The film holder nightmare we all dread and what to do

[ROL]

Most of us have awakened from the following nightmare in a cold, heavy sweat.

Some of us (like me) have actually suffered the experience:

That's (those are) a helluva presumption. If you can't sleep at night, you either need more exercise and/or better meds.

Any tips to share about managing multiple holders? Do you use more than one safeguard?

Occasionally, I have failed to reverse a slide, primarily in the heat of battle during the first shot of the trip. Any confusion is entirely avoided by numbering your holders and then immediately recording the shot in your notebook (i.e., developing notes, etc.).

[Jim C.]

All you know is that you have 3 holders w/ six exposed sheets, and 4 holders w/ eight unexposed sheets – all mixed together.

After screams and curses, what’s your best strategy?

Any tips to share about managing multiple holders? Do you use more than one safeguard?

I use a Delta light tight bag marked to hold the exposed film holders, takes up no space,
so if I forget to flip the darkslide I know that the one's in the bag are exposed.

[Dave Tolcher]

Elastic or rubber bands work pretty well. Put one on when first exposed, second when both.

[Vaughn]

Unfortunately, numbering the holders did not help me on a trip to Yosemite. Loaded up 16 8x10 film holders, drove the 400+ miles to Yosemite -- only to discover I left all the holders and extra film in my living room.

So it goes!

Vaughn

[Heroique]

Unfortunately, numbering the holders did not help me on a trip to Yosemite. Loaded up 16 8x10 film holders, drove the 400+ miles to Yosemite – only to discover I left all the holders and extra film in my living room.

Nightmare in Yosemite.

At least your film survived for another trip.

Hope you brought your sketch pad.

-----
I once wrote #6 in my field notes for two successive shots – not #6 then #7.

So I used the same holder, same side, for two shots.

I’ve also skipped a number in my notes – got an unexposed sheet in the development tray.

[jnantz]

sorry for your troubles.
i've never been in your situation, but if i was
i wouldn't sweat it, i'd just pull from the back
expose normally and after you finish all the film
ready to process you can see if you made some nice double exposures.
sometimes double exposures ( unintended ) can give great results !

have fun
john

[Kuzano]

Sounds bit like the "How do I pick a pair of socks from the dresser, when I don't want to turn on the lights and wake my SO".

The simple solution.......

Never buy anything but black or brown socks in the same tones of black/brown. When you go to the dresser in the dark, just grab three socks. You will always leave the room and enter the light with ONE pair.

I side with the "shoot em all crowd". you'll go home with 8 good and 6 double exposed, based on doing everything right.

AND this time, turn the dark slides when you go through them again... Heaven knows you don't want to have to shoot them all again a third time.

It's supposed to work, but it's amazing how I can often be found out and about with mismatched socks?????

[Peter Gomena]

I usually write some kind of notation in pencil on the white strip on each holder as I expose them. (N, +, -, etc.) I keep my holders in ziploc bags. Exposed holders go back into my camera bag with the ziploc opening pointing down. I still screw up on occasion, but it's pretty rare.

[Peter Gomena]

For my old WP holders that have no white strips, I keep a roll of blue painter's tape in my bag. I put a piece of tape on each dark slide after I've exposed it, usually with some kind of notation. They, too, go into ziploc bags.

[Vaughn]

Nightmare in Yosemite.

At least your film survived for another trip.

Hope you brought your sketch pad

No -- I was also visiting a friend who lived in Yosemite Valley and he lent me his Mamiya press camera

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Mamiya_Press

with a 6x7 and 6x9 roll backs, and I had a blast photographing with it -- I have made a couple 6x7 carbon prints from the negs. When life gives you lemons, and you don't have any sugar, one might as well pucker up and enjoy it all!

In 35 years of LF, I think I have come close to making all the possible errors. Making incredible exposures with unloaded holders, one hour exposures at night while forgetting to pull the darkslide, pulling the wrong darkslide, forgetting to put the darkslide back in when removing the holder from the camera, sliding the darkslide in between the holder and the back (instead of in the holder), developing the two sheets of film from a holder -- and having one blank and the other double exposed, etc, etc, etc.