Category: Part of the Process

Part of the Process is a series of posts that puts the spotlight on film photographers and DIY film developers.  These features provide unique experiences and perspectives on shooting and developing film while also showcasing diverse talent and film photographers around the globe.  If you are interested in being featured, feel free to contact me!

Name:

Yingtong T•Rain Tan

Location:

Brooklyn, NY, USA.  Originally from Guangzhou, China

Links:

Website

Instagram

What other websites or blogs do you keep up with to feed your photographic interests?

Basically books, publishers, and art book contributors such as Mack and Artbook D.A.P.

As far as websites go, I view Little Brown Mushrooms, Nowness, and American Suburb X.  I love checking out other photographers’ Instagrams too.

What attracted you to film photography? How did you get started/introduced to shooting film? How soon after did you start developing?

It was freshman year in high school and my friend had an 8-frame Lomo toy camera.  It was funny, once I saw the prints out of it and the processed film, I wanted to try it.  I found it very interesting. My first ever film camera was my uncle’s Nikon N80 with a macro lens. I started developing once I got in the art school for my Photography major, it was about four years later.

What do you like to shoot on a regular basis?

Self portraits and street photography. This is probably because I live in the city.  I always want to go shoot landscapes, but I am not good at it as I am still not used to it.

What formats, cameras, and films do you shoot? What do you like about the formats, cameras, films you prefer? 

The 35mm and 6×7 medium formats are my present preferences. I have a Contax G1 and Pentax 67.  I shot large format 4×5 on a Toyo Field Camera when I was in school and I loved it.

For different shoots, I have different preferences.  For self-portraits, portraits or landscapes, I prefer the medium or large format.  I find that the bigger the camera, the better, greater approach.  They also slow me down and kind of force me to “look” much more closely.

I enjoy the Contax G1 when I do street photography or daily shooting. I have recently been practicing flash with it and I hope it will give me a new perspective of using 35mm (I am very bad at using flash).

In regards to film, I like color films because they have more variety and tones. I like Kodak Ektar 100 and Portra 400, Fuji Velvia 100, and C200 for 35 mm and medium format cameras.  Agfa 100 is such a weird film to me, but I think it has a nice saturation.

Somehow, I always prefer B&W films on large formats. The Ilford Delta 100 has the best grain, in my opinion. Kodak TMAX 100 also works well for me.

What types of film do you develop?

Black and white and I used to also process color prints.

Tell us about your first experiences in developing your own film.  How did you muster the courage to give it a shot? What resources did you use?

It was Photo 101 in college with my first photo class teacher, Ellen Wallenstein.  She taught us as much as she could to let us have a very detailed lecture and education on the development process.  I love her so much.

I went into the darkroom with one of my classmates, because we wanted to assist each other and try not to freak out alone.  I remember clamping out the film, taking it out from the case, which took me 20 minutes to reel, and put them in the tank.

The first experience was great, and I did the whole procedure with precise measurement. There was this one time though where I forgot to count the time for the fixers.  It went over the 4 minutes and that roll of film got these crazy water marks like raindrops on every frame. I remember it was on a 6×6 camera with Kodak Tri-X100. I was very upset about it and now I try not to ever miss a second when I develop film.

What is your development process like now?

My current process is simpler than I was in school.  When I was in school, I had the facility and environment. Now, I just shoot and send the film to develop and be scanned. I will print them myself to do a little archiving, but mostly I just collect all of the contact sheets and any mistaken prints.

Do you scan, enlarge, and/or print your work?

I do scan and enlarge black and white work. The color film enlarging class was my favorite when I was in school due to the way you can adjust the red, green, blue, and the F stop from the enlarger to create your own palette.  I found it fascinating.

I guess the process of enlarging is just very engaging; you are not just a “shooter”, but a “developer” and then you are the “printer”. I feel like the prints are in my control, and I actually felt more attached to the works that I was working on.  It started developing a relationship between me as a producer and the work as the result.

What equipment are you using to develop your film and why?

I prefer a darkroom to changing bags because the bags just don’t seem secure to me at all. I mostly use Sprints developer, that’s cheap and provided by the school from our expensive lab fees.

Are you content with where you are now with your shooting and developing? Do you have any future plans or ambitions ?

Me and my friend are planning a small independent publishing project entitled, “Fake Tomatoes Press”, and we have been working on it recently. I have a personal project, which is still in process, entitled “You Miss Me.”  It is a continuation of my senior thesis on continuing to explore myself and where I am now in life through all the major changes that happened last year and how I have changed.

Have you completed any notable projects or in the process of creating something from the film you have shot and developed? Feel free to give a solid summary of each project.

My senior project is by far my most notable project. The senior thesis show was called Now Here/Nowhere, Waving Back. It is an exploration about who I am and where I belong.

Illustrating two spaces: Guangzhou, China, the place I was born and grew up in, and Brooklyn, the home I found when I moved to the United States at the age of 17. It portrays the conflicts surrounding my future, and the struggles between the fear of disappointing my family and having the desire to live my life my way.

The struggle is also between the opposing American and Chinese cultures in order to find myself. Through my work, I have come to realize that I am not just fighting my history and future (expectations), but also fighting between living a life for the pleasure of my family and being me.

What advice can you give to others who are interested in shooting and developing film but are apprehensive about getting started?

Take it slow and have fun. Do not compare it to digital. In my opinion, I always feel blessed to start photography from shooting film.  It is a very extraordinary and primeval process.  Analog and digital are two totally different games, and if you are very interested in shooting and developing film, try to make yourself feel like this is your first time doing photos. Be very patient.

Part of the Process is a series of posts that puts the spotlight on film photographers and DIY film developers.  These features provide unique experiences and perspectives on shooting and developing film while also showcasing diverse talent and film photographers around the globe.  If you are interested in being featured, feel free to contact me!

Name:

Masilo Makgoba

Location:

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Links:

Website

Instagram

What other websites or blogs do you keep up with to feed your photographic interests?

The Creator Class

@Tsocu

HybeBae

Bora.vs.Bora

Next Subject

Svvvk

What attracted you to film photography? How did you get started/introduced to shooting film? How soon after did you start developing?

What formats, cameras, and films do you shoot? What do you like about the formats, cameras, films you prefer? 

So far I’ve mostly shot 35mm film, with the occasional roll of 120mm. Mostly Black & White film stock, but occasionally I dabble with color.

Within 35mm film, I initially shot Fujifilm color stock, but quickly moved to Ilford B&W films. I have since learnt to love and respect Ilford HP5+ and Delta 100 as my go-to film stocks. As I begun to develop my own stock I tried a lot of B&W films but was quickly drawn to HP5 due to its versatility. In my mind, HP5 is virtually bulletproof. Variations in development that could potentially ruin other films, can be overcome when working with HP5. Furthermore, the ability to pull HP5 down to 100, and push it to 6400 gave me a relatively cheap way with experimenting with different film speeds. Delta 100 caught my attention as I sought a slow speed, fine grain film. After sampling a variety of films, I found that I enjoyed the contrasty tone curve Ilford films provided me, particularly when pushed a stop.

Being a massive Canon fan boy, the first film camera I picked up was a Canon AE-1.  I have since expanded to owning both a Canon AE-1 & AE-1P, a Nikon F3, and a Yashica Model A.

Moving from a mid-range DSLR to my AE-1, it was an externally liberating feeling as I found it removed many of the distractions associated with modern photography. Where I would previously spend countless moments taking test shots, making sure the histogram is evenly distributed, and my focus perfect.  The AE-1 forced me to surrender this control. Not being able to immediately refer to the image taken was the first step of surrendering control.

Secondly, being forced to shoot at a set ISO for an extended period of time (an entire roll of film), was another control loss for me. While at first I resented this lack of complete control, I realized by removing certain variable involved in the image taking process I could focus on other aspects of greater importance.

Moving from my AE-1, I purchased an AE-1P, partly for the slightly more accurate meter, but also so I could have two rolls of varying ISO film loaded simultaneously. The Nikon F3 was a major purchase for me, as I mainly viewed the AE-1’s as hobby cameras, but I would definitely consider the F3 as my work horse. The Yashica I occasionally use was actually my grandfather’s, so it’s mainly a sentimental piece for me.  The choice of shooting 35mm film, was mainly made for me. Practically speaking, I couldn’t afford to purchase a medium format camera initially or maintain the increased price of film.

What do you like to shoot on a regular basis?

Primarily I’d define the majority of my work as street photography, although I’ve recently been venturing out into the world of fashion photography.

What types of film do you develop?

I have exclusively developed black and white film so far. Although, I would love to try my hand at C41, but sourcing the chemicals has become increasingly hard in my country, particularly for a student requiring small quantities.

Tell us about your first experiences in developing your own film.  How did you muster the courage to give it a shot? What resources did you use?

Developing my first roll of film was an absolute nightmare.

After watching a demonstration of the process, provided by a member of the UCT Photographic Society, I determined that it wouldn’t be hard at all and ventured alone into the dark room with film in hand.

I ran into my first, of many, problems the moment I flicked the lights off.  First, I couldn’t pop my film canister open. After fumbling around for 5 minutes I finally freed my film from its metal prison. Next, all I had to do was load it all onto a developing reel, easy enough right? Wrong. I fumbled around in the dark again for 15 minutes struggling to figure out how to load the entire roll onto the reel.

Eventually, after my trial and error, I had my film inside the Paterson Developing tank. Mustering up the last of the confidence I had, I eagerly poured the chemicals into the tank, and rushed through the developing process eager to see my film. Unbeknownst to me at this point in time, developer is temperature sensitive. After pouring out the fixing agent, mere moments after I’d poured it in, I frantically popped open the tank eager to see the results of my hard work, and was utterly disappointed. Having loaded the film incorrectly, I had “white spots” all over my roll where the negative touched itself not allowing any development.

I had twisted and bent my negative, and later found rips through several sprockets. Inspecting my negatives in front of a light, my spirit dropped even further. Since I did not correctly fix my negative, it had a bright purple milky color to it, but worst of all: as I had not adjusted the developing times for temperature, I could not see a single image on the negative.

All in all, my first experience, although negative (pun intended?), taught me a lot about the development process, and helped me discover some of the tips and tricks that I now use.

What is your development process like now?

I tend to get my developing done in larger chunks of 4 rolls rather than individually as I’ve shot them. As such, I immediately label my rolls when I take them out my camera. I include details such as the date/event I shot the roll at, and the speed I’ve metered to if I’m pushing or pulling the film (which is basically always).

As my negatives hang up to dry after developing, I transfer the information I placed on the canister, onto the pegs that they hang on. I normally leave my film to drip dry for 48 hours, not because I believe it takes that long, but mostly because I forget about them for that amount of time.

Following this, I cut up my film and place it in archival sleeves, transferring the details of what camera I’ve shot them on, the lens attached, the speed I metered at, the developer and dilution ratio, and any other details I’d like to remember. Finally, I place the archival sleeves into a large lever arch file, with dividers separating each month, or large event.

Do you scan, enlarge, and/or print your work?

As with many film photographers, I like to have full creative control over my images. So after having multiple bad scanning experiences done by my local photography shops I ventured into scanning my own work.

Scanning was the initial choice for my negatives, as I maintained a large social media following at the time. I first started scanning my negatives using a scanner at my university, but it turned out being of terrible quality. Discovering that they where several enlargers and a large stock of paper at my university, I started printing my own work this way.

Although I have since struggled to source high quality scans, I now rest assured as in my mind, printing your images in the darkroom produces certain characteristics that cannot be replicated digitally. I am planning on giving digitally scanning my images another try, and as such as looking forward to receiving an Epson V750 I recently ordered.

What equipment are you using to develop your film and why?

I am lucky to have a darkroom available to me on my university campus, and I primarily do my developing there. I utilize Paterson tanks. My go to developer is Ilford ID-11. While experimenting with different film stocks, I found ID-11 performed decently across a wide range of stocks and speeds. As I begun pushing my films, I experimented with different dilution ratios of ID-11. Eventually, I came to settle on certain combinations I particularly enjoyed such as: 1:1 dilution with HP5 shot at 800, or 1:3 dilution with HP5 at box speed. As I begun to use fine grain films, I searched for a more nuanced developer, and eventually settled on Perceptol to be used when I either pull HP5 or shoot Delta 100.

What advice can you give to others who are interested in shooting and developing film but are apprehensive about getting started?

The single thing I wish I heard more during the beginning of my journey was that “it gets better”.

Its an unavoidable part of film photography that you’ll make mistakes. Maybe you’ll pop the door on your camera open while there is film inside, or forget that you’ve pushed the film 3 stops when developing. Regardless of what mistakes you make, just know that these are all part of the process, and you will get better and become more competent with and over time, so just keep practicing. Also, it always helps to have a friend with you.  It doesn’t matter if they’re shooting or developing film with you (although it’s great if they are), or not, but having a friendly face close by always cheers me up when I run into hard times while shooting or developing.

Part of the Process is a series of posts that puts the spotlight on film photographers and DIY film developers.  These features provide unique experiences and perspectives on shooting and developing film while also showcasing diverse talent and film photographers around the globe.  If you are interested in being featured, feel free to contact me!

Name:

Jess Jones

Location:

Richmond, Virginia, USA

Links:

Website

Instagram

What other websites or blogs do you keep up with to feed your photographic interests?

Negative Feedback

Polanoid

Film Photography Project

Film Shooters Collective

What attracted you to film photography? How did you get started/introduced to shooting film? How soon after did you start developing?

Pack film was the beginning of everything for me.

I had an 8×10 photo taken of me years ago and it blew my mind, and soon after I acquired a Polaroid Land 100 camera from the Bay. The ability to see my photos right then and there in the field just lit me up, and they allow much more control than the more popular 600 style cameras.

I am a hands-on kind of person so having so much control was a delight. After that I found a Holga lying in the street, and practiced with some 120mm film and had a ball. This helped me think less about what I was doing, because then I acquired my Olympus [OM1n] and went a little crazy with the 35mm film. As you can see, it was a snowball effect. I truly just want to own all the cameras I possibly can.

I wasn’t a photography major but I was allowed to sit in on the dark room courses at my university, so that is when I learned to develop my own black and white film. I did not start developing my own color film until this past year, but it has been even easier than I had imagined and so I plan to start developing E6 soon as well.

What formats, cameras, and films do you shoot? What do you like about the formats, cameras, films you prefer? 

Film Formats: 35mm, 120mm & 220mm, peel-apart, and Instax

Cameras: Polaroid Land 100-250-450-110a (converted), Olympus OM1n, Holga 120, Mamiya RZ67, Pentax 67 & 6×7, Argus 75, Zeiss Ikonta 521/2, & homebuilt cameras

Film Stocks: Portra, Ektar, Tri-x, Tmax, HP5+, Delta, Vericolor, Gold, FP100c, FP3000b, Type 669, Type 667, Reala, Superia, Instax, Lomo Film, FP4

Pack film is the film I started on.  [Essentially] it was my gateway drug into photography. FP100C produces beautiful greens & blues, and the ability to bleach negatives for a totally different feel and recovering underexposed images. It makes it even more fun to work with. Because of these, my Land cameras are my #1 choice out in the field, followed closely by my Mamiya RZ67.

The Mamiya [RZ67] allows me to utilize multiple backs, so I have the ability to swap between color and black and white films, as well as multiple exposures. The shutter sound is music to my ears, and the quality of images is fantastic. I have recently acquired the two Pentax’s [6×7] and am testing it against my Mamiya. They both bring different benefits to the table.

My favorite roll film to shoot is Portra, because of its versatility. You can push and pull it to great lengths for any situation and it holds up exceptionally well. I love Ektar for its colors, especially reds and oranges. Tri-X is my favorite black and white roll film because of its tones.  Expired Tri-X is even better.

What do you like to shoot on a regular basis?

Most often I am shooting outdoors in nature.   Either straight photography or abstract/experimental.  I am only recently getting more into portraits, and trying to bring my abstract mind to the traditional portrait.

Is there anything unique about your photographic style or process?

I think that my constant need to experiment is what pushes me. I want to play with every camera and every film type. There is nothing that I do not want to learn about, so that I can turn around and share it with others.

What types of film do you develop?

I develop C41 and B&W.

Tell us about your first experiences in developing your own film.  How did you muster the courage to give it a shot? What resources did you use?

My very first experience developing film came from a darkroom course I took at my university.  I was an Archaeology major but my friends finally convinced me that I should take a course, as they loved my photos and my experimenting with land cameras.

Loading my first film onto a reel was tough, but after only a couple mishaps I really got it down, and later I found that I thought 120mm was even easier to load than 35mm. We had a great setup at my university, so learning to develop and then print was a piece of cake. Also being around other people doing the same thing was inspiring, and we all helped each other grow and learn.

Later on, I joined a community darkroom here in Richmond, but they didn’t have very many resources. So, it was a great group of film friends I made on Instagram that talked me into home developing (after way too many mishaps from a local developing lab).

I could not be happier, doing it all on my own.  But if it weren’t for the great community of photographers that are willing to teach and share experiences, I probably would have been too scared to ever do it at home.

The only problems I have encountered since I started was getting distracted and accidentally popping off the lid of my steel tank, forgetting I had already put my film reels inside! I have also broken a bottle of Blix at home, so I switched to plastic containers rather than the glass amber bottles.

Other than silly instances like that, it has been fairly easy, and extremely enlightening. Nothing beats having a hand in your work from start to finish. Scanning in your film is like Christmas day!

Do you scan, enlarge, and/or print your work?

I do scan my film on an Epson V700. I use it to scan 35mm, 120/220mm, and pack film negatives. I used to print myself at my university years ago, but I do not currently have one of my own, so I outsource my printing.  However, there are plenty of affordable and quality choices to choose from now, making it easy to have tangible pieces of work to share.

There is no excuse not to print your work!

What equipment are you using to develop your film and why?

I use a Kalt changing bag to load my film (and my homemade pinhole cameras).  A large one is great because sometimes I have to load all kinds of things into a tank, or fit cameras inside the bag.  I use Samigon steel tanks and Hewes reels (the best!).  I develop with Unicolor C41, FPP C41, and Ilford + Rodinal black and white chemicals. I Kodak Photo-Flo/Hypo Clear and Arista Hypo-Check.

I started on metal reels and find them to be the easiest for me. I had to use the plastic ones at the community darkroom and did not like the feel of them, they didn’t feel sturdy, but I have a lot of friends that hate metal reels. After practice they are very easy to use, however, so other than using a roller developer, I don’t see why you wouldn’t use a metal reel.

I use a Paterson thermometer and a Paterson beaker, with Delta film clips and Datatainers. As I stated previously, I was using amber glass bottles for my color chemicals, but switched to the Datatainers because I am clumsy and tend to break them in my porcelain sink! All of the above are well priced, and not outside the realm of an average budget.

I tend to buy a higher quality item as an investment. In example, the Paterson thermometer is more than $20 but I have used cheap thermometers in the past and they aren’t always accurate, so I would have to use multiple at one time and take the average temperature. The Paterson thermometer is always dead-on, and my film comes out perfect. The only reason I would ever buy less than satisfactory products is if I were inheriting a lot someone is getting rid of, because you can often find these deals online when folks are quitting film photography. They can be a great find, but I like to know where my stuff is coming from and how well it works before risking my precious film.

Have you completed any notable projects or in the process of creating something from the film you have shot and developed?

I have shot a few different series, and one in particular that is commissioned through Lumitrix gallery in London, an art printing website. I have been featured in a couple different photo books, various exhibitions, and will soon be a part of a film “Zine” with some of my very good film friends I have met online.

What advice can you give to others who are interested in shooting and developing film but are apprehensive about getting started?

Just do it. Google everything. Ask questions.

If somebody gives you a hard time, try someone else. There are those that are stingy with their information, but there are people like myself who love to teach as much as they love to learn.

We all have made the same mistakes that you eventually will, but it is a learning process and that’s definitely part of the beauty of it all. If it were too easy, it wouldn’t be as rewarding. But having a hand in something from start to finish is probably the best thing I have ever experienced, so I can guarantee that you won’t regret it.

Part of the Process is a series of posts that puts the spotlight on film photographers and DIY film developers.  These features provide unique experiences and perspectives on shooting and developing film while also showcasing diverse talent and film photographers around the globe.  If you are interested in being featured, feel free to contact me!

Name:

Travis Latam

Location:

Leamington, Ontario, CA

Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

What other websites or blogs do you keep up with to feed your photographic interests?

I watch interviews online with some of my favourite photographers like Michael Kenna, Martin Schoeller, and a few others.

I find that most of these guys on YouTube giving photography tips and lessons aren’t actually producing any stunning work – that’s not to say they don’t know what they’re talking about, but I choose to find out WHY passionate photographers are that way and how they observe life, what makes their clocks tick, you know?

Instead of treating the symptoms of a disease, I’d much rather dig to find what the culprit is and change whatever I need to in order to avoid being sick – so, I like to find out how these minds work (the culprit), relate my similarities, and not worry too much about the technical aspects all the time (the symptoms).

What attracted you to film photography? How did you get started/introduced to shooting film? How soon after did you start developing?

My dad did wedding and family photos as a side business when I was really young and he’d hand me his camera sometimes (a Contax 137 MD with a Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f1.4 lens) and let me shoot some pictures, giving me tips on settings and allowing me to manually focus.

The moment I got to see the physical prints was always a great feeling – somehow this device allowed me to see something again.  I found that it let me mentally re-live moments. Here I am 23 years later, still shooting film, even though digital has pretty much taken over.

It wasn’t until January of 2017 that I started developing my own black and white film, though, so I could fine tune the process and nail my development.

What formats, cameras, and films do you shoot? What do you like about the formats, cameras, films you prefer? 

On 35mm:

Why do I like 35mm? Mostly, it comes down to cost and portability. If a Mamiya RZ67 was in the budget right now, I’d go grab one and switch to 120, but that’s down the road.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy shooting 35mm and am happy to do so – it’s not heavy, the lenses are fairly small (except for the 70-210mm I lug around, but it’s still MUCH lighter than a modern image stabilized 70-200 beast), and the film is easy to find at my local camera shops. I was given my [Minolta] SRT202 with a 50mm f1.7 lens a couple years ago by a friend’s dad, bought a 28mm f3.5 lens at an antique shop in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Canada for $24 along with my [Minolta] SRT200 that came with a 50mm f2 lens on it for $34 (in perfect working condition).

Most recently, I picked up a 70-210mm f4 lens and a Polaris light meter for $205 together. That brings my gear cost to a total of $263 plus film and black and white chemistry/developing equipment. That’s a heck of a lot better than my previous Canon digital system that cost me ~$5500 (which I no longer own). So, shooting 35mm film really help me cut my costs while not really compromising quality.

On shooting black and white:

For a while, I’ve been shooting black and white because it’s something we don’t see with our naked eyes – the world is not black and white, good and bad.  These dichotomies don’t exist in life.

What I enjoy about Tri-X is its grittiness and contrast, especially when pushed to 1600. When I shoot during brighter light or dark night, I switch it out for some Delta 100, which is a really nice low-grain film with great latitude.

On shooting colour:

With the Portra, I tend to look at photography a bit differently because you can use colour to help describe the scene or person you are photographing. I’m really digging Portra for portraits right now and don’t see myself switching anytime soon, unless it’s to Portra 160 or Portra 800. I absolutely love the colour, contrast, and detail rendition of Portra films. I must say, it retains a lot of highlight detail as well, so it’s easy to shoot. It seems to be super popular as well, which gives me hope for its longevity.

What do you like to shoot on a regular basis?

I shoot a mixture of subjects and am working on a few different projects right now, so I’ll use these to really decide which path I want to take with my photography. I can take a guess at what I’ll always prefer, though: people! I love photographing people, especially when I can find that moment when they’re actually being authentic.

Is there anything unique about your photographic style or process?

My lighting is pretty raw for portraits sometimes, and I don’t mean that in an aesthetic way, I mean that I keep my budget pretty low. Any film portraits I’ve taken were done with lighting that cost me less than $75 CAD.

My setup includes two clamp-style work lamps with 9″ dishes on them, each equipped with a soft white bulb and I hang them on microphone stands (because I had these already, being a musician as well). I only recently picked up a Canon flash from a friend to try out some stuff with an off-camera speedlight. Whatever you can spend a bunch of money on in photography, there’s usually a cheaper alternative that will give you wonderful results as well.  So, don’t be intimidated by costs, find ways around them if it’s not in your budget.  There is always a way.

What types of film do you develop?

I only develop black and white at the moment, but am trying to get my hands on some C41 chemicals to develop all of my Portra rolls.

Tell us about your first experiences in developing your own film.  How did you muster the courage to give it a shot? What resources did you use?

I was sitting at a café in Waterloo, Ontario (where I was living at the time) and I had one of my Minoltas with me. A guy came over and introduced himself (Mark Walton of Foto:RE in Kitchener-Waterloo) and invited me out to an Edward Burtynsky exhibit and a peer review/critique of some of my photos. After that critique, I sold off all of my digital equipment because I was so inspired to go down the film-only path.

I met him at a Tim Horton’s 500 meters from my apartment and he gave me a Paterson tank. I went and picked up the chemistry that afternoon and attempted to develop a roll that night. I used a mixture of resources – a couple YouTube videos (Matt Day and Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography), one blog (I forget which one), and Mark, who gave me the tank, gave me a couple tips.

I double, triple, and quadruple checked my developing times for my chemistry ratios on http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php. I was nervous and anxious the entire time and when I finally was finished with the fixer, I opened it up and was overjoyed to see that there were images on the film strip!

I started with a roll that I thought I might have ruined. It was a roll of Ilford HP5+ and had 36 exposures…I cranked it too far past 36 and the film snapped inside my camera! I thought I rolled it all back into the canister, but when I popped the back of my camera open, I saw the nightmare and slammed it shut. I closed up my bathroom, sealed the light leaks with towels and removed the film, put it in a black canister, and taped the lid on with electrical tape.

I thought, if this roll doesn’t develop properly, it’s not a big loss, it could be that I messed up. I tried to stay calm in my beginner mindset and forgave myself in advance if it didn’t turn out how I had hoped. To my surprise, not only did it work out, but not a single exposure was ruined from opening up the back of the camera!

Do you scan, enlarge, and/or print your work?

I scan my negatives with an Epson V550 in order to see which ones I will later have printed in the darkroom, to give examples on my website and blog, and to share on social media platforms for feedback (such as the Negative Feedback community on Facebook).

I’ve had a few printed digitally, just to have them to review or share in a physical state, but you can’t beat a good silver gelatin print!

What equipment are you using to develop your film and why?

My developing kit includes the following:

• Paterson tank with a single 35mm reel
• A thermometer (for consistent temperature)
• Plastic measuring cups (dollar store purchase)
• A Kalt changing bag
• Ilford Ilfotec HC Developer
• Ilford Rapid Fixer
• Kodak Photo Flo

I develop in my bathroom, kneeling on the floor to reach into the tub. I was gifted the tank, so using that was a no brainer and the Kalt changing bag was due to its reviews and size.

As far as the chemistry goes, I was just starting to develop my own film and was looking for a cost-efficient and good all-around chemistry kit, and so I walked into the closest camera shop that carried this stuff and asked for some assistance. The chemicals listed were the chemicals I walked out with. Would I change them? Probably the Ilfotec HC, as I would like to try Kodak D-76.  It seems to work out nice and sharp.

For the most part, when I was starting, the gear I acquired was acquired due to cost, but now that I am becoming better versed in this art, I’d like to try some different things.

What is the end game of your photos after the shooting has taken place?

When I get the negatives back, I scan them to review and then have them printed digitally due to the cost and skill required to get colour darkroom prints now. I’m comfortable with this compromise of shooting film and printing digitally. This actually allows me to print at home sometimes as well for smaller prints.

Have you completed any notable projects or in the process of creating something from the film you have shot and developed?

I’m currently working on a project that involves a bunch of portraits for a book and another project of what are mostly intimate landscapes in the county where I grew up, which will most likely be an exhibit. I can go further into detail once I’ve got them a little closer to release.

The book is being shot on Portra 400, scanned professionally, and then printed digitally. The exhibit is being shot on Tri-X 400 and Delta 100 and then printed in a darkroom by a fellow photographer in the same county.

Do you have any other future goals or ambitions in regards to your work?

I’m interested in producing a substantial coffee table book, though I am beginning to entertain the idea of having some zines printed as a take-home for my exhibits coming up.

I prefer to focus on my own art from start to finish, getting more involved in every step as time goes on. Darkroom developing may soon be in my plans, though, since a local camera shop gives away enlargers, so long as you buy your chemistry from him! That’s a pretty good deal if you ask me.

What advice can you give to others who are interested in shooting and developing film but are apprehensive about getting started?

If you might be interested in shooting film, pick up an old SLR or rangefinder at an antique shop or secondhand store, grab a couple rolls of film and shoot away.

Take the finished rolls to a local lab or mail them away to an online service, and get prints made. After that, decide how you feel about it.

I think film is a great way to learn hands-on about photography and it teaches you to slow down and take more shots that matter. Instead of a roll of twenty-four shots of seemingly random subjects (like my first full roll), you will learn to bracket exposures to ensure the shot and you may end up with four or five fantastic and meaningful images.

As for developing, just dive in and do it – it is so rewarding and easy once you get rid of the nerves of the first few rolls. It’s more cost-effective and you have control over every step along the way.

When I started this blog, I wanted to document and share my experiences of shooting and developing film.  The possibilities seemed endless in the sort of content that I wanted to create and it still pretty much is.  When I began brainstorming the conceptual framework of the blog, I knew that featuring and showcasing the processes and stories of others was something that I wanted and felt like I needed to do in order to make this blog what I wanted it to be.  So from now on, I will begin featuring other photographers; their processes and unique perspective on film photography in an ongoing feature series entitled “Part of the Process.”

Already, fifty photographers who are also DIY film developers have shown interest in being featured, with half of them already completing their initial interviews.  These interviews will be posted periodically over the next few months.  I truly cannot express my gratitude to those that have taken the time to write detailed accounts of their film interests, processes, and goals with me and eventually you, the reader.  The first twenty five featured artists come from nine different countries and all have a unique approach to their craft.  Some of these individuals take a bare bones, simplistic approach while others truly own the DIY aesthetic through not only their shooting and development but also in their alternative printing processes.

These features are aimed to communicate two very important points:  There is no one right way of doing anything and that if you are interested in shooting, developing, or printing your images, that you can do it, even on a minimal budget and resources.  I would definitely say that the overall theme of the advice these artists will give anyone who has a desire to engage in the analog process is to just do it.

If you are a film shooter, developer, printer, or artist that wants to share your work, process, or perspective, please feel free to contact me to be featured!

With that being said, I would like to take the liberty to preview the interviews by answering the initial interview questions myself:

What is your name?

Dylan Barnes

Where are you located?

Tampa, Florida USA

Where can you be found online?

www.dylanbarnes.com

www.instagram.com/now.developing

What other photography websites or blogs do you follow?

Typically, I read a lot of Emulsive, 35MMC, Film Shooters Collective, and Japan Camera Hunter.  I also follow the Film Photography Podcast and watch the Youtube channels by Negative Feedback and Matt Day.

What formats, cameras, and films do you shoot? What do you like about the formats, cameras, films you prefer?

I pretty much shoot 35mm and 6×6 formats exclusively.  I have tried 645 and 6×7 formats, but I really, really like the formality and integrity of the square format.  It makes me think differently when I am shooting compared to 35mm.  Although the other formats are different in ratio compared to one another as well as 35mm (and much more beautiful in detail), I personally feel that they are too similar.  I try as much as I can to simplify my gear while also taking advantage of a wide variety of options moving from camera to camera or format to format.  I also try to settle on a single lens when it comes to interchangeable-lens cameras because I do not like lugging around too much gear.

For 35mm, I now shoot with a Leica CL with 40mm Summicron and a Contax T3.  I recently acquired my Leica CL, but I love its size and quirkiness compared to other Leica rangefinders.  I typically have the Contax on my wrist at all times when walking around or hanging out with friends.  I love it for its simplicity and image quality.  It’s not an intimidating camera by any means.  I can take photos quickly and quietly without missing a step.  Although the prices have gone through the roof on eBay and other online outlets, it’s definitely the best point and shoot out there.  I will also sometimes bring out my Olympus OM2s or grab a random one from the pile just to change things up and keep it fun and different.

In terms of C41 film, I have stuck with Ektar 100 and Portra 400 for color.  Sometimes the pro stock film can get a little too pricey for daily snapshots, so I also like to use Kodak Gold 200 and ColorPlus 200 as well.  For slide film, I really love the results I have gotten with the FPP variety packs which usually include some Ektachrome.  The colors of slide film are unmatched, but it’s also a bit pricey.  I’d say slide film is well worth the price for any “meaningful” shooting you do.  For black and white, I typically stick with Ilford HP5.  It has a wide latitude for pushing and pulling (as well as developer error in my case), so I tend to stick with it.

What do you like to shoot on a regular basis?

I would definitely say that I enjoy capturing a candid moment.  I try to capture the significance of an insignificant moment or detail; the euphoria of simply being alive or truly conscious in any given moment.  Reflection plays a big role in my process.  I take photos that I can look back on in hopes that they will bring me back to the sounds, sights, and intrinsic feelings of that moment.  What I shoot is never as important as to why I shoot.  I take pictures of whatever I feel is interesting or assists in representing how I feel at a certain point in time.  Any subject or composition can potentially accomplish that.

What types of film do you develop?

I develop C41, E6, and black and white.  I’ve done a bit of cross processing in the past, but it’s not something I do very often.

What attracted you to film photography? How did you get started/introduced to shooting film? How soon after did you start developing?

The intangible “feel” of film images, even in their digital state exude a certain type of nostalgia and depth for me.  Growing up, my family had bins and bins of prints in one-hour-photo envelopes.  Even today, I will flip through a few of them just to get lost in them.

I started shooting film as a serious hobby around 6 or 7 years ago.  I remember picking up a Canon 35mm camera at a thrift store for a few bucks, found some film, and processed it at a Walgreen’s because that’s all I knew at the time.  Now there are no more film processors at these types of stores.  It’s all mail ordered.  The shots on the roll weren’t of anything significant, but I did enjoy the experience enough to do more research.  The hunt for cameras was also such a fun experience in and of itself even though I didn’t know much about analog cameras.

After a year or two, my boss caught wind that I was shooting film.  By this time, I was sending my film out to professional labs to do my developing and scanning.  He told me about his darkroom that he had in his home when he was a teenager.  He pushed me to learn the process so I can relay the skills and experience to my students.  This ended up blossoming into a full blown, high-demand after school program that I now run at my school in which I work.

Tell about your first experiences in developing your own film.  What resources did you use?  

I remember searching Youtube and Google and coming across a few videos and tutorials that showed how easy the process of developing black and white film at home really was.  I do recall that my first roll was a success.  I was ecstatic.  There’s something about that excitement that never goes away each time I pull a reel out of the tank for the first reveal of each roll I develop.

I pretty much just followed this document with this Youtube video, and never needed much else.  Since then, I have also documented my own process for others to use as well.

Do you scan, enlarge, and/or print your work?

I scan all of my 35mm film with a Pakon 135 I bought on eBay and all of my 120 film with an Epson V700 that I scooped up on Craigslist.  I recently purchased a bulk of darkroom equipment on Craigslist and I want to attempt my first shot at enlarging in my home in the near future.  The task is overwhelming at the moment, but I think I will get to it eventually.  For now, I will be digitally printing on my Canon Pro printer.

Are you content with where you are now with your shooting and developing? Do you have any future plans or ambitions?

I’m never really content because I love to learn, and that transcends photography and bleeds into my personality for sure.  But right now, I am still enjoying the fact that I self-published my first physical publication.  I have a few thoughts of publishing more physical work in the near future but I want to keep those details concealed for now.  I do want to take this Part of the Process Series and turn it into a small anthology of perspectives in film photography and self-developing.

I am content right now in just shooting what I want to shoot.  I have a rotating gallery up at Foundation Coffee in Tampa, FL alongside a few friends that allows me to display my work.  The feedback has been positive and it feels good that people like what I am doing.

For a while, I was shooting digital SLRs to supplement my income, but it never gave me as much joy as shooting film as a hobby has.  I can definitely say that I am much more content than I used to be.

What advice can you give to others who are interested in shooting and developing film but are apprehensive about getting started?

If you want to do it then, then do it.  Mistakes will occur, but if my middle school students can do it, then anyone can.