On Friday, I'm going to an experimental #CreativeWorkshop to learn alternative ways of developing #AnalogueFilm using #indigo & other #PlantBased materials.

Kemi Craig is a woman of African descent who grew up in South Carolina where indigo is of historical significance for #BlackCultures. As an #artist working in analogue film, which has also deeply affected ideas of Blackness across cultural spectrums, Kemi is interested in exploring relationships between #ImageMaking & indigo. In unpacking parallel practices & #cultural relationships to indigo & film, Craig has invited Joshua Ngenda from #FluxMedia to collaborate. Trudi Lynn Smith will generously share her extensive #FilmDevelopment experience & #PlantKnowledge with participants.

Ya know what I haven't done for quite some time? A live film-developing thread! The last time I did one was in August, and I developed 40 rolls in the meantime!

So, let's start - first, let me gather all the stuff I need...

This is what happens when you’re too cheap to pay $12-20 a roll for someone else to develop for you

Whenever I load film in a film change bag, I’ve got this floof next to me looking like this. She nudges me every time with a ‘surely I’m more interesting than film development?!’ nibble every couple of minutes. Then she tries to pounce on my hands that are moving in the change bag. I love her so much

Steel is reel.

Finally switched to steel reels and tanks. In SF, Glass Key Photo usually has a bunch of used steel reels and tanks and they’ve very affordable there. They also last forever. I started with Paterson and plastic, and think I’ll start phasing those out in favor of these ones.

Also, the Leatherman Micra is my favorite tool for cutting film inside a changing bag. It’s so tiny and works well and I feel it gives me better control

Flic Film’s ECN-2 kit seems to be the best one I’ve used so far. Previously, I bought random powders from strangers online and the results were varied :)

The prebath is really good and better than the washing soda / borax solution I previously used. I also don’t want to muck around with lye, which was the only ingredient I didn’t have from Kodak’s original recipe.

Developed a roll of 500T to try out.

As a geriatric millennial who was probably among the first generation to live with computers and printers, I just went to a darkroom and learned how to print photos from film negatives and not needing a computer to do any of that blows my mind.

It also helps me make sense of digital tools, like Photoshop masks and cropping.

Did you know that the city of San Francisco runs a large community darkroom, with a photo gallery and instructors? That's where I first learned how to develop and scan black and white film.

On Aug 19, classes for fall will open for registration. They typically sell out in minutes, so set your alarms.

https://www.harveymilkphotocenter.org/education/fall-2023-in-person-virtual-classes/

My first darkroom print!!

Hey #believeinfilm feiends, any developer recommendations for expired b&w negatives? Somehow I don’t think my caffenol/salt fixer solution is appropriate for this case.
#filmdevelopment #filmdev #filmphotography #analogphotography #filmisnotdead