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There is one advantage of classic photography: the developing process. You may think it is art for art’s sake, but I would rather treat it like a total control of the image – from the shutter release to the final print. The film is the most important; it is a mould, a base for later copies. Here are some general observations and the development process step by step.

Preparation

What do you need to develop your first roll? First of all: an exposed film… Sorry, stupid joke. Basically, you will need a chemicals such as: developer, stopper, fixer and wetting agent. The developer and fixer are obligatory; stopper and wetting agent are not necessary but useful for gaining the best results. You can prepare your own stopper; the simplest and sufficient version is 1-1,5% water solution of acetic acid; if you don’t mind the smell. There are many developers and fixers in the stores, so you can the appropriate one for you needs. I recommend using developer of the same company you have the film of; i.e. if you were shooting photos with Kodak Tri-X film, it is better to develop it in some of Kodak’s chemicals, let’s say D-76. Each producer gives his own recommendations concerning chemicals to get the best effects. It will make you easier to find the right development times you need.

Developers and fixers are usually in powder or liquid and you may need to prepare them following producer’s instructions. If so, you should have them prepared at least 8 hours before processing; 24 hours would be an ideal.

The second thing is a small tank. You can buy it in the photographic store. There are many types of tanks for film processing, depending on their capacity. In the following examples you will see a 800mls one, which can be used to process two 135 rolls at the same time.

Processing

Now, as you have all you need, let’s get started. All the process must be done in perfect darkness. A bathroom with blinded windows will be the right place. Done?

First, you must get the film out of the cassette. If you have re-winded it right and it sticks out, you can simply pull it out. If the whole film got inside (pic.1), you must break the cassette, i.e. with bottle opener (pic.2). Be careful not to scratch the emulsion. Of course you cannot see it, so just be careful.

Now, the show begins. You must tread the film through the tank reel (pic.3, 4). It is the most difficult part. You must take care to thread it correctly: do not let the film parts stick to one another. If you feel the film is blocked by something, do not force it to enter – pull it out and try again. You must have patience. It is good to practise with developed film first and check if everything is alright.

Once the film is on the reel, fix it on the core with a nut (pic.5), and put it inside the tank carefully – do not throw it in. Since there is a total darkness, keep all the parts of tank well-ordered so that you won’t waste time searching for them around the bathroom. When all inside, screw the tank. Now you can turn the lights on.

First goes the developer. Immediately you pour it inside, close it tight and tap it several times against the ground (pic.6) – it will prevent the bubbles marks on the film during the first period of developing. The developing time depends on the developer, but first agitation should take about 30 seconds. Then you continue with ‘vigorous agitation’ at 30 second intervals (pic.7) Nevertheless, before starting processing, read all the chemicals producer’s suggestions. Important: as I said before, different tanks have different capacity; check your tank capacity for one roll of film (if developing one) and prepare appropriate amount of chemicals.

About ten seconds before the right time, pour out the developer at once and fill the tank with stopper. Let it rest for about 30 seconds and pour it out.

Pour the fixer into the tank. Some companies recommend agitating of tank with fixer every half minute, some don’t. You can try both and choose the one you prefer. I cannot see any difference so it is for you to decide. Usually the fixer should be kept in tank for at least 3 minutes; see the attached leaflet for details. Then pour it out.

Now, fill the tank with water and invert it five to ten times, then drain the water away. Repeat it twice. You can now rinse the film with wetting agent. It is not obligatory but prevents chemicals marks on the emulsion and helps it dry rapidly and evenly. See your wetting agent details.

That’s it, you can open the tank. How does the film looks like? I hope everything is OK. Now you must hang it out to dry in a dust-free place, i.e. bathroom.

When it is dry, you can deposit it in special sheets (pic.8). Remember: negative you have is the original, a mould from which you will make prints; do not let it get spoiled!

I guess that is it. You have processed your first film. Congratulations!