What I've learned over the semester by Mark Glaser

Camera Usage
Photographic cameras deal with a few different mechanics

• Image Capture - traditional film cameras capture light onto photographic film. The film is light sensitive, therefore when it is exposed to light an image is burned into the film with the light coming into the camera.
• Lens - The lens of a camera capture the light from the subject and brings it to a focus on the film. Camera lenses are made in various focal lengths. They range from extreme wide angle, wide angle, standard, medium telephoto, and telephoto among others. 
• Focus - Only objects within a limited range of distances from the camera will be reproduced clearly. The process of adjusting this range is called focus. 
• Exposure control - the size of the diaphragm or aperture and the brightness of the scene controls the amount of light that enters the camera. You can change the diaphragms opening with f numbers. On typical cameras f numbers include, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, and 32.
• Shutter - the shutter controls the length of time that the light hits the recording surface. Normals shutter speeds include (1/shutter speed number) 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000. Some cameras have an extended range.

For the perfect picture you need to combine the right aperture setting with shutter speed. The longer the shutter stays open, the more light enters into the camera (vice versa). The lower the shutter speed, the more light.

1.4 is the largest diaphragm opening on cameras. This allows the most light to enter the camera. The higher you go in f numbers the less light enters into the camera. 

Depth of field is the portion of the scene that appears sharp in the image. The depth of field is determined by the camera to subject distance, the lens focal length, and the aperture. An open diaphragm produces a smaller depth of field. A smaller diaphragm opening produces a larger depth of field.

ISO is the sensitivity of the film. Ranges from 50-6400. Low ISO = low sensitivity (vice versa). A low ISO film speed will produce a very fine grain however. A low ISO should be used in a very dark scene. A high sensitivity will need more light, a low sensitivity will need less light. High ISO film speed will produce a large grain. 400 ISO is good for inside and outside, it produces a good quality grain.

Kelvin relates to color temperature for photography. Indoor light (incandescent bulbs) is 3,200 degrees kelvin. Daylight like the sun is 5,600 degrees kelvin.

The light meter will measure how much light comes into the camera which helps you figure out the right aperture and shutter speed.

How to Develop Film

Preparing roll for developing

• When you finish your roll, look at your dial.
• Turn the dial counterclockwise until you hear a click. 
• Pull the dial up, doing that will open the back of the camera. 
• Take the roll out of the camera. 
• Extract the film with the extractor so you have a small tongue. 

Putting negative into the developer tank in dark room

For those of you who didn't go into the dark room last class to put our negatives into the developer tank, this is what we did.

1. Before turning the light off have all of your items ready so you know where everything is (developer tank, scissors, spiral, roll of film)
2. Turn the lights off, make sure the doors are secured, and no light gets in.
3. Insert negative into spiral, make sure the tabs of the spiral that hold the negative are parallel.
4. Pull out some of the negative
5. Start turning the spiral slowly, make sure you don't force it.
6. Once the film canister is up against the spiral, pull out more of the negative.
7. Turn the spiral once again slowly, and smoothly.
8. Once all the negative is on the spiral, cut the end of the negative off of the film canister, and wind rest of negative onto the spiral.
9. Put the spiral onto the rod that holds it steady in the developing tank.
10. Place into the developing tank.
11. Put cap on and turn to make sure it clicks.
12. Once the cap is on the tank securely allowing no light to enter into it, you can turn the lights back on.

After these steps you are ready to insert the chemicals.
 Preparing chemicals for developing

• When you insert the film in the tank you need to prepare the chemicals
• Prepare water at 20 degrees, MUST BE 20 DEGREES!!!!
• Prepare the chemicals with the water using Ilfosol 3 (developer), 1 part of Ilfosol 3, with 9 parts of water at 20 degrees, for 500 of water, 55 of developer.
• Prepare the fixer 1 part of fixer to 4 parts of water, for 440 of water, 110 of fixer
• If you develop Ilford HP5 at 400 ISO, 6 1/2 minutes of developer
• If you develop KODAK TMAX at 400 ISO, 6 minutes of developer
• When you insert developer into tank you need 10 to 20 seconds at beginning of agitation, then one turn every 30 seconds, till the end of your developing time.
• Remove the developer and insert the stop, water, for 30 seconds to 1 minute continuous agitation
• Then insert the fixer AT 20 DEGREES, for 3 minutes, after you put in the fixer continuous agitation for 30 minutes then stop for 15 seconds, agitate for 15 seconds, stop for 15 seconds etc. until the 3 minutes is up.
• After 3 minutes pour out the fixer
• Put it under running water for 20 minutes continuously.
• Extract film, hang to dry

The Enlarger and developing prints

The Enlarger is that machine in the dark room you must use in order to create test strips, contact sheets and prints. With the knob at back you can raise and lower the enlarger. This allows you to decide the dimensions of the borders of your print. With the knob on the enlarger, you are able to focus the negative projection. You must insert a filter into the top shelf of the enlarger. Use a number 2 filter, as it is flexible for starting you test strips and contact sheets. Insert the negative into the lower shelf, paying attention to make sure that the numbers on the negative are not upside down, and especially important, that the negative is not reversed, meaning glossy side needs to be up. Then focus the negative with the enlarger. Once it seems in focus, use the focometer to make sure the grain is in focus. At right on the table you will find the timer. It has a switch with three settings. The top switch provides continuous light, the middle setting is stand by, and switching down is off.

When you are ready to set the timer for your test strip, make sure the red filter is screening the enlarger light. This way you can place the photo paper beneath the lens without burning it to focus. Set the timer while the switch is at standby, and remove the red filter to allow light to expose the paper. Make sure all extra photo paper is already put away so as to not expose it to the light. Press the  orange button for the timed light exposure to occur. In order to choose a time setting, guess at first, the more printing you do, the easier it will become to have an idea of exposure length.

Once the light switches off, place the paper in the developer for a maximum of 3min. Then in the water for about 30sec. Then in the Fixer for a minute or two. Then move it too the water. Leave it for a few minutes, then press it against the cabinet so it stick, and at an angle so the water runs free of it leaving it dry.

-MARK GLASER