Print Developing Tools (wet side)

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This page last modified 18 Aug., 2004

from: Stumbling around in the Dark(room)

by Glenn Stewart

Last month I wrote about dry-side equipment for making prints from film. It occurs to me that I should have mentioned one additional piece of hardware. In the column on equipment for developing film I mentioned and showed photos of darkroom timers. While you can make acceptable prints without a timer, making really good ones, and making identical copies of them is nearly impossible without a good timer. After doing without one for many years, I was amazed to find the subtle differences in the shades of gray in a black and white photo that are caused by even a few tenths of a second difference in the length of exposure during enlargement. Ansel Adams, considered by many to be the guru of b&w photography, used a metronome to time his exposures. I suspect this was due to a lack of good electronic timers during the better part of his most creative period. And if you consider photography an art, you can live with the fact that not even the best artists can make exact duplicates of their work. And for most of us, that's OK. However, one thing I'm going to begin stressing in this column is consistent processes and work habits. As Intel employees, we can all relate to "stable and capable" as it applies to factory processes. The same can be said for good darkroom procedure. The more consistently you can do your work, the better your results will be, and, believe it or not, the easier your work will be. In this vein, a darkroom timer that can control your enlarger exposures is a must. In the early days of photography the photographers used to control their camera exposures by removing and replacing the lens cap. The thought of modern a camera without a timed shutter is laughable. The thought of using an enlarger without a timer should be considered in the same manner. It's almost as funny as some of the first prints I ever made…

Now for the wet side stuff.

Let's assume that you've completed exposing the print paper. You remove the print paper from the easel and turn to the wet side of the darkroom. You must now process the print through a series of chemicals in order to make the image visible. For black and white, the chemicals are: developer, stop bath and fixer, just like for film. If you use fiber based paper you may also want to use what is called a wash aid. The wash aid is a chemical that is used to help remove fixer from the paper. After processing the print through these chemicals it will be necessary to thoroughly wash it to remove all remaining chemicals, including the wash aid, if used, from the paper.

Traditionally, print processing is done in trays, or as the British say, "Dishes". A print processing tray is an open top container about 2 to 3 inches deep and slightly larger in size than the print being processed. You will need one tray for each chemical. The trays should be laid out beside your sink in the order in which they will be used. It is very important to develop (no pun intended) a consistent routine for your development process. Whether you work from right to left or left to right is no concern of mine, but whichever you pick, be consistent about it and always work in the same direction. This will keep you from inadvertently starting by putting your print in the fixer, which is an instant "game over".

When I work in a confined area that I'm using as a temporary darkroom where I don't have enough room to lay out trays, I develop my prints in a drum processor. When I have exposed the paper it is placed into the dry drum in the dark, the light-tight lid is placed on the drum and then the light may be turned on. I take the drum to the temporary wet side of the darkroom and pour the chemicals in through the light trap of the drum lid. I can then either roll the drum back and forth across the counter top or place it on what is called a motor base. The motor base rolls the drum for me, generally making my life a bit easier and less boring. When the time is up for each chemical in the process I can pour the used chemical out through the bottom end of the drum and pour the next chemical in through the top of the drum. When I have finished with the chemicals I can pour water into the drum and wash the print while it remains inside the drum.

Drum processing is commonly associated with color prints, but can be used with black and white as well. Color processing must be done in total darkness, whereas black and white can be done under a safelight. It is difficult to work with trays in total darkness. The biggest drawback to using the drum is that it must be thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly, washed and dried between prints. Not doing so will invariably result in stains on the next print.

Shown at the left are several different sizes of print processing trays. The cell phone is for size comparison. Trays generally come in sizes from 5 x 7 to 30 x 40. They can be had in either plastic or stainless steel (if you have a deep wallet). 5 x 7 plastic trays can cost as little as $2.  30 x 40 stainless steel trays go for about $350. Each. No sense getting extravagant. The plastic trays will do just as well stainless, and if you use white plastic trays you can easily see any chemical residue that builds up on the trays which makes it easier to keep them clean. Remember, cleanliness and the darkroom it is not a nicety, it's an absolute necessity. It's a good idea if, before you use the trays for the first time, you mark them with an indelible marker to let you know which chemical has been used in which tray. This helps prevent cross contamination in case you don't get the trays completely clean after each session.

 When using trays, enough chemical is put into each tray to cover several prints. The depth should be about three-quarters of an inch. The exact volume will vary with the size of the tray. The print is quickly immersed in the chemical, face down. I am not sensitive to the chemicals used in the photographic process, so I usually use my bare hands. Many people are sensitive, especially to the developer, and these folks should use something to keep them from touching the chemicals. Many people use tongs to handle the prints. These, especially the ones made from bamboo, are hard to keep clean to prevent cross contamination. Handling the print with a rigid tool like print tongs can scratch the print surface. Some people use rubber gloves to guard them against chemical contact. Surgical gloves can be bought at any drugstore and are thin enough to allow you to feel what you're doing in the tray. Simply rinsing your gloved hands under the faucet between prints will prevent cross contamination.

The photo at the left shows my three print processing drums. The small drum is for 8 x 10 prints, the medium sized one is for 11 x 14 and the large one is for 16 x 20. It's kind of a balancing act to get the 16 x 20 drum to stay on the Besseler motor base. It wasn't designed for a drum that large, but it does work. I just have to be careful so that it doesn't fall off. The two smaller drums can be used with only 100 ml (about 4 oz) of chemicals. That's enough juice to cover the bottom of the drum as it rotates. The 16 x 20 drum requires 8 oz to cover the bottom of the drum. When I discuss print processing in the drum in a later column I'll explain how to use replenishment to save money on chemicals. I'll also show you a handy technique for leveling the drum. If the drum is not level the prints will be unevenly processed.

This photo shows my Besseler motor base with the 8 x 10 drum.

Many photographers used a device called a print washer after they have processed their prints. These do a good job of removing fixer or washing aid, but they use a lot of water and are quite slow. A similar effect can be had by using a Rubbermaid storage tub and a length of plastic tubing as a siphon. The tub should be at least a foot deep to allow several prints to float around in the water and to help keep them from sticking together. Being the barbarian that I am, I usually don't use the more "artsy" fiber based papers. The plastic coated papers are far easier to wash and require a lot less water. They also do not require a wash aid. In the beginning it's probably a lot easier for most people to start by using plastic coated papers. They are less expensive, they dry flat and they're easy to wash. When you have mastered print making on plastic you will be more prepared to tackle the added craftsmanship required for working with fiber based papers. Washing plastic coated prints is as easy as holding them under the faucet for a minute or two on each side. The plastic coating keeps the chemicals from soaking into the fibers of the paper, so you're really only washing the chemicals off, not out of the print. Washing the fixer out of the emulsion side of the print only takes about two minutes.

When you've completed washing your print you'll need to remove the excess water from it so it can dry. A print squeegee works well for this. Prints are not as susceptible to scratching as film, so gentle use of a clean rubber squeegee is not likely to damage the print. In the past I have used sponges to dry the surface of prints, but they don't do as good a job as a squeegee. Once the excess water is removed from the print I use a hand-held hair dryer to speed the drying process. Keep the hair dryer moving so that it does not overheat the print. When the emulsion side of the print is dry I allow the hair dryer air flow to run underneath the print so the back side of the paper gets dry as well. I read in one of Ansel Adams books that he used a microwave oven to quickly dry test prints so they could be evaluated. Don't try this with plastic coated papers. The emulsion usually bubbles up off the paper and ruins the print. The hair dryer is just as fast and whole lot more safe to your print.

Well, there you have it. Timers, trays, tongs, rubber gloves, drums, motor bases, print washers and hair dryers. I don't think I forgot anything important. If I did, I'll mention it when I start talking about the actual processing of film and paper. I think I've pretty well fleshed out the equipment required for a complete basic darkroom. Next month we'll get down to the nuts and bolts of film development.

Remember, questions will be answered if you'll send them to me.

Best regards,

Stew

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