, then to the stop, and finally to the developer, destroying their print and back-contaminating all the trays as they go. Cool!
PlantedTao
05-11-2007, 15:00
Many many times I've forgotten to stop down the enlarger lens after focusing and overexposed my print...
Common for me too.
me too...wasted a lot of paper on that
Also, mixed up my filter when doing split filters for printing (not that big a deal)...but, I would get nervous and check to see if I had the right one in, while the enlarger was on and BAM! bright white light...not a big deal in your own darkroom, but in a community one you get some pissed off people and rightly so.
Live and learn
Jason
Sylvaticus
05-11-2007, 15:04
Stephanie, think again about that lightproof bag, even if get a dedicated permanent darkroom. It has other uses too, like rescuing film from a camera after some sort of disaster.
Why is a film tent better than a dark room? I've never used one, but also never saw a need outside of dealing with sheet film when you need to shoot more frames than you have film holders for.
Personally, I find 36 exposures too many and often end up with a roll of film in a 35mm camera for too long, or want to see results before I finish that many frames.
So I take the camera into the darkroom, and open the back without rewinding the film. Then I cut the film, remove the exposed portion and develop it. The rest of the roll can go back in the camera after a new leader has been cut on it with scissors.
sienarot
05-11-2007, 15:47
Shortly after getting into film, I moved from 35mm to 120. Even after developing a few rolls of 120, I still kept getting the measurements for the volume of solution mixed up (ie: enough solution for 1 roll of 35mm, 1 roll of 120, 2 rolls of 35mm, etc...). One time I was processing a roll of 120 but only put in enough developer for a roll of 35mm. Since I caught it right after I poured it in, i quickly mixed up the difference in solution to pour it in. In my haste, I grabbed the wrong cup and poured in the stop bath. Whoops! I quickly poured out the solution and re-mixed more developer. After I finished, there were a couple frames with uneven development, but most of the roll came out okay.
Another time, I again poured in the incorrect amount of developer for a roll of 120 but hadn't realized it until after it was finished. Fortunately it was a roll taken with the holga so it added to the effect in a serendipitous manner.
Quite appropriate, wouldn't you say?
http://www.typicalfish.com/blog//images/20060628_11.jpg
Now all my measuring cups are marked and labeled with the correct measurement for various combinations of film sizes.
sienarot
05-11-2007, 15:48
Many many times I've forgotten to stop down the enlarger lens after focusing and overexposed my print...
Common for me too.
I've done that many times and I still continue to do it!
nikon_sam
05-11-2007, 16:12
Putting the paper in the easel Emulsion side down...that's my "Go to" mistake...
That and the "Lens aperture thingy" mentioned above...
sepiareverb
05-11-2007, 16:19
I once poured Kodak indicator stop bath Stock solution into my tank. Agitated away like I normally do, then after the 30 seconds poured out a very thick, black goo. Took me a minute to realize what I'd done (I had turned the film base back into a semi-solid state), then another minute to realize I had no other stop bath for the next tank!
Stephanie Brim
05-11-2007, 19:33
I once poured Kodak indicator stop bath Stock solution into my tank. Agitated away like I normally do, then after the 30 seconds poured out a very thick, black goo. Took me a minute to realize what I'd done (I had turned the film base back into a semi-solid state), then another minute to realize I had no other stop bath for the next tank!
This is a good argument for a good old-fashioned water stop. ;)
I haven't made any of the previously mentioned mistakes, but I had a terrible sequence of absolutely stupid mistakes for about a week a couple of months ago. I would roll my film perfectly, I would mix all my solutions properly, and then when it came to fill my tank, I would just take the lid off . I did this *twice*. Similarly, there was time where I forgot to put the rolled reels (was doing a big batch) in the tanks before I turned on the light. I think that it had something to do with being sleep deprived and very rushed. Thankfully, I haven't done anything so stupid since then.
I've only processed three rolls (in as many weeks) so far, but I'm sure that when it comes time to develop a roll that really matters, then I'll screw something up. ;)
I opened my tank after pouring out the developer to check on the status of the negs, before putting in the fixer. Lost that roll *shrug*
One time, I had just got off an intense conference call for work -- I was home for the day, ill and in between developing the negs. I took a deep whiff of hypo to see whether it wasn't expired. I woke up a few minutes later on the floor. :eek:
SolaresLarrave
05-11-2007, 20:50
I have read so many stories besides these... that I've labeled all my bottles with huge letters just to prevent the stop-bath-instead-of-developer story.
But even though I've developed a number of rolls of film already, only my second (and relatively most important) turned up dinged... because I rushed through the spooling. :bang: :bang:
BTW, even if you are going to have a darkroom, Stephanie, a black bag is useful in more than one way. Get one, they're not expensive and may save you some grief in the future.
sienarot
05-11-2007, 21:11
I opened my tank after pouring out the developer to check on the status of the negs, before putting in the fixer. Lost that roll *shrug*
I fail to see the problem with that. Did you not stop the development with a stop/water bath and the developer was still reacting with the negs? If the developing was stopped, there shouldn't have been any reason why you couldn't have fixed it and still had perfectly good negs...
Most serious recent screw-up - the Ilford rapid fix and multi-grade print dev bottles look remarkably similar :)
Thankfully I realised 1 minute into "fixing" so the negs were saved, but were, um, rather contrasty...
In the mid 1960s some of us made up baths from separate chemicals. Once, when it was my turn, I added acetic acid to the developer. This stupidity would have been exciting (read: wildly destructive) if I hadn't been the first to develop film that night. There's one joker -- also grey like me now -- who just does not forget that.
Stephanie Brim
05-13-2007, 10:47
I fail to see the problem with that. Did you not stop the development with a stop/water bath and the developer was still reacting with the negs? If the developing was stopped, there shouldn't have been any reason why you couldn't have fixed it and still had perfectly good negs...
Because the film isn't light safe until it's been fixed.
wlewisiii
05-13-2007, 11:00
My "best" one is my most recent. I got a HP Combiplan daylight sheet film tank. It holds 6 sheets & isn't too bad. However, loading it in a changing bag can be interesting. There's this little clamp like thing that goes over the center to hold the film in place. You take it off before you load the sheets & then put it back on before closing the tank. If you slide in the sheets with it still on, you can badly scratch the emulsion... :bang: Only the most important of the 4 being developed had that happen, of course.
William
manfromh
05-18-2007, 08:29
I have developed my own film for a little less than a year. About 25 rolls. I use russian tanks, which are fool-proof when it comes to loading them or keeping them light tight. The biggest "screw up" was when I dropped the film, and it unwound on the floor. I want to do some printing in the near future. Im sure I manage to screw something up then.
Stephanie Brim
05-18-2007, 08:37
My "best" one is my most recent. I got a HP Combiplan daylight sheet film tank. It holds 6 sheets & isn't too bad. However, loading it in a changing bag can be interesting. There's this little clamp like thing that goes over the center to hold the film in place. You take it off before you load the sheets & then put it back on before closing the tank. If you slide in the sheets with it still on, you can badly scratch the emulsion... :bang: Only the most important of the 4 being developed had that happen, of course.
William
I thought about getting one of those but then decided that it may be better to just use trays for a bit...I'll probably be posting a lot here about that.
(OH, and off topic, but where'd you get that Symmar? Any idea if it'll focus correctly on a press camera? :P)
among other things... accidently flicking on the darkroom lights while in the middle of a printing session........ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
f/stopblues
06-21-2007, 20:03
My most serious mistake lately was relentlessly teasing the girlfriend about an unnamed something, then putting both my hands in the changing bag directly afterwords. She waited a few minutes to be sure I was good and immersed in light sensitive materials in there, then proceeded to attack me with a barrage of wet-willies and such.. :bang:
I thought about getting one of those but then decided that it may be better to just use trays for a bit...I'll probably be posting a lot here about that.
I received a FR sheet film developing tank today from a fellow rff'r and put it to good use this evening. It holds 12 sheets and is very easy to use..No more tray or dip and dunk for me..
f/stopblues
06-21-2007, 20:13
I have some sort of tank that I've used a couple times made by Yankee. It takes a lot of chemistry considering I only dev about 3 or 4 sheets at a time. I usually tray develop in a big bag though. What's this "FR sheet developing tank"? Sorry to veer off topic!
I have some sort of tank that I've used a couple times made by Yankee. It takes a lot of chemistry considering I only dev about 3 or 4 sheets at a time. I usually tray develop in a big bag though. What's this "FR sheet developing tank"? Sorry to veer off topic!
It's a fairly large (holds nearly 2 qts. ) square tank and has slots for 12 sheets. It's also adjustable to hold 2 1/4x2 1/4, 3 1/4x3 1/4, or 4x5 sheets. I believe it was first introduced in the 40's. Once loaded the remaining steps can be carried out with the light on..
tedwhite
06-21-2007, 20:45
I put a red filter on my c/v 35/3.5 (Bessa R) and shot a nice roll of desert stuff with huge monsoon clouds hovering above. The next day I stuck in a roll of Fujicolor ISO 400 and shot a car show. Oops, forgot to take the red filter off.
Over close to five decades of shooting and developing I have probably made all the mistakes at least once and some more than that. Added to the risk factor is that i make all my chemistry from scratch and this ups the ante for f*****g up.
One thing that was not entirely my fault: In the early 60's we lived in Paris for a year. The "studio" apartment had a nice bathroom and a sep. toilet with a good close seal on it. Perfect for loadind developing tanks. As any old building in Paris, it had cockroaches. We had a deal, lights on they stayed away - lights off you could hear them training in roman formations. OK, now loading tanks, lights off and multiple roaches wandering around. Of course, one of them got into the Paterson tank with five rolls of tri X and D-76. When I uncapped the tank after the rinse, he emerged and shook himself "Now that was refreshing!". I swear there are small foot prints on some of those negs!
Chris101
06-25-2007, 21:27
Yeah, but I'll bet he's developmentally disabled now Tom.
Yes I remember one particularly difficult neg I was printing. There was 11 different places on the neg that needed dodging/burnin, so I had to make a plan on paper. Ok, then I went on to work, 10 sec there, 6 sek here and so on.
After number eleven I just sighted, lift up the easel, and took the paper... Hmm, where´s the paper?!
principe azul
08-23-2007, 11:24
Just loaded up the developing tank in the kitchen and thought I'd have a cuppa before I put the developer on. Mug next to the tank, kettle boils, and I must have thought my mug was covered when I come to pour the water. So off comes the lid of the developing tank...
Because the film isn't light safe until it's been fixed.
No. Once development has been stopped, you can expose the film to white light and fix it later. The fixer will remove the undeveloped silver halide - light will not develop that.
I had a student fix her film in stop bath. She showed me the mess and asked what she could do. Simple. Just run it through the "real" fix and it fixed it.
oftheherd
08-23-2007, 12:13
I have done just about every stupid thing anyone else has done and more. One interesting thing I didn't do happened to me at one of the craft shops in Korea. I went in to develop some b/w film. I had been on the instructor there to get me some fixer, and kept pushing as I got closer to needing it. He seemed a little put out by it all but I figured he was just having a bad day and would get over it. He brought out the fixer and when I was ready, I poured it it. Some got on my hands and I immediately realized it was exhausted and not only that, had already been used as print fixer. Was I hot! He later admitted to a common acquaintance that he didn't know why he did that, as he knew better, but it had just been a bad day.
tedwhite
08-23-2007, 12:20
3js:
I have no idea how many times I've done this. I place an expendable sheet of 11X14 paper backside up on the easel and focus on that, then remove it and insert the sheet on which I'm going to make the image.
Then something distracts me and I dodge and burn the focusing sheet....
Ted
eli griggs
08-23-2007, 12:44
Once, about twenty-two years ago, after a long week in a large department stores' hot, humid basement, where I was assisting three photographers shooting multi-able sets and product, I picked-up two dozen or so 4x5 holders and walked them to the small room we were using for film loading, where I proceeded to unload, reload them with b&w film. About four sheets into unloading I noticed I needed new sneakers... then I noticed how bright a changing room can be when you don't turn off the lights!:bang:
Fortunately, the holders were all from the last set we had shot, which was still up, and the box I was unloading the film into was empty to start with.
From that day forward I was hyper-vigilant about film handling and darkroom work in general and its' saved my bacon more than once.:D
Eli
I recently attempted to get the film out of my M7 without winding it back first. I noticed pretty quickly so only the last frame or two were gone and the edge of the negatives got a bit exposed. But otherwise all OK.
Then the number of test shots of the lens cap seems to be increasing.
And finally, for a friend's wedding I decided to take ALL of my gear (I wasn't an official wedding photographer, thank God :) ). After YEARS of carrying around a spare battery for the Contax 645... dead battery and no replacement. The 45 yr old Hasselblad was OK though :)
colin
michaelging
08-23-2007, 12:55
I was covering the Pope on his fist trip to the US for my Newpaper. I photographed him in all the cities , Miami, New Orleans , Charleston, Phoenix (my City) LA , Montery and Detroit. I used the AP darkroom in most cities,but knew the photography teacher at a College in Montery and made arrangments to dev my B&W film at the school lab. Had to be in place at the Laguna Senca raceway at 3am to photofgraph the pope saying mass. THere were thousands of farm workers on the sides of the hills in the fog, with a 200 ft high cross on the hillside . A giant beam of light streamed around the cross from the sky as the pope came out to say mass. Anyway I shot 12 rolls of some of the best photos of the trip. I went to the lab, souped the film and it was blank. The lab tech had mixed some fixer in the developer (not enough that you could smell it) . It was a very very long day.
tedwhite
08-23-2007, 17:22
Well, the Pope wasn't involved but close to the same thing happened when I was teaching recently at a college. A usually silent student said, "I've developed four rolls now, and they all come out blank."
I suggested she show me her step-by-step process and she did. Then I asked her to sit down for a moment next to my desk, and I said, as gently as I could manage, "Sharon, you put in the fixer last, not first."
Ted
stopping down the enlarger really ruins tons of paper :)
but well the worst thing ever happend to me was to use fix - stop - developer... well I clearly should mark my bottles better, cause in the darkroom it's dark
I often forget to stop down the enlarger, that's my only problem. Oh, and sometimes I turn the light table on when the picture is still in the developer. I haven't had many problems with film-loading except my first medium format roll. :-)
I haven't been in a "darkroom" since I was 8 years old. It's funny how we remember the little things. I'm 49 now. My dad bought me a "Johnny Woodchuck darkroom kit" for Christmas one year. I was shooting the highly regarded Brownie Hawkeye back in those days. B&W of course (real artists only shoot B&W. Especially when they are only 8 years old).
I digress.
I read the instructions (I've long since gotten out of that habit), took control of the only bathroom in the house, and set up my darkroom (moved my mom's makeup and everyones toothbrushes to a safe spot in the corner on the floor). Step one-ish. Turn off lights and load film into developing cannister doodad. "Man... it's dark in here. I can't see anything. How the heck am I supposed to get the film wound around the spool thingy if I can't see? Wait! What was that? Ah... a little stray light coming in from an unsealed crack. If I hold everything right I can ever so slightly see the film." :eek: The text in quotes is a close approximation of the thought process that I had. I distinctly remember being very happy to have been able to see to load the film into the cannister. Not until my negs were out and hanging on the makeshift clothesline to dry did I notice the streaks in the negs. At first I wondered what could be wrong with the camera. Then... the little lightbulb came on :D:bang:
Doing three minutes of burning on a print from a very dense negative, followed by pulling it from the developer and realizing that I forgot to lay down the base exposure. Gah.
I once spilled a good amount of fixer on a towel, and then managed to throw that towel in with my whites next time I did laundry. I smelled like darkroom everyday for about six months.
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