Urban Motion

Try as I might I still find developing B&W film a real chore. Here’s a breakdown of tonights activity….

Search frantically for the box that the ID11 that I bought came in with the vain hope it will have the directions on for developing HP5+ pushed to 800.

Give up in near despair and hit ilfords website, only to realise that ilford has been split into umpteen companies.

Identify the correct site, and after a few clicks successfully locate the ID11 datasheet. Groan when I see that ID11 is a stock solution and that I have no storage container for re-use.

Wonder where I put my ’special’ film scissors - I like to have tools that get used for one purpose only! Find them in my lighting bag??

Fumble with 2 rolls in the darkbag for 10 minutes, nearly ripping them out through the hand holes in rage but eventually besting them.

Mix up the dev at 40 degress C, when topped up this leaves me with 1 litre at 35C - stand dev jug in a sink of cold water and wait 10 minutes for it to cool whilst mixing up enough fixer that ends up at 15C. Desperately wish that I picked up a JOBO drum minilab off ebay.

Stand fixer in a differnt sink of warm water - finally have 2 solutions at ~25C 15 minutes after starting to mix.

Spend another few minutes rumaging for bulldog clips.

Wind my watch because I can’t find a timer and my watch is deciding to play silly buggers.

Get the dev in - 10m 30s - inversions every minute + taps.

Nash my teeth in boredom.

Make a cup of tea for Lisa and myself.

Drink tea and nearly get dev all over the cup lip. Casualty trip averted.

Dev out - down the plug since I have no storage tank. Yeah I know this is naughty, but it’s a one off.

Water stop in, swill, out.

Fix in, invert.

Wait a couple of minutes + inversion.

Fix out.

Attach hose to tap, rinse for 10 mins. Spend 5 of those minutes attempting to get the hose to stay in place by itself and then give in.

Pour too much rise aid in - wash for another 2 mins.

Swill out, remove 2 films, drop one, hang from clips attached to coat hanger from kitchen light fitting.

Get told off for using Lisa’s hairdryer to speed things along.

Finally get done but leave the films to dry for a while longer before cutting.

And this is supposed to be fun?