LATEST PROCESSING (Using Jessop's Photochem VE6)

By Bill Reid (Area 20)

I don't know about you but personally this has been a very slow year for photography! It was into August before I had enough film exposed to do any processing and most of the film had been exposed a full year. Even my processing kit was purchased back in April this year and three parts close to its sell-by date. Says much for my shift work commitments!

Whatever I finally got around to setting up my Jobo Processing unit and measuring out the 300ml bottles of VE6 kit developers. The first films were processed at normal times but I found the shadows to be a bit on the 'green' side so for the next two sessions I gave 15-20 seconds over and above the described times in the 1st Developer and the difference was quite noticeable. There is no doubt that over six months from making the exposures does affect the results. However it is nice to know that by allowing a little more time in the 1st Developer can correct things to an acceptable level. It isn't normally necessary to extend the times in the Colour Developer or Bleach/Fix. Extra time in the Col. Dev. would have to be done at the time but in the case of the Bleach/Fix you can simply return the film(s) to this bath and inspect the film until you are satisfied the film has fully bleached and fixed.

The VE6 kit is an excellent brew and very reliable. It is a good touch too that it also includes a Stabiliser bath. For those who don't W&M their own chemicals its nice to know that you you can Stabilise your films to archive levels.

Of the films! Well, I had actually forgotten about some of the exposures and had some nice surprises. A few from the tail end of last years annual leave, a complete set from a days outing to North Wales, a visit to the Centenary celebrations at Marylebone Station, last September and a few taken while attending the Photo Action Exhibition at Birmingham last October. It is nice to have these all processed and I now have some fresh transparencies to help fill the forthcoming Club Slide Folio. Hopefully this years' exposures won't have to wait so long before processing.