Writing down the details

[Professional]

I would like to know what is your way to write down or noting the details you do with film such as camera used, the film, the developer,....etc.

I created a page with table included, what do you think about it? and what should i change about it?

I want to use this sheet as details recording, i bought a small note but i feel notes aren't that much clear if i mess writing the details and if the note is small, and the writing is taking time for me, but the this kind of sheet i can just fill the blanks to save time for me, give me any suggestions or opinions, please.

Attached 2 versions of the same page details i am looking for, the second one i added lines for notes if i want to write down the steps i did in processing.

[David Schaller]

I use a notebook, and write down the holder number, the film and ISO (which varies according to developer), the lens and filter, if any, and:

Shadow meter reading
Exposure
Highlight meter reading

Then I can calculate development. When I develop the first negative, I write down that information, and note any change I might want to make. Ideally I would print the first negative before I develop the second one, but now I scan it and that gives me a sense of what to do.

[Vaughn]

About the same as Dave, plus a small rough composition sketch of the scene. There are other threads on this topic, also.

I use Rite In The Rain water-proof surveyor's notebooks (about 4"x7") and they serve as my journals of my last 35 year of photographic activity.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I label my film holders with masking tape and put all of the info there. Then I transfer it to the negative sleeve. Been working for me for a long time.

[stawastawa]

For me, a list like your examples dont work, the information all looks the same and I need to do too much reading to find something.

I like to organize with symbols and with the layout of where the items are on the page.
for example,
-The exposure is always at the right of the page, in the same spot. and has a funky box around it.
-My indication for development is always in the same spot, with a line below for any comments.
In practice I am rather messy, mainly because I forget my layout, am rushing, or have decided on a better layout.
My spot meter is a sekonic and some of the graphics I use mimic its display.

General layout:
_______________________________
Neg# Title date
(film notes)
lighting conditions

list of values I want to measure
shadows.......value.....zone
highlights......value.....zone

(other graphic for tones in scene)
---------------------------Exposure
Modifiers (Bellows, filters)
----------------------new Exposure
----------------------Development
(development notes)
_______________________________

https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8784/29004810345_14cc7dee7c_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Lc4eAZ)
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8757/28387620463_c96fa1af24_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/KfvYy8)
more of my messy notes on flickr

also, I have a second note book that has general negative information so I can quickly browse for negatives.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7798/29004810655_d372acd6b3_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Lc4eGk)


I like Vaughn's two page 'extended landscape' approach.
I think a sketch is nice but don't always do it.

[Professional]

Those writings and sketches are all good for you, but not for me at all, English is not my Language and making those like mess isn't helping me, but good to know your way, i really surprised who do you recognize and read all those sketches and drawing and numbers with brackets/lines/arrows and a lot of maths there, it is like you are solving maths or physics equations more than organizing something.

[stawastawa]

as I said, in practice it doesn't work out so well. In practice it is like solving a math problem, laying out the known values and then circling and choosing what seems best.

What would make your proposed sheets more accessible would be to break things up a bit to have short items, like date and exposure and film, on the same line.
And to add a space to sketch the scene.

we all have our ways =)

[Professional]

I attach new modified or revised data sheet, and this time i made it in 2 pages and i added a file or reference number on top of the table to use it on the sleeve of the film rolls/sheets processed but i tried to keep it as simple for myself and straight forward, anything else it can be done under Notes line, i don't feel i like any of your method, but i respect that it worked for you for years, i started with some kind of messy notes as well but find out it confuses me or make me feel i am lazy to do things more clean/clear way and i found out that most words are repeated, so the form or sheet is to save my time and making me more organized way, i don't expect you to like it, but i asked in second part of my question if i need to change something about it and you only showed me what's your way only.

[Professional]

I forgot to add the time for processing, my mistake, but i can add that too, or it can be just written under chemical Dilution and temp, or under Chemical agitation as we mention time in agitation anyway.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I used to be really anal about this. For the past decade I only note subject, holder no., film, if a filter was used, and what development.

[DrTang]

I don't usually.. I can usually remember what lens I used.. so sometimes I'll make on the mylar neg envelope something like: 12" V @f8

if I am testing .. I will put stickers on the holders labeled A, B, C etc...then make a chart to shoot from...like A: Wolly 305 @5.6 B Wolly 305@8


then I will add what corners I clipped in the film loading bag 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 to the chart so that after development..I can figure out what is what and mark the envelopes

the hard part is making sure I stick the holders in the bag in the right order and not messing it up while unloading

[Professional]

I think the best thing i just write down or type the details and print them out, then stick or clip it with the sleeve so i can see the details all the time i use that film sleeve, and good with white background mostly so i can see the B&W negative better.

Good to see/know different members ways of recording things, some do and some don't and at the end everyone has own ways of dealing with it, i will see if my way with printed sheets will work fine then i will stick with it, if it is not much worthy i just stop it and don't look back.

[K. Praslowicz]

No field notes except snapping a pic with my phone of my camera with the subject in the background as a time stamp to reference later. Negative sleeves just get a labelled with subject, location and date exposed.

[StoneNYC]

I make notes in my phone's note area, then it's always accessible to me through the cloud wherever I am and I don't lose it.

[Professional]

Great to know!

I just finished noted one film i processed, later when i process the second film i will note that too, sounds it will work for me for a while at least.