How to Develop Black & White Film

If you are an avid photographer, you might be interested in learning how to develop your own film.  Along with traditional colored film, it is possible to develop your own black and white film, as well.  Developing your own black and white film will give you greater control over your images and your final photos.

1. Prepare for developing.  You will need access to a darkroom in order to develop your film.  Gather your supplies, including your film, scissors, bottle opener, developing tank and reels.  Organize your materials and then turn off the darkroom light. 


2. Attach the film to the developing reel.  Remove the film from the canister by opening it at one end using the bottle opener.  Slide the film out of the container and cut the tab off of the end so that you create a straight edge.  Insert the flat edge into the clip of the developing reel and thread the film between the metal's spirals on the top and bottom of the reel.  Pull the end of the film off of the spool and remove the tape that was used to hold it in place.  You have now loaded the film to your developing reel.


3. Place the reel into the developing tank.  Drop the loaded wheel into the developing tank and place the lid on the tank.  Turn the darkroom light back on and remove the top lid from the developing tank.


4. Mix your developing chemicals.  The exact instructions for mixing the chemicals varies based on the type of developer you are using.  Follow the instructions on your chemicals very carefully to ensure that you are mixing them properly.  Pour the appropriate amount of developer into the developing tank.  Tap the tank against the tabletop to remove any bubbles that may have formed.


5. Agitate the developing tank.  Slowly invert the tank and turn it back over to its upright position for 15 seconds.  Repeat this move every 30 seconds for 5 to 8 minutes.  The exact timeframe will depend on the types of chemicals you have chosen to use, so refer to your directions once more.


6. Agitate the stop bath.  Remove the developer from the tank by pouring it back into its storage bottle.  Add the stop bath to the tank, agitate the tank, and then let the tank stand for one minute.


7. Agitate the fixer.  Remove the stop bath from the tank by pouring it back into its storage bottle.  Add the fixer and agitate it for 15 seconds.  Agitate the tank for 15 seconds every minute for the manufacturer's recommended length of time.


8. Rinse the tank.  Remove the fixer by pouring it back into it's bottle.  Add water to the developing tank and allow it to run for 15 minutes.  If desired, add a wetting agent to the water in order to speed up the film's drying time.


9. Remove and hang the film.  After the 15 minutes are up, remove the film from the developing tank.  Pull the film off of the developing reel and hang it up to dry.  Ensure that the film is hung in a dry area that is free of dust.  Otherwise, you risk contaminating your film.