There's just something special about it...

[nikon_sam]

I've been developing film for about 30 years now and I still can't wait to see the negs as I pull them out of the fix...just a quick peek and then into the rinse. Once they dry you can handle them better and get a good look at what you shot. For me, that's the magic...I don't know if the digital folks get the same feeling...anybody out there want to respond ??

 

[Fred]

Nice one squeaky, I shoot digital for others who want to see the result like yeterday. My own stuff I use film and do it all myself.

I dunno it's just the feeling of continueity by having an effect on the final image not by just fireing the shutter but tweaking the development in chemistry of my choosing and enlarging the image on the paper of my choice with the contrast grade I feel suites the image. I'll not bore you (more) with dodging and burning). I get better results than via computer, maybe cos I'm no good with computers but whatever I love a good wet print that looks like its done the old way. I'm sure a skilled computer operator will be able to produce images just as good and I'll still like em the same. I can't do though as well via PC.

The fact is I feel I've played a greater part in producing the final image. Keep at it. If the darkroom gets hard to access just enroll on the same course again. Enjoy.

 

[Fred]

nikon_sam, I agree with you entirely. For me its only four years though 🙂

 

[Little Prince]

Wait until you see your first print appear in the tray. I can still remember it and that was almost 50 years ago.

50 years Goardhead! That's something.

Anyway, I want to say how much I'm thrilled when the print emergers in that almost-darkness. Magical is the only word. Good thread.

 

[Branestawm]

The thing with digital printing is that, however clever the technology you know that ultimately it's just blobs of ink being sprayed onto the paper. With darkroom printing there is still an air of mystery about whats happening. The darkened room with just the red glow of the safelight together with vats of exotic chemical brews gives an atmosphere to the whole operation that just doesn't exist with digital. It's a sort of modern day alchemy. we may not be able to make gold from base metal but we can do great stuff with silver halide.

 

[Andy K]

Alchemy... only we aren't looking for gold, we're here for the silver. 🙂

 

[squeaky_clean]

Just as an update to this thread, I got to make my first prints last night...

All I have to say is... AWESOME. I had so much fun. And they actually turned out, too! I'm even more addicted than before. I think I am going to try for a photo minor, so I can hang around the darkroom lots! Like so many have said before... it's magical!

I don't know if I will be able to scan them small enough to post here, as they are all 8x10 prints. But I hope to have a gallery up elsewhere on the web sometime in the not too distant future.

I think this weekend I will develop some film from my RF that I shot for the contest. Maybe there'll something good in there! 🙂

 

[ch1]

Just as an update to this thread, I got to make my first prints last night...

All I have to say is... AWESOME. I had so much fun. And they actually turned out, too! I'm even more addicted than before. I think I am going to try for a photo minor, so I can hang around the darkroom lots! Like so many have said before... it's magical!

I don't know if I will be able to scan them small enough to post here, as they are all 8x10 prints. But I hope to have a gallery up elsewhere on the web sometime in the not too distant future.

I think this weekend I will develop some film from my RF that I shot for the contest. Maybe there'll something good in there! 🙂

Scan them as 8 x 10's in RAW and then size down in PS to 800 pixels on the long side and then saving into JPEG. By starting with a RAW file you will have an excellent image as the "base" (which you can "archive") and that quality will follow down into the lower res JPEG. And your JPEG should be "small" enough to be loaded into the Gallery.

 

[markinlondon]

Just as an update to this thread, I got to make my first prints last night...

All I have to say is... AWESOME. I had so much fun. And they actually turned out, too! I'm even more addicted than before.

I hate to say "I told you so", but... 🙂

Welcome to a life of control freakery. For instance, I handed two films into a local photo lab on Monday for the first time in two years and was so worried everything would be OK. Of course it was fine, they're professionals. It's just so hard to let go of that control sometimes when you've got used to it.

Mark