how to develop film at home without chemicals

In 1975, Steven Sasson invented the world's first digital camera, opening up a world of potential and technological convenience for photographers. Though analog photography—photography that uses a progressively changing recording medium that is either chemical process based or electronic—took a backseat with the rise of the Digital Age, a renewed interest in the vintage process has since emerged. From documentary photography to fine art, the process of developing film in darkrooms is a seminal part of the photographic experience.

The resurgent popularity of analog is evidenced by popular photography brands such as Kodak reintroducing classic stocks like their Ektachrome film, a spike in accessible resources for processing and a renewed interest among collectors. Though it can be difficult to locate darkrooms to use, the process of developing film can be easily mastered in any dark space. Below, we explain how to develop film and how its technology can be used to capture fascinating images.

The Origins of Photography

The forerunner of the camera can be traced back to an optical device used by the Chinese and ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago known today as thecamera obscura. A camera obscura was a dark chamber or room with a tiny hole in the wall to admit light, where images of objects outside the room were projected on the opposite wall from the passing rays. Later in the future, a lens was utilized in place of the hole to produce brighter, clearer images.

The first portable camera was introduced in 1685 and remained in use throughout the 17th and 18th century. In 1727, German professor Johann Heinrich Schulze discovered that silver salts darkened when exposed to sunlight. By attempting to create a phosphorescent material by combining chalk with nitric acid contained in dissolved silver, Schulze realized that the sunlight turned the substance black, a discovery that unknowingly at the time provided the basic technology for photography.

Photography as we understand it today developed in the early 1800s. Inventor Nicéphore Niépce used a portable camera obscura to expose a pewter plate coated with bitumen—also known as asphalt—to light. He called the process heliography which translates to "sun drawing," and this became the first recorded image that didn't fade quickly. Niépce's success led to a series of other experiments that aided in photography's rapid progression.

By the late 1800s, Daguerreotypes, emulsion plates, and wet plates were invented, each paramount to the development of modern photography. In 1888, George Eastman established the Eastman Kodak Company, ultimately developing a product that was both affordable and manageable for everyday consumers. By the 1980s, interest in digital media surged, and manufacturers began producing cameras that stored images electronically. These used digital technology instead of film, and even the most basic models were able to capture high-quality images.

How to Develop Film in a Darkroom

Digital photography has undoubtedly rewarded photographers with unimaginable capabilities, but there is something truly unique about using film. Many collectors today feel a connection to film photography as it taps into the psychology of nostalgia—a yearning for a bygone era. For those looking to explore the world of film photography, follow along our step-by-step guide on how you can create easily develop film in a darkroom.

Step 1: Materials and Set Up

The first step in preparing to develop film is to set up your workspace and gather all materials required. Do this before turning the lights off since you'll need complete darkness once the development process begins. You'll need the following materials:

Film reel
Film tank
Cassette opener
Scissors
Thermometer
Timer
Plastic container
Clothesline or wire rack
Clothespins or clips
Paper towels
Plastic sleeves
Film developer
Stop bath
Fixer
Wetting agent
Film cleaner

Step 2: Open Film Cassette

illustration of opening a film cassette

Do not open your film until you are in complete darkness as exposing your film to even the tiniest level of light can destroy your negative. To open the film cassette, hook the edge of the lid under the cassette opener, then bend it to the side until the lid pops off.

Step 3: Cut Film Off Cassette with Scissors

illustration of cutting film off cassette with scissors

Take your film out of the cassette and cut it off with scissors. To do so, unroll the film until you reach the small plastic cassette in the center, then cut through the film where it connects with the piece of tape that secures the film to the plastic. You may have to feel around for this since it will be dark.

Step 4: Load Film Onto Reel

illustration of loading film onto reel

To load the film onto the reel, begin by finding the slit on the edge of the reel and slide the film into it. Once secure, twist the side of the reel back and forth to wind the rest of the film. You'll know it's finished when all the film is securely wrapped around the reel.

Step 5: Place Reel in Film Tank

illustration of placing reel in film tank

Locate your film tank's detached core, and slide it through the hole in the center of the film reel. Next, place the reel flat in the bottom of the tank so that the core is sticking up in the center. Cover your film tank with the lid and make sure it's secured tight. This is where it will remain for the rest of the development process.

Step 6: Create Developer Mixture

Since your film is safe in your film tank, you can now turn on the lights to complete the next steps. The developer mixture is used to develop film negatives in the tank, and while the exact amount will vary depending on the size of the film tank, it's usually around sixteen fluid ounces of film developer mixed with sixteen fluid ounces of water. Mix the two ingredients in a metal or plastic container, not in the film tank itself.

Step 7: Measure Temperature of Mixture

illustration that shows someone measuring the temperature of a mixture

It's vital to measure the temperature of your mixture to determine how long your film will need to develop. All film is different, and you can find developing times online or in the manufacturer's instructions. Typically, film needs 8–11 minutes to develop properly.

Step 8: Pour Mixture into Film Tank

illustration pouring mixture into film tank

You should see a lid on the uppermost part of your film tank. Be sure you are unscrewing this lid, and not the larger lid that is housing the film and sealing the tank shut. Pour the mixture directly down the funnel-shaped hole. Once the entirety of the mixture is poured in, immediately set a timer for the time you determined in step seven.

Step 9: Agitate Film Periodically

illustration of someone agitating film

As the film develops, you'll want to agitate it—continuously turn the tank to help spread the developer around—periodically throughout the timed interval. It's recommended that you use the following schedule when agitating:

First minute: Agitate the film for 30 seconds. Place your tank on a flat surface for 20 seconds, then agitate again for the remaining 10 seconds.
Second minute: Let the film rest for 50 seconds, then agitate for the last 10 seconds.
Remaining minutes: Repeat as you did the second minute for the rest of the minutes until finished.

Step 10: Fill Tank with Stop Bath

illustration of filling tank with stop bath

Stop bath is a liquid chemical mixture that prevents film from developing any further. To use it correctly, first drain the developer mixture from the film tank. Replace it with stop bath until tank is full. Agitate for 30 seconds to help the stop bath spread evenly throughout the tank.

Step 11: Fill the Tank with Fixer

The final chemical used in the development process is fixer, which is used to help stabilize film so that it can be exposed to light without damage. Pour out your stop bath and replace it with the fixer. Follow the same agitation schedule you used with the developer mixture, leaving the fixer in the tank for about 3–5 minutes.

Step 12: Rinse and Soak Film

dark room illustration

After using fixer, your film reel is safe to remove from the tank. Thoroughly rinse the film with cold water for a few minutes to ensure they are no leftover chemicals. Next, soak your film in a wetting agent to help rid it of excess water and avoid developing streak or bubble marks.

Step 13: Hang Film to Dry

illustration of developed film hanging to dry

Take your film off the reel and unroll it by twisting the sides of the reel in opposite directions. Then pull it apart, separating it into two pieces. Use a clothespin to hang the film to dry, and attach another to the bottom of the film so that it hangs taut. Let it dry for several hours before removing.

Step 14: Clean and Store Film

illustration of storing film in sleeves

Remove any excess streaks with a cleaner. It's advised to cut the film five smaller strips of negatives so that you can easily slide them into a plastic sleeve. Sleeves provide protection, keeping negatives moist and free of smudges or debris. Leave them covered until you're ready to develop your film. From here, you can move on to the printing process.

Famous Film Photographers

Artists have used film photography to capture powerful images for decades, from documenting social injustices to exploring the human form. Below are just five of the most influential film photographers whose work is widely collected in the market today.

Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist whose images captured and humanized the consequences of the Great Depression. Her iconic photograph Migrant Mother (1936) is one of the most powerful and recognized images to emerge from the 1930s. She is also remembered for capturing and exposing the conditions of the World War II Japanese internment camps.

Ansel Adams

With one of the most instantly recognizable photographic styles, Ansel Adams is known for capturing majestic images of the American West. As a master of the darkroom, Adams created outstanding contrasts using extensive dodging and burning methods. His famous landscapes were primarily shot using large-format cameras.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French humanist photographer born in 1908. He is considered a master of candid photography, viewing the craft as an avenue to capture a decisive moment. He was one of the earliest photographers to use 35mm film and shot almost exclusively in black and white. Though his large body of work, which included a variety of street photography, was impressive, he turned his attention solely to painting later in life.

Yousuf Karsh

Yousuf Karsh was an American-Canadian photographer best known for his portraits of public figures. Karsh once said, "Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can." It is this belief that ignited his passion and led to the powerful portraits he produced. As part of his signature style, Karsh would light the hands of his subjects differently than how he would light the rest of his sitter, believing that hands were vital to telling the story of his sitter.

Vivian Maier

Vivian Maier was an American street photographer. Though she worked as a nanny, she pursued photography in her spare time, secretly taking over 100,000 photographs that she kept hidden in storage lockers. Her work wasn't discovered until decades later, and finally came to light when it was purchased from an auction in Chicago in 2007. Maier's access to a darkroom enabled her to process and develop her own rolls of black and white film.

Many of the most powerful photographs taken throughout history were recorded before the digital camera was even invented. Photographers shot using analog cameras, where they were tasked with waiting until the development process was complete to see if they captured the intended feeling through their images. Film photography is a medium that dates back to the 1800s, and collectors and artists alike value the nostalgic, emotive elements behind the images produced through the process of developing film.