Creatively Developing Black-and-White Film
Summary
Creatively developing a roll of black and white film using instant coffee and some other simple and easily available materials,and use your mobile phone to get a rough visual effect after developing it.
Creatively Developing Black-and-white film
Aim&Background：As digital cameras and mobile phone photography rise in popularity, film cameras have gradually faded from the public’s view. Unlike digital cameras, which allow for immediate shooting, viewing, and deleting, the process of using film cameras—from the shutter click to development—is shrouded in mystery, as no one knows what the final result will be. The development process, in particular, is often the most memorable part. Although digital cameras offer high definition and image quality, film possesses a unique, grainy texture that digital images lack. In photography, there are no absolute blacks and whites; all colors appear as various degrees of grey in black-and-white film. This gives black-and-white film richer layers compared to color photos. From this perspective, ‘Creatively Developing Black-and-White Film’, as an Open Educational Resource, could be an interesting way to reintroduce learners to the art of photography and the process of producing photographs from a different angle.
Tools needed
a roll of black and white film, tap water, 5 scoop of instant coffee, 3.5 scoop of soda crystals, 0.5 scoop of vitamin C powder, fixer,a measuring cup,a developing tank , a spoon, a dark bag (if you don’t have one, make sure to prepare a completely dark room such as a bathroom with no windows),scissors, a phone application: snapseed
……
Skills needed ahead of time
1, Learning how to use the developing tank in advance,here is the link,you can get a teaching video here.
(https://youtu.be/L_whF6XPcPQ?si=3OOa0fhoGGUT99r7[1]), you need to practice how to put film in the tank before you start developing. This process may take about 15 minutes.
2,Making the developer: 5 scoop of instant coffee,3.5 scoop of pure soda,0.5 scoop of vitamin C powder, 375ml of room temperature tap water. Pour them into the water and mix well, set aside!
Let’s start it!
STEP 1(1 minute)Put the film into the developing tank using the method we just learnt and check to make sure the inner cover is locked aftering putting the film into the tank(this step needs to be operated in complete dark atmosphere)
STEP 2(10 minutes)Pour the developer into the developing tank and time it for 10 minutes. At the first one minute, keep shaking the developer upside and down. After that, shaking the tank for 2-3 times every 20 seconds (this step can be done in normal light).
STEP 3(1 minute)After 10minutes ,pouring out the developer ,and then pour water into the developing tank, close the outer cover and roll it for 30 seconds. Repeat the above step one more time.
(this step can be done in normal light).
STEP 4(5 minutes)Pouring out the water, and pour in the fixer, time 5 minutes, every 20 seconds shake upside and down for 2-3 times, pour out the fixer.(this step can be done in normal light).
STEP 5(1 minute) Pour out the fixer and pour in water.Rolling the tank for 30 seconds, pour out the water,then you can open this surprise tank to check the film!
STEP 6(1 minute)You can take photos of the negative film using your phone and guide the photos into snapseed and adjust the curves to get a rough scan.
Here is the link of video version of instruction:
https://media.ed.ac.uk/media/Creatively+developing+black-and-white+film+/1_z6md8i9d
You can also scan the QR CODE below to watch it.
[1]Cabrera E.,2019.Patterson Development Tank.[online].Eric Cabrera.Available at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_whF6XPcPQ[Accessed on :13 December 2023].
Creatively developing black-and-white film © 2023 by Jiaying(Jane) Yuan is licensed under CC BY 4.0 
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