My first ever home developed photos!

[ped]

Hi guys

Recently decided to home process my film, so I did a test roll of HP5 in the kitchen last night and hung the film up on my bannisters!! The pics are quite grainy and though I like the effect, maybe there is something I can do to change the result next time. I find it all very exciting and really good fun. Seeing the pics for the first time on the film was magical!!

Anyway here are a few random shots, let me know what you think!!

ped

 

[gb hill]

I like the last shot! What developer did you use & how much did you agitate during developing? That's a nice bathroom! now all you need to do is move all your wifes stuff & sit a nice enlarger on the counter with some trays & go to printing!😉

 

[robklurfield]

nice grain. post more when you do your next roll.

 

[ped]

Thanks! The shots were taken late at night (despite the fact that my house mate is cooking a full meal... well I say cooking, more like warming up!)

I used Ilford ID11 developer, and their Ilfostop and rapid fixer. I agitated once every 30 seconds during the 7.30 minute develop time. Would increased agitation have an effect on the grain in the image?

Cheers
ped

P.s camera was a Leica M4-P and VC 28mm f1.9 lens

 

[gb hill]

Thanks! The shots were taken late at night (despite the fact that my house mate is cooking a full meal... well I say cooking, more like warming up!)

I used Ilford ID11 developer, and their Ilfostop and rapid fixer. I agitated once every 30 seconds during the 7.30 minute develop time. Would increased agitation have an effect on the grain in the image?

Cheers
ped

P.s camera was a Leica M4-P and VC 28mm f1.9 lens

From what I have read agitation has nothing to do with grain but temperature & time in the developer do. More agitation means less time in the developer IOW agitation speeds up the developing stage? I read that somewhere but I'm not sure on that. Perhaps someone with more knowledge can answer. I've never shot HP5 (hard to find here) haven't used ID11 although it is practally D-76 which I have used. You did good IMO for first time. Cool, no wife so you don't have to live with the fuss if you decide to do your own printing later on.😀

 

[Ezzie]

For a first effort that´s not at all bad. Never used HP5 either, whether or not the grain is down to the film, a spot of underexposure or whatever is difficult to say. Why not take your next pictures carefully exposed in daylight and compare? Does Ilford rate it at 400, or lower?

But grain is not necessarily bad, but I tend to like envisioning the end product when taking the picture, and if I don´t envision grain and end up with it, then I´ve not quite met my own demands. But I wouldn´t really know how to get grain with the films I´m using at the moment (TMAX100 and 400), I suspect I´d have to push them quite hard.

 

[ped]

Thanks Ezzie, HP5 is indeed rated at 400. I think the grain can be attributed to the fact that used developer either at a slightly too high temp or for slightly too long, or possibly because my developer was too strong, which I know it was, slightly. Looking forward to trying the next roll, now!!

ped

 

[Ezzie]

When starting out it pays to do things by the book. Be very exact in measuring amounts, temperature and timing. Once you get the hang of it, you will know what you can vary and how it will effect the end result.

None the less, you didn´t do half bad. It´s great fun isn´t it? Get a feeling of accomplishment you´ve been missing doing digital stuff? I sure do.

 

[ped]

made the ID11 up to the correct measurements for 'stock' (1L) and used it like that straight into the tank, though others have said I should have used less than the 500ml I poured in for a single film (about 280ml ish is right) and others have said I could dilute the stock down to 1:3 and throw it away rather than re-using the stock next time.

Cheers
ped

 

[RobVinc]

The development times for stock solution or 1+1 or 1+3 dilutions are different, they are noted on the ID-11 box, the fact sheet from ILFORD and our favourite tool: the massive dev chart.

Also the temperature has a great influence on development time.

But I must admit for a first try your picures came out well.

Greetings,
Rob

 

[ddutchison]

Congratulations on developing your first rolls.

Your negs look a little over-developed to me. Increasing development will increase both grain and contrast (and will simulate an increase in ISO, or speed), and that's what I see happening here.

I would guess that these are effectively somewhere around 1000 ISO, so if you ever need to shoot low-light, and push HP5 to a higher ISO, the development you used here will work.

Reducing time or temperature will reduce both the grain and the contrast - time is usually the easier one to control. keeping all other things the same (temperature, dilution, agitation), you might try dropping the development time by 25% for the next roll.

Ezzie's advice is spot-on. Do it by the book to start, and be religious about maintaining consistent temperatures and agitation.

I too will be interested in seeing your next results.

 

[ddutchison]

From what I have read agitation has nothing to do with grain but temperature & time in the developer do....

They all effect grain.

Increasing development time, temperature, or agitation will increase the effect the developer has on the film; and that increases grain (as well as contrast and effective ISO speed)

 

[mgd711]

That's a nice bathroom!

Only a Photographer could come out with that comment! 😀

 

[excellent]

I like the grain. Good luck with the home developing.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

I find HP5+ is a bit grainy for my taste and I prefer FP4+ (125 ISO) for sharpness and contrast or Delta 400 for fine grain and tone if I want a faster film. ID-11 should be OK (Rodinal can accentuate grain) but I'd use 1+3 dilution and take the extra time. At stock strength any delay in stopping the development right on the button risks running you into overdevelopment time. Take care with temperature control and don't over-agitate. Ilford recommend four gentle inversions every minute and within a ten second period. One agitation every 30 seconds as you used might be a bit much.

As others have said, measure carefully, go by the book and take it gently.

 

[filmfan]

I like the grain. I believe you developed at a higher temperature than recommended.

 

[ped]

Hi guys

Here are my most recent home developed shots, this time I made sure my developer was exactly 20oC and as I pushed the film to ISO800 I had to lengthen the dev time.

Very pleased with the results considering it's my second go and first go at push developing...

By the way, the shots were taken in an amazingly foggy and eerie woods in Somerset - hope you enjoy, would love to hear some comments about the shots or development technique.

These shots are untouched and as shot:

...and these I played with very slightly

Cheers
ped

 

[shadowfox]

I like these fog scenes.
These negatives scream for darkroom printing 🙂

 

[randomm]

wow...! well done, very nice stuff!

 

[mathomas]

You got a lot more grays in the second batch, but still pretty grainy. Nice work. I just started developing my own film this year, too, and it has been a fun and exciting (and sometimes disappointing) process.

I started with Diafine, which is very, very hard to mess up. Have just started doing Rodinal, and have had good results so far.