TECHNIQUE Pt. 1

By Bert Sanders

Defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as, (tek-nêk) n. skill acquired by thorough mastery of a subject, method of handling materials
of an art. I feel a word not used nearly often enough, or practiced enough in the home processing of colour reversal materials.

0Chemistry is a very exacting science and technique is no doubt the downfall of the home processor, who cannot understand why his
processing doesn\rquote t produce the end results expected. Talk to any laboratory technician or research scientist, yes even your local
chemist and they will emphasize in no uncertain terms the need to develops a sound technique in any chemical process.

essential for perfect and consistent results. What does it mean, one might say. Well, slip shod methods and a 'that will do' attitude just
wont work when you are dealing with chemical formulae or the mechanics of processing. An expert knowledge of chemicals and chemical
process is not necessary to obtain satisfactory and consistent results in the home processing of colour reversal film. All one needs to do
is to obey a few simple rules, stick rigidly to them and you are assured of success. Perhaps if I describe the technique that I practice it may
go some way towards helping those who encounter problems like fogging, finger marks, water marks, colour casts and many other
problems that arise to cause great disappointment with the finished slide.

First of all let us deal with the handling of the film stock. Either you purchase your film In bulk or in cassettes, problems can start
accumulating from the moment you receive It. Don\rquote t leave It lying around; especially on the parcel shelf of your car or any-where
fumes of any sort can come into contact with it. Place it in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid, a freezer food container is ideal, and
pop it into the refrigerator when you get it home. If you are not going to use the film for any length of time place it in your deep freeze in
an airtight container and it will keep factory fresh for years. Make sure that each cassette is contained in its plastic container with the lid
snapped firmly on so that moisture is kept out of the cassette and make sure that you allow the film to return to normal ambient
temperature with a minimum of six hours from the domestic refrigerator and twelve hours from the deep freeze. If you need film in a hurry
place the cassette in your trousers pocket and let your body heat speed up the process.

In dealing with bulk film I find that the best method is to load it all into cassettes as soon as possible when you get it home. Now a word
about the loading of bulk film into cassettes and the pitfalls involved. As the home processing of colour reversal film does not Involve the
use of an extensive darkroom we wont go into the scrupulous cleanliness that should be practiced there-in. All one needs for transferring
film from bulk to cassette and cassette to developing tank is a light tight wardrobe, a cupboard under the stairs or a changing bag. I have
tried the first two and found that the changing bag, with a little practice, suits me the best. If you decide to use a cupboard under the stairs
or a wardrobe go through them meticulously with the vaccum cleaner and remove to a safe distance any creosote, mothballs or any other
product that will give off fumes. Black your mini darkroom out with great care then lock yourself in for at least ten minutes and sit with
your eyes closed. When you open your eyes, if you can see the faintest shadow of movement when you move your hands in front of your
face start searching for the pinhole and block it up. Look especially around your feet. Having made your cupboard light tight provide
yourself with a working surface, keep it as small as is comfortable to work on with upright back and sides that \softpage will prevent
cassette ends spools etc from being pushed to the floor. If you use a bulk loader your problems are reduced considerably; if not press
some high dome drawing or map pins into the edge of your worktop to give twelve, twenty-four and thirty- six frame lengths of film.

Keep the handling area for your film spotlessly clean and wear thin cotton gloves. These are essential. If you are prone to sweaty palms
or if you use a changing bag; and wash them regularly. Handle the film by its edges whenever possible, salt sweaty\par \par Fingerprints
are impossible to remove. Don\rquote t leave empty cassettes lying about, keep all your loading equipment in dust-proof containers and
observe spotless cleanliness. The last point, don\rquote t use fluorescent light in your dark room as the afterglow when you switch off
can fog your film. Use the smallest wattage bulb that you feel comfortable with. Your technique in attention to detail in the foregoing
operations will assure you that the film goes into your camera in perfect condition.

Having perfected a sound technique for loading your film, camera care and the exposure of the film, we now come to the processing of the
film. Here one must work out a plan of action taking into account things like where, when, what time and whether you will have the place
to yourself. Complete attention to the job in hand and meticulous attention to detail will ensure success every time. Processing kits are
developed under laboratory conditions and you must do your level best to simulate the same conditions at the kitchen sink. Clear
everything away theta not needed, including the dinner dishes, and give your-self plenty of room to work. Tape some plastic sheet on
the worktops and arrange your equipment out so that it comes easily to hand, as you need it. Place your containers of chemicals in the
order that you will use them and after use a place they can be put aside well out of the way.

Copy out the sequence of processing operations in bold letters on a large piece of white card and prop it up where it can be easily seen
and wont get knocked over. The best place I find is alongside the timer if you can manage it, in other words establish a routine of
identical repetition. Establish a method of maintaining the correct temperature of the working solutions at all stages of the, process and
stick to it.

After deciding on a sequence and method of operations write it all down in a large notebook so that it is spread out and easy to refer to.
Follow exactly the instructions enclosed with the kit, if you are using, kits - making up your own kit from tried and tested formulae is
another story - stick rigidly to that method and sequence. Don\rquote t whatever you do fall into the trap of "Oh I'll give it a little bit
extra just in case".

It is worth rehearsing the method and sequence you have decided upon. Memories can play tricks when you only process perhaps two
or three times a year. Keep detailed notes of all the full operation each time you process film including the end results with your
observations. If you should encounter any problems with your end results consult the manufacturers 'Trouble shooting' list and you
will discover exactly where you went wrong.

In conclusion I would advise any beginner to use a popular commercial kit. Perfect your technique with that kit, so that you obtain
satisfactory results every time. Observe scrupulous cleanliness; one drop of one solution contaminating another can ruin the whole tank
full of film. Make sure that your jugs, beakers etc are really thoroughly washed in clean water between each operation. If you dip a
thermometer or a stirring rod into any solution make sure you wash it thoroughly before you put it down well away from the working area
of operations. Beware of leaking developing tanks; usually the result of pressing on the watertight lid and creating a pressure inside the
tank. Some tanks have small pressure relief valves, but the Paterson System 4 are prone to a pressure build up if you are not careful in
replacing the watertight cap. When replacing the cap of this type of tank press down on the center of the cap with your thumb, lifting your
thumb after the cap has been firmly pressed on relieves the pressure. Leaking tanks can cause very bad cross contamination problems. I
would also advise the use of surgical gloves at all stages of the process. They are waterproof, chemical proof and allow a high degree of
dexterity than any other glove I have used.

More next time ...