Developing Sheet Film - Large Format Friday

[@MichaelWellman1955]

I had no idea this was going to turn into a cooking show. LOL Great analogy and great review on the importance of developing your own film

[@svenspetersen6675]

I have a bread in the oven while watching your show - it's like you've been looking over my shoulder!

[@MatMarrash]

This reminds me I gotta get my sourdough starter off life support!

[@radavies]

This is such a great video. Until now I've never really understood push / pull development properly. Thanks Mat!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks so much for the comment I'm glad it helped! :)

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights- my teacher used to always say

[@MatMarrash]

You had an excellent teacher!

[@jimwlouavl]

Wow. This is the full answer to the question I asked just the other day. Great to learn from the master. Thanks.

[@MatMarrash]

I think at this rate I'll be a pastry chef before a master! ;)

[@jimwlouavl]

@@MatMarrash You are Yoda to my Luke.

[@brineb58]

Awesome info, when i first had a photography class in the 70s in college, we were taught to keep the development constant and then adjust exposure!!!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Brian! I agree with your college's approach, good fundamentals in exposure will pay off so much more than changing development, especially when you're new to film.

[@key2adventure]

Bought some 60 year expired 4x5 sheet film in 16 piece packs. I pulled them five stops, developed half the normal time. I got rid of the fogging, that was very prominent when shot at box speed, but the results were rather flat. But as I can’t enlarge bigger than 6x7 cm, I scan these sheets and applied extra contrast in post processing, and ended up with decent results. Just goes to show that your ideas of experimenting and choosing your own settings works really well. Thanks for another great LFF video.

[@SilntObsvr]

Nice quick explanation of the part of the Zone System that's sometimes harder to get a grasp on than exposure: expansion and contraction. It's important to remember that expansion doesn't increase the film speed -- your shadows still need just as much light -- but contraction can reduce the speed (because less development reduces density across the whole negative, even if it's less in shadows than in highlights). And when I bake, I prefer bread. Doesn't get my doctor upset with my A1c levels the way scones and cookies would.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks! My bread baking was a little more in practice last year during lock-down. Hot stone pizza is another fun one, a lot like developing with HC-110 dilution A, hot and fast!

[@studiosnch]

Nice to get refreshed with how film dev'ing works, even though I know and practice it for 10 years now. And the food analogy is pretty sweet too: I often do that as well when I teach friends or my students about film photography. The baking segue was cool as well; after all, both involve chemistry (and physics), and an apron for great results. And Mat, seeing you progress with your videos here is such a refreshing take. During your early FPP days I really looked forward with your mail replies, as I definitely learned a lot from your answers.

[@rexypoooo]

I love this turns into food newtowrk, and we just vibing. Also, aren't we all wish we can stare into the developing tank like we can with our oven?

[@pastedtomato]

Large format baking!

[@Thursby7181]

The baking analogy is so wonderful. Thank you for the great information!

[@MatMarrash]

I'm glad you enjoyed the comparison, both can be wonderful processes when given time and practice.

[@alexanderdobroruka8534]

21hrs worth of info squeezed into 21min. Great video. Now I want a scone though fml

[@AnniE_1000]

wow, soooooo much informations 👍👍👍👍. your knowledge is awesome, and the way you share your knowledge with us is awesome too. keep going, perhaps one day I will understand the whole photography thingie, nobody knows. and please can you bake something for exposure? a lightcake?

[@davidottman9501]

Now I'm hungry for fresh, homemade scones but am short on add-ins... hehe Thanks for the inspiration! We hear a lot about the "exposure triangle" when using digital equipment. When we include flash, it gets expanded to the "exposure diamond." But with film it's more of a pentagram, with development as the fifth corner. It doesn't seem so complicated but there's a lot to balance. Back in the old days before digital, somehow we got by anyway. Thanks for yet another entertaining and informative video!

[@dongxu2059]

Good to see you back with a new season. I was unloading and loading sheets with the changing bag while watching the video. Aaaand suddenly we are in a baking video. Hahahaha, didn't see that coming

[@MatMarrash]

It's one thing to know the differences in process, and another thing entirely to taste them!

[@tundrusphoto4312]

Thanks for these videos. They are great!

[@bnrynlds]

Another great video Mat, good to see the quiff is making a comeback. Long may it flourish!

[@NasserAlhameli]

Love the explanation! Very simple put ❤! Very clear vid and sound! Thank you

[@chickenitsa]

EXCELLENT general tutorial on [good] exposure and developing technique . . . a particular bravo on your clear explanation -- and importance of -- the characteristic curve. And the baking metaphor is spot on (I've said it for YEARS . . . plus, I bake, too, myself .. In fact, it's curious that a lot of 'old school' photographers cook!)

[@MatMarrash]

Thank you very much Christopher! I think whatever wires get crossed that make us want to take up film photography and large format must lead to a sense of satisfaction when doing other long-form "maker" tasks. ;)

[@donr8191]

THANKS !!! Great info...presented in a very easy way to understand...especially about N+1 or what N-1 really is and how to adjust development times accordingly. Also perfectly timed info for me as I get back into large format after being away from it for so long (job, marriage, kids, house etc) retired now so lots of time to put back into it...THANKS AGAIN !!!!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment and welcome back to LF! Some of the best photographers I've ever met are retirees since they have the time to commit to their craft.

[@robertkerner4833]

I think you just summarize, quite excellently, Angel Adams’ “The Negative”. Nicely done

[@phillipP8848]

Great Mat. Another davantage is you Can componsate for a negotive that you did not shut down the aptitude, and when developing save an 8x10 that was unique. Thanks Mat.

[@MatMarrash]

Good point Phillip, pull developing to the rescue!

[@phillipP8848]

@@MatMarrash I only had to do this once, but it saved the day.

[@TacoMaverick]

Speaking of developing, would you be able to and consider doing a video breaking down the average cost of developing at home? Obviously prices will vary, but I think a general break down of cost could help those interested in developing at home and may push some into doing it.

[@MatMarrash]

Really good recommendations!

[@KirraZirra]

Fantastic video Matt. Those scones looked delicious! Lol 😋

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Mike! :)

[@andyvan5692]

hey, Mat, nice x-ray image of the tree, just need the gown & gloves!!, "there is your problem sir, a 'broken limb' ".

[@derink8523]

Kroger better sponsor this video :) Minor correction: RAW images as seen in camera or with raw editor defaults already have 1) A gamma curve 2 ) A characteristic S curve modeled on historical film photography applied to it, they are not linear. A "flat/scientific" profile would have the gamma curve without so much of the S curve. In the example, you are just boosting the S curve further.

[@explorer6]

Thanks for the info, Mat. BTW, toss some orange zest and dried cherries into you scones... trust me!

[@MatMarrash]

Great idea!!

[@oudviola]

Great video, clear explanations as always! Some examples of the same frame with normal, push and pull processing could be helpful by comparing the negatives. I'll have to try that trick of grating in frozen butter!

[@colelowery1838]

I only came for the baking lol

[@stuartbaines2843]

Scones need - butter, strawberry jam and clotted cream 😋😋 Development advice was Great 👍

[@MatMarrash]

Gonna have to try 'em UK style sometime! :)

[@NigelHaarstad]

Awesome video! It's like I'm back in grad school, but way more interesting! :D Seriously though I never understood the impact exposure had on dynamic range/how film responds differently than digital. That is some seriously helpful information. I was wondering why people would purposely over/under expose their shots 😅

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Nigel! I'm of the opinion that controlled over/under exposure is a tool more than it is a look or a style. As somebody that sees dozens of rolls of film each week with improper exposure and/or development, I take this part of the process to heart.

[@andyvan5692]

good analogy mat, but with photographic developing/printing, we are dealing with acid/bleech and heavy metal salts, as well as sometimes ugly stuff like potassium iodide, and other nasties, so GLOVES & GLASSES are essential to our safety while using these, as well as a thorough knowledge of how to dispose of it safely and what to do if we spill any, or there is a fire.

[@LaViejaConsolada]

the soul of the party. xD

[@SidneyPratt]

Thanks.

[@matt-analoguelife]

Scone like 'gone' only the posh southerners in the UK call it a Scone like 'stone'.... ;)

[@MichaelLloyd]

Like a lot of people, I need to find a few empty 8x10 boxes. Right now all I have is my holders. Lol That was a masterful cut to/from the kitchen! Well done. But just a little cruel not mailing all of us one lol

[@MatMarrash]

Let me know how many boxes you need, happy to ship a few your way!

[@MichaelLloyd]

@@MatMarrash Hey Mat, that would be great!! At least two (I don't want to be hog about it). One for color, one for B&W.

[@customerbf]

My big question is where do you find all the analog photo themed shirts?

[@MatMarrash]

Besides socks, they're the only things I ask for as gifts. A few years back, Kodak was selling these shirts direct and on Amazon.

[@jackyleecs]

Thank you for your informative video. At 9:30, you mentioned N+ push processing and N- pull processing. Am I correct to say they are not exactly the same as the push/pull processing that we commonly say? Do we keep the chemical concentration the same when doing N+ and N- processing?

[@MatMarrash]

Hey Jacky any expansion/contraction of development, whether it be by time, temperature, or dilution is considered a Push/Pull. Most commonly when referring to it with commercial processing, the easiest factor to consistently control is time. I don't recommend varying temp and dilution without proper testing.

[@JanKratochvilcom]

As a not a native English speaker I did not understand if pushing (extending of development time) would decrease the contrast or vice versa. Thank you for your great content.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for pointing this out Jan! Exposure sets a limit of how much density can be developed onto the film, while development time controls the contrast of that density. In that case, Pushing = More Contrast, Pulling = Less Contrast.

[@JanKratochvilcom]

​@@MatMarrash Thank you so much. You make one of the best stuff about LF on YT I have seen until now. Such an effort. I admire you. Greetings from Czechia, Europe.

[@MatMarrash]

@@JanKratochvilcom Thank you so much for the compliment, I'm really enjoying your TikTok's btw!

[@JanKratochvilcom]

@@MatMarrash thank you so much it empowers me to post more!