Film Photography

I'm taking a photography class in school right now, and it's a very detailed and complicated subject. But it's so awesome when a picture actually comes out! So here's my first picture that I developed, and below are the steps involved to acquire this one photo:

1. Capture 36 pictures on roll of film with camera of choice (unless, of course, you only want to take a couple, and thus ruin the rest)

2. Roll film onto reel in pitch black closet (do not attempt if claustrophobic)

3. Develop film over a 30-45 minute long, highly detailed process

4. Dry film in film dryer for 20 minutes (twiddle thumbs...stare at wall)

You now have a completed set of negatives (if all went well, of course...something you are unable to tell until the conclusion of step 3)

5. Make a test contact sheet out of your negatives (this would require a sheet of your expensive photo paper)

6. Develop test contact sheet

7. Make a contact sheet out of your negatives (you are now making positives...and still using that expensive photo paper)

8. Develop contact sheet

9. From the contact sheet, pick a negative of your choice that you wish to enlarge

10. Through a trial and error process, set up your negative in the enlarger and make a test enlargement (more photo paper)

11. Develop test enlargement

12. Make enlargement (photo paper)

13. Develop enlargement

14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 until you have a satisfactory picture (if one is never acquired, return to step 9 and proceed once again)

16. Make as many copies of said satisfactory picture as desired (that photo paper...you might need to get a job)

17. Develop copies

18. Wash contact sheets, enlargements, and copies in archival washer

19. Squeegee photo paper(s) and dry in film dryer (if necessary, locate 18" metal ruler for removal of paper stuck within dryer...in such case, you will most likely have to return to step 12...cry)

20. Be very happy you have succeeded, and show off to friends and family

There you have it, the steps required for attaining a photo such as the one shown above. If you wanted to make enlargements of the entire roll, you would need to repeat steps 10-20 until all undamaged negatives had been taken care of. Also, steps 2 and 3 are very delicate, and many negatives are often ruined. This most often occurs in the pitch black closet, and is not discovered until much later. During my own first attempt, all of my negatives were ruined save the one I'm sharing. This, indeed, is why they invented Wal-Mart. Smile

Anyway, wanted to share. Hope you enjoyed! Smile

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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

WOW. That is a lot more work than I thought went into that. At least the picture that worked out is a really good one! Great detail! What kind of camera do you use?

Thanks! It is a lot of work, but fun. Smile

I use a Canon AE-1 camera. It was actually my dad's back in the day. He bought it new, and we've had it ever since. Haven't used it in close to 15 years, but still works and looks great!
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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Hey thats looks great! I really like the railroad Smile

just make sure you know when the train comes by..... Sad

Ha, I know what you mean. I was afraid to show it to my mom, cause I was afraid she would say something about me getting run over, and she wouldn't stop to appreciate the picture. You know. Smile

I've always wanted to take a picture of a railroad track, but I don't live by one. Thankfully, though, there's one by my school, and I was inspired. Smile

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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Yeah, the whole angle of the shot is awesome. Very Happy

Thanks, OMB. I really am extremely happy with the way it came out. I never really expected it to be anything special. But it will forever claim a place in my heart, if for no other reason than that it was my first picture. Smile

Before we started using the film cameras, we made pinhole cameras. And if you don't know what those are, it's just a box. You spray paint the inside, tape down a homemade shutter made out of metal, and black electric tape the box closed. You place a piece of photo paper in the box (before you tape it closed, obviously) and find a place of opportunity. You then set your box down, aim it as best you can, briefly open the shutter (15 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the light), close the shutter, and then take the box into the dark room for development of the photo paper. It's not as difficult as developing film, but it's more error prone, because your box tends to acquire light leaks (which ruins the photo paper), your picture doesn't come out, and it takes a lot of tries to get a decent photo.

Sooo...anyway. All that to introduce my next picture. We made the pinhole cameras so we could get used to how a real camera works. And so I present you with my favorite pinhole picture:

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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

I think I might cry...that's amazing. Really, in all seriousness, that is one of the most awesome "sports" photos I've seen in a long time. It didn't need some 10,000 dollar camera that takes 10 shots per second to take.

really cool picture! It reminds me of some old football movie.

You took that picture...with a box?

That's AWESOME!

Oh, and I really like the detail in the first one, came out nice and crisp. The second one has a nice grainy feel to it that makes it feel old. Both are very nice. Look forward to seeing more Very Happy

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Aw, thanks guys! I tried three times to get a good picture of the stadium, and that was my second attempt. The negative looks really awesome, too. Cause actually, that's what I get once I transfer it to a positive. What comes out of the box is the negative, just like a real camera. And yep, I took it with a box. I left it in my locker at school, but I'll get it and take a picture Monday, just so ya'll can get an idea of how basic it really is.

I'm so glad ya'll like it! I feel very encouraged, cause photography can be a very discouraging hobby. Too many things go bust. Thanks so much again! Smile

Oh, here's the negative (and all the specks in the black are just dust from my scanner):

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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Wow the stadium(?) looks neat!
Shocked

And that is a lot of steps...
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Master Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 4402 Location: Korriban

That looks awesome Mara! You've got talent Smile

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Thanks Caedus and Reep! So glad ya'll like them. Smile

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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

These are great! They remind me of the little town I grew up in. Keep up the good work!
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