IMAGEWORKS

[RPalmenberg]

Having just returned from an, albeit too short, vacation, I thought it useful to share experiences with the large format camera. Our trip was wonderful – too short, but wonderful. I now have a real appreciation for the term ‘French Country’.

Processing film locally was part of the plan from the get-go. That being said, I dutifully packed two 1-gallon foil packs of dry powdered D-76 developer and Kodak fixer together with four 8x10 trays, black plastic sheeting, gaffer’s tape, twine, film hangers, and a little bit of Photo-Flo with my clothes into the single checked bag. Copies of the developer and fixer Material Safety Data Sheets were downloaded from the Kodak website and placed in the baggage with the chemicals. Equipment in the checked baggage was a changing bag, carbon-fiber tripod, six empty film holders, light meter, focusing aid, dark cloth, and other small items (timers, thermometer). A complete inventory of the baggage contents and a copy of my passport were placed on top, inside. Yes, there was plenty of room for clothes….

My carry-on bag contained a 35mm camera with one lens, a small DV camcorder, a 100-sheet unopened box of T-max 100 sheet film, two empty film holders, several rolls of 35mm film, some spare clothes, and writing material. I also carried a backpack containing the 5x7 view camera and two lenses (300mm and 170mm).

The hand-carried bag and backpack went through two security check points each way. No, the scanner operators didn’t want to listen to my request for hand checking the film. The checked bag was checked – there was a printed card inside, left by our friends and protectors, the TSA… There were no baggage transportation, delivery problems, or delays.

This ‘kit’ is more than adequate for shooting and processing in any place that can be sealed light-tight – like a bathroom. Chemistry was made up in empty water bottles (5-liter size). Locally purchased white vinegar was used as the stop bath (diluted 10:1 with tap water).

A bathroom at our rented house was sealed with the black sheeting – it worked great…. Trays were placed on the countertop and on a small rack beneath it. Tray processing produced clean, dense negatives and allowed ‘fine tuning’ of my locations, shots, and exposures. Four sheets per batch were processed. A drying line was hung in our bedroom; the film clips were a big help. Dried negatives went into protector sleeves.

My only problem was the small kitchen timers (cheap ones from Wal-Mart) – I wanted them to have a nice, glowing dial to tell me how much time was left…. Well, another problem was, of course, time spent in the darkroom meant less time with our friends and family and enjoying more of the terrific local wines. Next time – I’m up for alternative processing with the negs….

Could I have simply carried the 100-ASA film both ways? Yes, of course. Doing so meant not really knowing the logistics of local processing and I was able to reduce paranoia-induced problems (X-rays, snoopy baggage checkers). I now can consider other in-country opportunities. Oh, I was unsuccessful in seeking local Kodak photochemical suppliers….

[Mike Hoogendyk]

Cool article, Roger. Especially with all the details about string, hangers, 5-liter bottles, etc., etc. Thanks!
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Mike Hoogendyk

[Marilyn Ticknor]