From the Arch Club Journal
How to develop black and white film at home
A tank, three chemicals and a dark bag. Your first roll in under an hour.
Written by Arch Club, which shoots only on film. Always follow the instructions that come with your chemicals.
What you need
- A changing bag or a fully dark room
- A developing tank with reels, such as a Paterson tank
- Developer, stop bath (or plain water) and fixer
- A thermometer, measuring jugs and a timer
- Wetting agent, clips to hang the film, gloves
The steps
I
Load the reel in the dark.Inside the bag, open the canister, cut off the leader, wind the film onto the reel and seal it in the tank. Practise with a spare roll in daylight first.
II
Mix at the right temperature.Most black and white processes are timed at 20°C. Look up the time for your film and developer on the maker's sheet.
III
Develop.Pour in the developer, start the timer and agitate as the instructions say, usually gentle inversions for the first 30 seconds and a few every minute.
IV
Stop.Pour out the developer and add stop bath or water for about a minute.
V
Fix.Fixer makes the image permanent. Agitate as directed, usually for several minutes.
VI
Wash.Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove all fixer.
VII
Finish and dry.A drop of wetting agent prevents water marks. Hang the film in a dust-free room to dry.
Safety
- Wear gloves and work with good ventilation.
- Used fixer contains silver. Don't pour it down the drain; take it to a hazardous waste site or a lab that collects it.
Colour film (C-41) can be developed at home too, with a kit and tighter temperature control, usually around 39°C.
The first time the negatives come out of the tank, you will be hooked.
Shot on film at Arch Club
ARCH CLUB
A members' club for foot photography, shot only on film.
Every Arch Club photograph is made on a Canon EOS-1V, a Mamiya 7 or a Fuji GW690II, with real models in New York and never AI. Members receive new film photographs every month, and collectors can own the original negative, sealed in display resin with a print of their choice.
Membership$49.99/mo
Polaroid$111
4×6 print$200
Negatives$1,100 to $2,000
Cameras35mm, 6×7, 6×9
Anyone can find a picture. Few will ever hold a photograph.
Visit Arch ClubPublished by Arch Club, Brooklyn, New York.