For all our fellow photographers out there...
When I was doing my A-levels, aged 17-18ish, I had the privelege of being on a scholarship at a rather posh school in North London. I was, however, sentenced to the reject class... we weren't the science geeks; we weren't the jocks; we didn't hang out with the others... we rejected them, and they rejected us. Fair play, and no hard feelings.
Our classroom was located in the basement of the huge gothic school building, and was affectionately known to all and sundry as "The Crypt" (I kid you not), so that each room down there was prefixed by a C followed by a number. We were C7: a room devoid of windows (honestly) with four plasterboard walls and a plasterboard ceiling all of which seemed to hold one another in place. A curious room which held (and continues to hold,as I hear) many curious happenstances.
Anyway. The point. On the other side of the crypt was the darkroom, and, as the only remotely serious (passionate about everything, even then) photographer, I was blessed with the duplicate set of keys. Haha! The power! Fools...
Two of my best friends were in that class with me, and one of them, Dan, just sent me this. An affectionate reminder of the hours I spent in utter darkness or dim red light, with only a urea-like odour to accompany my early artistic development.
For all who have ever processed their own films manually, I share this with you...
Dear Addie,
I was reading my father's copy of 1984 and found a curious
piece of paper wedged against the cover. I suspect he used
it as a bookmark. I have reprinted it below in the hope that
you will find it as meaningful as I have:
FILM PROCESSING GUIDE
Step 1 Prepare
Load film onto reels, place loaded reels into tank, and
secure the lid light baffle and cap. This all must be done
in complete, spooky darkness.
Step 2 Prewet
Remove tank cap and pour water through the lightproof
opening. Ensure that the water temperature is between 68-75
degrees. Fill tank, agitate one (1) minute, and then discard
water.
Step 3 Developer
Use the temperature time/development chart to determine the
correct development time for your developer. Pray for
benediction.
Start your timer as soon as you pour the solution into the
tank. Shake the tank for thirty (30) seconds, then firmly
tap the tank a stable, flat surface. Rest for thirty (30)
seconds. Shake. Tap. Rest. Repeat. When development time is
complete, discard the solution like so many unwanted
children.
Step 4 Stop Bath
Fill development tank with water and shake for five (5)
seconds. At this point, the bioluminescent organisms latent
in the film's chemistry should be revived. They will hum
with the rhythm of your ancestors for ten (10) seconds. Then
dump waterrepeat two more times.
Step 5 Fix
Pour solution into tank, and agitate for the first thirty
(30) seconds, gently tap tank, and rest for one (1) minute.
I never understood my grandmother until that last October at
the lake. Alas, return solution to container.
Step 6 True Christ
Fill tank with pre-wash solution. Its smell will be pungent,
like father's on a Thursday night. Avert your eyes, wipe
away the tears for one (1) minute. Recycle this solution
back to the container.
Step 7 Photo-Flo
Remove the sacred light-blocking lid from the development
tank of broken dreams. Place under running water willed here
by extraplanar beings (68-75 degrees) for five (5) minutes,
or use the lab's automatic film washerdeposit thirty-five
(50, actually, because it tends to eat nickels and dimes)
cents.
Step 8 Annie, Pull a Little Closer
Remove film from its ancient container and channel chi for
forty (40) seconds to dispel dust spirits that may have
attached themselves to your work. Activate hidden genes and
become one with the droplets of air that will dry your
negatives. Emerge from the jungle of complete darkness. Feel
God's grace. Repeat.
Sincerely,
Mike Jorgensen
D.
x
When I was doing my A-levels, aged 17-18ish, I had the privelege of being on a scholarship at a rather posh school in North London. I was, however, sentenced to the reject class... we weren't the science geeks; we weren't the jocks; we didn't hang out with the others... we rejected them, and they rejected us. Fair play, and no hard feelings.
Our classroom was located in the basement of the huge gothic school building, and was affectionately known to all and sundry as "The Crypt" (I kid you not), so that each room down there was prefixed by a C followed by a number. We were C7: a room devoid of windows (honestly) with four plasterboard walls and a plasterboard ceiling all of which seemed to hold one another in place. A curious room which held (and continues to hold,as I hear) many curious happenstances.
Anyway. The point. On the other side of the crypt was the darkroom, and, as the only remotely serious (passionate about everything, even then) photographer, I was blessed with the duplicate set of keys. Haha! The power! Fools...
Two of my best friends were in that class with me, and one of them, Dan, just sent me this. An affectionate reminder of the hours I spent in utter darkness or dim red light, with only a urea-like odour to accompany my early artistic development.
For all who have ever processed their own films manually, I share this with you...
Dear Addie,
I was reading my father's copy of 1984 and found a curious
piece of paper wedged against the cover. I suspect he used
it as a bookmark. I have reprinted it below in the hope that
you will find it as meaningful as I have:
FILM PROCESSING GUIDE
Step 1 Prepare
Load film onto reels, place loaded reels into tank, and
secure the lid light baffle and cap. This all must be done
in complete, spooky darkness.
Step 2 Prewet
Remove tank cap and pour water through the lightproof
opening. Ensure that the water temperature is between 68-75
degrees. Fill tank, agitate one (1) minute, and then discard
water.
Step 3 Developer
Use the temperature time/development chart to determine the
correct development time for your developer. Pray for
benediction.
Start your timer as soon as you pour the solution into the
tank. Shake the tank for thirty (30) seconds, then firmly
tap the tank a stable, flat surface. Rest for thirty (30)
seconds. Shake. Tap. Rest. Repeat. When development time is
complete, discard the solution like so many unwanted
children.
Step 4 Stop Bath
Fill development tank with water and shake for five (5)
seconds. At this point, the bioluminescent organisms latent
in the film's chemistry should be revived. They will hum
with the rhythm of your ancestors for ten (10) seconds. Then
dump waterrepeat two more times.
Step 5 Fix
Pour solution into tank, and agitate for the first thirty
(30) seconds, gently tap tank, and rest for one (1) minute.
I never understood my grandmother until that last October at
the lake. Alas, return solution to container.
Step 6 True Christ
Fill tank with pre-wash solution. Its smell will be pungent,
like father's on a Thursday night. Avert your eyes, wipe
away the tears for one (1) minute. Recycle this solution
back to the container.
Step 7 Photo-Flo
Remove the sacred light-blocking lid from the development
tank of broken dreams. Place under running water willed here
by extraplanar beings (68-75 degrees) for five (5) minutes,
or use the lab's automatic film washerdeposit thirty-five
(50, actually, because it tends to eat nickels and dimes)
cents.
Step 8 Annie, Pull a Little Closer
Remove film from its ancient container and channel chi for
forty (40) seconds to dispel dust spirits that may have
attached themselves to your work. Activate hidden genes and
become one with the droplets of air that will dry your
negatives. Emerge from the jungle of complete darkness. Feel
God's grace. Repeat.
Sincerely,
Mike Jorgensen
D.
x
well we'll see how long we'll be gone first. It could be hard to go to different places if we're not there for so long.
I really wish we get to go soon.