My Set Up for Film Holder Labels

[Doremus Scudder]

I can’t resist a question for those keeping extensive notes for each exposure: what do you use them for? For myself, the only thing I do is use post-it stickies to mark the rare sheets or holders that need significantly differing processing (N- or N+). Since I use only one film (HP5+), that simplifies things, and I don’t know why I need to remember which lens I used or other settings. But I’m always open to learning better procedures.

I keep notes for several reasons. First, to note date and place and working title of the image. Place is important if I ever want to go back to re-shoot. Film type and indicated development are important too. Exposure is pretty simple; notes for that are usually just something like "shadow under awning" and then an "X" in the appropriate Zone box. I note aperture and shutter speed as well as film-holder number too.

My record forms include places and worksheets for filters, bellows extension factors and reciprocity failure adjustments. The worksheet is handy when using more than one of these at a time.

The forms get filed together with the negatives. If I print the negative, I'll write the final title on the form so that it agrees with my printing records (yes, I have those too ).

Best,

Doremus

[6x6TLL]

I started making notes on square post-it notes when I first started with MF.

One sticky note gave me space for 12 lines - one line for each of the 12 6x6 frames, with subject, f/shutter settings, any notes (filter, bounce, flash, over/under exposed compared to meter, etc). Then when I got the films back from developing (or developed the B&W myself) I could look at my notes and see what I had done, and improve my process from roll to roll. I don't think anyone has ever asked me what settings I used either, but I find it invaluable for learning, especially when working in analog where there may be a significant lag between hitting the shutter release and seeing the final developed film.

When I bought a LF camera a year or so ago, I started making notes again (this time on my phone) for exactly the same reason. To learn from each outing, improve my judgement and processes, even identify faulty gear (e.g. light leaking film holders).

I find that it also helps me identify what gear I may need later, f.x. do I really need a set of ND grads, or an orange filter for B&W? Looking at my exposures and notes helps me see if that's what is needed or not.

It takes almost no time (I keep the info minimal, but essential) or effort. It was actually easier with post-it notes because I could then stick them onto the negative sleeve in the binder as a quick reference. The phone is easier in dim light, but I haven't (yet) found a good way to offload the data into something else. Back in the day I actually built a database and put all of my 120 rolls into it, each roll and frame individually indexed with thumbnails of the best shots or anything that had been sold/published. Alas that system ceased to exist when I sold my old NeXT machine. I still have the data somewhere.

With all of that said, all the notes in the world haven't helped make me an incredible photographer, but they have certainly helped me become a better photographer from where I started.

[mmerig]

Most of my photos are work-related (documentation, not art), and location, date, and time are very important, so unless I am on a casual trip, I take a notebook with me. I also record focal length, filter, film type, and f-stop and exposure time. This is a small amount of information compared to other things I have to write down.

[darr]

I have a little memo book I note the date, location, camera, and film number or roll number and any special notes if necessary. That’s it. I transfer some of the info onto the Print File page and record all relevant info into Lightroom after the film has been digitized. I file by date and camera (I use multiple systems) and input metadata for camera, film, lens, location. If I need to know stats on camera, lenses, film usage, etc. I can quickly find out. As an example, what lenses I use the most or least etc.

[Oren Grad]

So I just have them “permanently” labeled with 1A/1B, 2A/2B etc and then I carry a pocket book where I take notes for every picture (aperture, speed, conditions, anything really i may want to know afterwords).

That's what I do, too.

I don't use the information to customize development - I almost always use a standard development time, as I do with roll film. Rather, I find the information useful above all for learning, over time, about how my lenses draw - the effect of aperture on focus transitions, OOF rendering and overall image character, under various subject configurations and lighting conditions. That's how you get to really understand your lenses, in depth so to speak. Of course it's also useful to have exposure details in case something goes wrong and you need to do some troubleshooting.

[PatrickMarq]

I have also written on the holders 1A/1B etc, and afterward I take a picture with the lichtmeter App, there I note the exposure, aperture, lens and holder. And other useful information.

After scanning the negative I put this information in a website (I have created) and from there I can do an exif export and merge it with the tiff file.
This works perfect for me, my own ‘Film Asset Management’. The only problem I have is when doing several exposures of the same subject with different exposures/filters and the film comes back from the lab I have mostly no clue what film came out what holder. But this will resolve itself when I’n going to develop the film myself.

[Salmo22]

I label my film holders as shown on the photo below. I keep a detailed record of each photograph in a separate notebook that fits in my camera case.

[Bob Salomon]

I have also written on the holders 1A/1B etc, and afterward I take a picture with the lichtmeter App, there I note the exposure, aperture, lens and holder. And other useful information.

After scanning the negative I put this information in a website (I have created) and from there I can do an exif export and merge it with the tiff file.
This works perfect for me, my own ‘Film Asset Management’. The only problem I have is when doing several exposures of the same subject with different exposures/filters and the film comes back from the lab I have mostly no clue what film came out what holder. But this will resolve itself when I’n going to develop the film myself.

Without using friskit or notches you still can’t id which sheet came out of which side of a holder. You can only id that the sheets came out of a specific holder.

[esearing]

Well and good. But there is still no way with this system to know which sheet was shot in which side of which holder.

Some of us still develop one sheet at a time - I know what side of the holder a sheet came out of if there is a problem. Its not usually the holders fault when problems occur so tracking holder rarely matters. Poor loading technique, failure to keep back tight to camera body when pulling/inserting dark slide, and failure to set the proper aperture are far more likely than a #11 Side B holder failure.

Also with the blue tape method I know what Image #1 is on a given day is and the blue tape stays on the holder with a big #1 written on it until I decide to remove it. This ain't rocket science.

[LFLarry]

What is the type of label you use for your holders? I assume you are printing this on a laser printer? Any special glue to affix the label to the holder?

I label my film holders as shown on the photo below. I keep a detailed record of each photograph in a separate notebook that fits in my camera case.