First time developing...need feedback

jkjod

jkjod

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Hello all - just recently I developed my first two rolls of Tri-X in D-76 (21C, 8:45 with agitation at the top of every minute). This was my first experience with home development. I've got the bug - seeing those negatives actually turn out, and knowing that I was a part of the entire process was pretty cool.

The problem is, I have no idea if they turned out OK. I think they look pretty good - but any critique would be nice. I did scratch the heck out of some of the negatives, I think this occurred when I was putting the film on the spools in the dark bag. I had practiced quite a bit, but apparently not quite enough as it took me longer than I would like to admit to get everything into the Patterson tank.

Also, I know the negatives are a little dusty/dirty - I wasn't sure until after I had scanned them all if I could wipe them with something or not.

I scanned them on a Plustek 7600/Viewscan. Really I am looking for any advice/critique out there. I am not a professional by any stretch of the means, so don't expect any ground breaking photography...just family pictures. I will post a few examples, the rest are on my Flickr page. Thanks in advance!

Jordan

Scan-140819-0042.jpg by jkjod, on Flickr

Scan-140819-0014.jpg by jkjod, on Flickr

Scan-140818-0016.jpg by jkjod, on Flickr

Scan-140818-0008.jpg by jkjod, on Flickr

Scan-140819-0032.jpg by jkjod, on Flickr
 
Ya done good. The scans look fine. The third one looks a tad overexposed to me, but that could be my monitor. And with negatives like these, you can make fine adjustments for tone and contrast when you scan or in photoshop (or whatever image softwater you use).

You'll get the hang of putting the film on reels w/ time and practice. As far as dust is concerned, I do my last wash using distilled water, then drop the reels in a small bath of distilled water with a few drops of photoflo, then steam up the bathroom (which I use for film developing) and when it gets very humid hang the negs up to dry. I NEVER wipe them down. I can't say they're always dust-free after they've dried, but any remaining dust spots are manageable and can be removed in photoshop.

Welcome to the home development club!
 
Thanks guys - I am giving it my second go tonight...hopefully the results will be scratch free. I practiced a little more with the reels, no problems this time so I have my fingers crossed!
 
Well done. Very good first attempt. Just remember, expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights. This old rule is even more important in the days of scanning.
 
Congrats - looks nice. And you'll be hooked, no way back sorry 😀

Never try to wipe the negs, wet or dry - instead get a Giotto Rocket Blaster and use it just before scanning. You can also use canned air, but that is *bleep*ing expensive.
 
Those look fine to me too.

About loading plastic "auto load" -reels in the changing bag: If the weather is hot the hands tend to sweat in the bag making the inside of the bag very humid. This can make the film stick to the reels making the loading hard or even impossible. I've found out that while cooling hands that are in the changing bag is not possible, cooling the rest of your body helps too and makes the hands sweat less. If it's hot I now set a fan behind me on th floor to blow towards me when doing the loading. This really makes a big difference for me when it's hot.
 
Enjoy your addiction. 🙂 One more person buying and using film is a good thing, on balance. These look fine to me as well; it's all very subjective anyway and there is no 'right' way to do it.

Kenny
 
Scanning: If the scanning preview looks too light, then adjust your settings. If the scan comes out too light then adjust in PhotoShop. You can easily make feathered selections to darken or lighten areas. Check your levels. Try different contrast curves. Experiment with scanning a neg as a pos and inverting in PS.

Dust: I also use distilled water with very very little photo-flo - and then squeegee with fingers freshly dipped in same. But this is to avoid water spots not dust. Most important is to make a dust-free drying cabinet. You can make one with a hair dryer, shower curtain, air filter, and some wood. Or try to find a used Kindermann cabinet. Drying with heat and air hardens emulsion. Then when dry immediately cut and insert into archival pages.

If you have a flatbed scanner, blow off dust, and clean with Zeiss wipes -- fold in quarters, then open and refold and you get about 8 clean surfaces.

Tmax film is on a thicker base and might be easier for you to load onto a reel.
 
Jordan, you are off to a very good start! And welcome to the fold 🙂
There is one way for you to make sure that you are not over- or underdeveloping: by learning to make good proof-sheets. I find this article to be helpful, the relevant passage is the one about "Maximum Black": http://www.halfhill.com/proof.html

Greetings, Ljós
 
NY_Dan said:
Scanning: If the scanning preview looks too light, then adjust your settings.
Click to expand...

Jordan, along similar lines, if you are using the scans to evaluate your developing, you want straight scans that show the negatives as-are, warts and all. So if the scanning preview looks great, ensure the scanning software is not auto-adjusting levels/curves. I believe the Epson one, just for example (although I know that can't be what you're using) defaults to auto-adjusting, and can pull a surprisingly balanced scan out of a very thin negative. (Trust me, I know... 🙁) That's great sometimes, but not when you're trying to learn what's going on in your negs.

--Dave
 
Thanks for the tips everybody. I developed two more rolls last night and scanned them this morning. I am much more satisfied with the results this go round. No scratches what so ever. Also, I am much more comfortable with theVuescan software and the files were much cleaner and easier to work with in Lightoom this time. I will post some examples tonight or tomorrow (stuck at work right now).

I think I had already figured this out but I much prefer HP5 to Tri-X, and I really really like the negatives I got with FP4+. Maybe a bulk loader is in my future 🙂
 
If you like HP5, then I can give you the tip to try HC-110 as a developer. I (and many others here) think that HP5 and HC-110 (Dilution "B", I use 5:30 minutes at 20 deg. Celsius @ ISO 400) think they are a really good match.
HC-110 keeps very long and saves you the (admittedlz minor, but still) hassle of mixing D-76.

With FP4, I can recommend Rodinal 1:50.
 
Jordan you seem to be doing fine. Along with others here I would using a final wash of distilled water and Kodak Photoflow or a similar wetting agent. I use a film squeegee as well, just once in one movement down the entire roll of film before leaving the negs to dry in the boiler cupboard, but film squeegees will start a whole other argument here.

The sharpness and contrast is good with a leaning towards the higher tones which works well in your shots but that could be changed if you wished on future shots , either in your scanner settings ( lower the mid tone value) or in your post production software with levels or curves.

have fun

Chris
 
Good job.

I have used several different developers and still come back to D-76. It's a favorite of mine, used for many different types of B & W films.
Mix my working solution 1+1.

Keep up the good work! You're on your way!
 
I like the "Powell & Market" photo. Years ago, I was stationed at Treasure Island attending school for the U.S. Navy. I have photos I made from back then set up from Treasure Island. The Transamerica building was under construction back then.

Wonderful city!
 
Images are still too light -- my suggestion after scanning open in PS and save multiple exposure variations and pick from those. Many years ago when I worked as an assistant, the best photographer I worked with used to shoot 5 Polaroids -- one at the metered exposure and two lighter and two darker (half stop and full stop in each direction). Then he could see what looked best, and if he liked the background lighter or darker, or subject -- we would make adjustments. By only doing a scan and posting -- in my opinion -- one is seduced by seeing an image, any image, and making themselves like that instead of exploring the alternatives, and in the process developing an eye for what is a good exposure. Now some will like that overblown look, others will like things dark -- but do yourself a favor and choose from a range. Then do the same thing for contrast. Then try having more than one contrast in the same image.
 
Just realized my monitor brightness was not up all the way - I agree they look a little too light...I will adjust later - I get to go mattress shopping today so editing photos isn't on the docket!
 
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