Unit 36 Darkroom techniques

Darkroom Techniques Research

Dodging is a technique that you use when an area of your photograph is too dark or shows no detail. This can be done with any object that can block light although some experts say to use a dodge tool which is a piece of cardboard or plastic at the end of a mental wand. When using your tool block the light that hits the area you want to make lighter. This could take a second or more depending on how much you would need to lighten the area. If you just cover the area with your tool you will need to shake it because the outline of the object will be on your image. 

Burning is another technique that works the exactly the same as dodging but reverse. The print Is given a normal exposure then extra exposure is given to the area that need to be darkened. A card or other type of opaque object is held between the enlarger lens and the paper you then cover the area with the object you wish to not change and the rest of the area that you want to correct will be corrected by adding one or more seconds of exposure to your image. Same as the dodging you need to shake your light blocking tool so that it doesn’t leave any outline.

Pre-flashing is a darkroom technique where you give the paper a low level fogging exposure before you put the negative in the enlarger. Without any care your prints can lose all of their punch from the low contrast that you get from the pre-flash exposure. The technique is very useful when your other methods have failed to give detail in the highlights areas of the print.

In order to do this technique, you must remove your negative from the enlarger and close the enlargers lens down to f/16. Then put a strip of paper under the enlarger and make some test exposures and process them to determine the exposure at which density is visible. Use one of the exposure times that was one to two more steps shorter than it so it does not give it any density.

Then use a magnifying glass if you are unsure that any density has been produced. Expose your sheet of paper to the pre-flash that you have chosen then put the negative back in to the carrier. You are then to make the main exposure for the image which you have previously worked out before. Process the print and decide what needs to be done (dodging and burning, main exposure etc.). Increase the contrast by at least 1 to 2 grades, then repeat the process making the changes that you have decided to do. Check the contrast and refine any dodging and burning. 

Image by Wynn Bullock

Solarisation (Sabatier effect) this is a process which involves re exposing a print to white light during the development of the print. The result of this is a silver image which contains light lines between the shadows and the highlighted areas.  To do this you must develop your print normally, when the image appears remove the print from the developer and place it into a tray of water for ten seconds this will slow down the development process.

The next step is to re-expose the paper to light, the exposure should only last two seconds and the light source should be a low watt bulb (15 to 20 watt) and should also be three to four feet away from the print. Two seconds is a good starting point for you but the seconds may vary depending on the type of paper you have used. Once you have done that develop, stop and fix your print like normal.

Push processing is a technique which compensates for underexposed film by over developing it at the processing step. Push processing is commonly used for when your images are from working in poor light conditions but the method is also used when your film has been underexposed accidentally. All you need to do for this technique is add 15% more time per stop.

Pull processing is a technique similar to push processing except it compensates for overexposed film by under developing it at the processing stage. Pull processing Is commonly known to compensate for accidental overexposure of film. The technique is not to be recommended as there are rarely advantages in exposing a film at a slower speed than normal and this results in negatives that are difficult to print well. 

Deep tanks are a simple accessory that provides a way of developing roll films in length. If it is made of acid-proof plastic, it can be used for any sized films.  Sinks are made of a one­-piece glass-fibre reinforced resin. This is so that no liquid would flow through from the film process.  Above the sink it is crucial to have a hot and cold valve, temperature indicator, temperature blender, hose, vacuum breaker, jet control valve and tempered water. This is key because the photo process requires temperature control. Incoming water is then blended to the right temperature and circulated around by jets this keeps the tanks at the proper temperature. 

Processing film step by step

• First get your roll of film and a film picker, first push up both pull buttons then pull down one at a time and then remove your film.
• Once you have your film pulled out you then need to put it on to the spiral and keep twisting with both hands until you feel that it can't roll anymore. Once you've done that you should feel a little paper end on your film which you should cut. Be careful in doing so because you don't want to accidentally cut your images or yourself. 
• After you've loaded on to your spiral you then put your spiral on to a rod and put it in to the first container. Which is the developer. 
• Once you've put the film in you need to agitate it for the first 30 seconds and then keep agitating for every minute your film is in. (seven minutes and 30 seconds)
• Once you've done this you need to strain it for about 5 seconds then put it in to the next container which is the bath.
• You need to agitate for 30 seconds then keep agitating every minute which the bath is only 1 minute.
• After that strain again for 5 seconds and then put it in to the stopper. You should then agitate again for the first 30 seconds and then once every minute. (3 minutes)
• Then strain again for 5 seconds and put it in to the bath for 10 minutes, then agitate for the first 30 seconds and then again for every 5 minutes. 
• Once finished then put your film in to the wetting agent for about a minute then take your film off the spiral and hang it up to dry.