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Even though digital photography is becoming increasingly popular, many photographers still prefer to shoot some or all of their pictures with film. Shooting with traditional film can offer several advantages to digital photography, but it requires the additional step of developing the film and the photos. This page is a guide on how to develop photos.
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Even though digital photography is becoming increasingly popular, many photographers still prefer to shoot some or all of their pictures with film. Shooting with traditional film can offer several advantages to digital photography, but it requires the additional step of developing the film and the photos. This page is a guide on how to develop photos.
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Introduction
- Some photographers prefer film over digital photography because it provides greater resolution for large-size prints and because it gives the pictures more detail, especially when shooting in black and white. Shooting in film generally takes more time, because you have to develop the negatives and photos. For amateur photographers, this will be as easy as going to a store to develop it. If you want more control over your pictures, it will be more time-consuming, as you have to both develop the film and the images in a darkroom.
Step 1: Darkroom
- First, you need to build a darkroom or get access to a darkroom. You will also need to develop your negatives.
- You will need several other items, including photo paper, a contrast filter, a timer, an apron, tong so handle the pictures and racks to dry them.
- No light can enter the dark room during development, except a special safe light which do not impact the development process.
- You will need to set up trays of chemicals for developing the images, including a tray for developing the film, stop bath to halt the development, fixer to set the image on the photo paper and a final wash.
Step 2: Making a Contact Print
- After setting up the darkroom, make a contact print by using the enlarger in the lab. While its light is on, your photo paper need to be in a box or it will be destroyed.
- Secure the lens of the enlarger and turn on the enlarger light.
- Control the height of the enlarger head with the knob to the side of it. This focuses the image.
- Turn off the enlarger light.
- Place the photo paper below it.
- Select an aperture setting. A large aperture (a small number) means more light and a brighter final image.
- Choose a contrast filter. A low number means low contract, while a high number results in high contrast.
- Insert the negative.
- Turn on the enlarger timer for a desired time. The longer the time, the more light hits the image.
- Remove the image.
Step 3: Developing the Image
- Now it's time to develop the image. The exact time the paper should remain in the different chemicals will depend on the photo paper you use.
- Place it in the developer tray for one minute or longer.
- Remove it with tongs and let it trip off.
- Place it in the stop bath tray for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Remove and place it in the fixer for one minute or longer.
- Remove it and place it in the wash.
- Pick it up with a tong and hang it up to dry.
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