How to Develop SLR Camera Photos at Home

Developing your SLR prints yourself allows for complete control.

An SLR is a single lens reflex camera. SLR cameras allow users to manipulate their photographs more than simple point and shoot cameras. With all the artistic potential provided by the SLR camera, many photographers choose to develop their own film as well. By developing your own SLR pictures at home, you can completely control the artistic elements of your photographs.

Things You'll Need

• Enlarger specific to your darkroom
• Developing chemicals specific to your darkroom
• Thermometers
• Processing trays
• Developing tubs
• Tongs
• Bottle opener
• Disposal containers

Instructions

Black-and-White Darkroom

1. Make the room light tight. Windowless bathrooms make the best rooms to create your black-and-white darkroom. Turn out the lights and wait for your eyes to adjust. Check to make sure there is no light coming in the room. A bathroom is good because running water is necessary.

2. Use only darkroom-safe lights. These are red in color and do not hurt photographic paper. They are not light-safe for film, however.

3. Mix developer and fixer chemicals according to the directions on the packaging. Different chemicals and different brands have different temperature requirements. Be sure to label your chemical containers.

4. If possible, set all the wet materials on one side of the room and the enlarger and other dry materials on a dry side of the room.

Black-and-White Film Developing

1. Turn out all the lights. Film is extremely light sensitive and any light will ruin your film.

2. Load the film in the reel. Using a bottle opener, take one end of the film canister and remove the metal end. Pull out the film. Insert one end of the film into the reel and wind the film around the reel. Insert the film into the light-safe canister. Put on both lids. Once the film is in the light-proof reel, you may turn on the safe light.

3. Pour the developer, over the sink, into the canister until it is full and allow the developer to remain in the canister for 3 minutes 15 seconds. Agitate every 30 seconds for 10 seconds.

4. Pour out the developer. You should have a container used for disposal of chemicals as many cities have laws about what you are allowed to pour down the sink. When the disposal container is full, check with your local refuse department about proper disposal. A separate container for each chemical is important to prevent bad chemical reactions.

5. Pour the acid stop bath in the canister. Agitate every 30 seconds for 5 seconds. After 2 minutes and 30 seconds you will remove the outer lid and pour out all the chemicals into a disposal container.

6. Pour in the fixer. Agitate every 30 seconds for 10 seconds. After 3 minutes and 30 seconds pour out the fixer into the disposal container.

7. Remove the inner lid and allow the film to be washed under running water for about 5 minutes.

8. Remove the film from the tank and hang dry.

Developing Black-and-White Prints

1. Place the negative in the enlarger. you can cut the film strip into individual negatives.

2. Turn on the enlarger light to focus your image and then make a test strip. Cut a strip of photo paper. Placing the photo paper on the enlarger, cover all but a small section with card stock. Set the timer to 3 seconds and expose the paper. Move the cardstock. Set the time to 3 seconds. Move the card stock. And repeat the process. When finished you should have exposure times of 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 seconds.

3. Process the test strip. Place the paper in the developer for 2 minutes. Place in a stop bath for 30 seconds. Place in the fixer for 2 minutes. Select the exposure time that looks the best.

4. Expose photo paper according to the best exposure time.

5. Process the paper then place in a water bath for 5 minutes.

6. Hang dry.

Color Darkroom

1. Install a heated recirculation pump designed for photographic darkrooms. This will allow you to regulate the temperature at 100 degrees. The temperature is key in ensuring proper color of your photographs.

2. Mix all your chemicals according to packaging and place the developing tank in a water bath in your sink.

3. Acquire a tabletop rotary drum paper processor. This is only needed in a color darkroom.

Developing Color Film

1. Place sinkline tanks in order of use. You need to put them in this order: Developer, bleach, wash, fix, wash, and stabilizer. Bring your water bath to 100 degrees.

2. Turn out all the lights. You may not even use the safe light at this point, as film is very sensitive.

3. Load the film in the reel. Using a bottle opener, take one end of the film canister and remove the metal end. Pull out the film. Insert one end of the film into the reel and wind the film around the reel. Insert the film into the light safe canister. Put on both lids. Once the film is in the light-proof reel, you may turn on the safe light.

4. Set the film in the developer tank for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. You need to agitate it every 30 seconds for 5 seconds to ensure proper and even development.

5. Remove the film from the developer and place it in the bleach tank for 6 minutes and 30 second. Agitate it every 30 seconds for 5 seconds.

6. Remove from the bleach and place the film in the first wash tank for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Continuously agitate during the wash.

7. Remove film from the wash and place in the fixer for 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Agitate every 30 seconds for 5 seconds.

8. Remove from the fixer and place in the second wash tank for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Agitate continuously during the wash.

9. Remove from the wash and place film in the stabilizer for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Agitate every 30 seconds for 5 seconds.

10. Dry the film for as long as needed at 75 to 110 degrees.

Developing Color Prints

1. Place film in a negative carrier. Place it in an enlarger.

2. Make a test strip. Cut a strip of photo paper. Placing the photo paper on the enlarger, cover all but a small section with card stock. Set the timer to 3 seconds and expose the paper. Move the cardstock. Set the time to 3 seconds. Move the card stock. And repeat the process. When finished you should have exposure times of 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 seconds.

3. Process the test strip with the rotary drum paper processor.

4. Select the exposure time that is the truest and most accurate.

5. Expose paper and process it.

References

• Photo.net: Color Darkroom
• Photo.net: Black and White Darkroom
• Darkroom Source: Basic Darkroom Techniques