Next Step in Developing Journey

[esearing]

You can also likely find other photographers near you who have used various developers and meet up for a share and compare discussion. Pyrocat middle values was the game changer for me vs HC110 excessive contrast. Over time I have gravitated back toward a slightly more contrasty negative too rather than rely on expansion on VC paper grades.

[Bob Kerner]

Thank you everyone. Taking a printing course tomorrow! I cannot wait to see that first image emerge. As for the development side of things, I ordered a bottle of Rodinal and will give that a try.

[esearing]

Thank you everyone. Taking a printing course tomorrow! I cannot wait to see that first image emerge. As for the development side of things, I ordered a bottle of Rodinal and will give that a try.

What did you learn from the printing course? Did the instructor talk about the chemistry and papers used in the classroom vs what other options you might use?

[Bob Kerner]

Printing class was excellent. I already understood the basic chems so the time was spent setting up the enlarger, filtration, doing exposure tests, and making contact sheets before the final print. And a lot on etiquette since it’s a community darkroom space and you don’t want to wreck someone else’s work by opening the filter tray with the light on!

There will be tons to learn

[Torquemada]

I've been developing my 35mm and 6x6 work in a Patterson tank for a few months now (did this years ago...stopped and re-started this summer) and I'm pretty confident in my basic skills using Ilford DDX in the dilutions called for on the data sheets. I shoot HP5 and Delta 400. I haven't screwed anything up yet! I'm happy with my results and ability to be consistent when working with the chemicals.

Where to next in the developing journey? Different developer, change dilutions........I'm ready for the next creative learning lesson.

I don't have a darkroom and have never printed my work in a darkroom. Planning to take a lesson at the community darkroom over holiday break. So the only "no go" is any chemical process that will turn my kitchen into a hazmat zone! and it needs to work in a developing tank.

I'd like to be able to continue to use my Ilford Stop and Fixer with whatever new developer I might add.....hate to waste that stuff or have too many chems sitting around.

Thank you.

Stop and fixer is pretty much universal..

The thing is, at this stage you need to stick with actual known chemicals with proven results. Avoid the caffenol, and other home made stuff. Getting RODINAL was a very smart choice. But to actually compare them, you will have to do some work and go through some out of pocket expenses.

Basically youll have to run some test rolls of film. In each chemical. Its dull, boring, and expensive, particularly with ilford and kodak film.

[Tin Can]

Only use TF5 Fix WITH ONLY DISTILLED

With Grocery store gallon DISTILLED WATER

Stop and fixer is pretty much universal..

The thing is, at this stage you need to stick with actual known chemicals with proven results. Avoid the caffenol, and other home made stuff. Getting RODINAL was a very smart choice. But to actually compare them, you will have to do some work and go through some out of pocket expenses.

Basically youll have to run some test rolls of film. In each chemical. Its dull, boring, and expensive, particularly with ilford and kodak film.

[Willie]

My thoughts were to experiment with things like Pyro to see how that changes things…be experimental rather than following the standard Ilford recipe.

Have you processed at least 50 rolls/sheets of film yet?
Need a number of rolls and some longer time usage so you have a good baseline for comparison.

The fact you have not printed anything yet is something you need to remedy. The Community Darkroom should be able to help in this regard. Judge your negatives by the actual prints. As Ansel said: The print is the performance. It tells you how well you did with your negatives.

Can you tell an underdeveloped negative compared to an under exposed one? Same thing with over developed/exposed. Experience in deveoping and making prints will give you the hands on knowledge you need for when you do start experimenting a bit.

Be aware that no matter what you choose to use there are others who "know" it is not only now usable, but probably the worst choice you could possible ever make. At the same time there will be other excellent photographers using that combination for high end exhibition work. There is no "one best" no matter how much we might want to believe it.

Only after printing a number of rolls/sheets will you start to understand just how things work. Then you can change one thing and make some prints and find out if that change results in prints where you can SEE and actual difference. If you can't - compared to what you have been doing - why stay with a change?

One last thing on this. Look at excellent work. A lot of excellent work. Original fine prints from top photographers. Use this to judge your quality. If your prints don't measure up find out why and change habits until they do. A good way to see excellent prints is galleries. Buy one or more, maybe the contact prints Alan Ross does of Ansel Adams negatives for the gallery in Yosemite. Or prints from others who are known for high end work. Knowing high quality will help a lot as you work for it.

[monochromeFan]

Have you processed at least 50 rolls/sheets of film yet?
Need a number of rolls and some longer time usage so you have a good baseline for comparison.

The fact you have not printed anything yet is something you need to remedy. The Community Darkroom should be able to help in this regard. Judge your negatives by the actual prints. As Ansel said: The print is the performance. It tells you how well you did with your negatives.

Can you tell an underdeveloped negative compared to an under exposed one? Same thing with over developed/exposed. Experience in deveoping and making prints will give you the hands on knowledge you need for when you do start experimenting a bit.

Be aware that no matter what you choose to use there are others who "know" it is not only now usable, but probably the worst choice you could possible ever make. At the same time there will be other excellent photographers using that combination for high end exhibition work. There is no "one best" no matter how much we might want to believe it.

Only after printing a number of rolls/sheets will you start to understand just how things work. Then you can change one thing and make some prints and find out if that change results in prints where you can SEE and actual difference. If you can't - compared to what you have been doing - why stay with a change?

One last thing on this. Look at excellent work. A lot of excellent work. Original fine prints from top photographers. Use this to judge your quality. If your prints don't measure up find out why and change habits until they do. A good way to see excellent prints is galleries. Buy one or more, maybe the contact prints Alan Ross does of Ansel Adams negatives for the gallery in Yosemite. Or prints from others who are known for high end work. Knowing high quality will help a lot as you work for it.

The idea to compare ones work with the prints of a published photographer is not going to help a new person out at all. Its very easy to stymie yourself by doing that. I followed in that road for a year and well, the misery it caused me undoubtedly created a 2 year setback in my own personal skills.

when you are leanring, it is best to just do photography. Trying to copy the work of a PROFESSIONAL PRINTER that is paid to do 20x30" prints for art gallery exhibitions when you can only do 8x10 with your enlarger is really going to put a crimp on yourself.

[Vaughan]

Why use Rodinal when almost any other developer is better. OK, I agree that monobath is worse. But something like Kodak HC-110 or Ilford Ilfotec HC give better results, are more versatile, and have equally long concentrate keeping qualities.

[pigpen]

Bob had mentioned he wanted to be careful with the chems he uses because he is developing in his kitchen. Has anyone here used the Eco Pro chemicals?