I have always wanted to learn how to develop my own film. A couple of weeks ago I was able to go to a local darkroom and learn! It turned out not to be nearly as involved as I had feared. The most challenging part was properly loading my film onto the reel in complete darkness. Everything after that was a simple matter of following the step by step instructions for developing, fixing, and rinsing. Then as if by magic, images appeared on my film! I did a little dance when I saw them for the first time!
I am definitely going to do this again. It’s faster than sending my film out to my favorite lab in CT to be processed, and I get a strong sense of pride.
The next step is learning how to develop my negatives in the darkroom. Soon come!
is it not the most wonderful feeling of controlled creativity yet? Congrats on your entrance to a wonderful world.
I absolutely agree with you! Yes, I can pay someone else to process and develop my film, but I was enthralled with the idea that I did it all, from shooting to processing. I’m looking forward to learning how to develop in the darkroom next.