I can't possibly choose the right words to describe how special this roll of film is to me. Still, there will be an attempt.
On Friday, I showed up at Souq Wakra at 3 in the afternoon and met up with the gang at Bennigan's. This was the plan: we'd all be given a disposable camera each, courtesy of Tasweer Qatar and Analog Qatar. Once we were done, we'd learn how to develop film the next day using C-41 chemicals and develop our rolls from the day before. Khalid handed me my camera, an Agfa LeBox Flash: a single-use, 27-exposure, disposable camera with flash and 400-speed film inside. Instantly, I was wondering if I can change the settings on it at all, and the thought of not being able to do that scared me a little.
We walked around Souq Wakra all afternoon through evening, taking pictures of the place, of each other. Luckily, it was a sunny day, so there was ample light. Everyone had the same camera with the same film, and the same amount of photos to take. I generally think a lot before I take photos with film cameras. I tend to be a lot slower because I like to make every photo count. Shooting on a disposable camera like this one was a completely different experience. I wasn't bound by the shackles of my perfectionism, as I knew I had to finish the roll by the next day so I could develop it. Developing a roll full of garbage photos would still be better than developing an incomplete roll, right? This realization freed me to take photos I wouldn't generally take. To be honest, I reveled in this headspace, and somehow, I still like how each of my photos turned out. I think that's a complete win We ended the day after going to the place that has now become a photography staple: Khalifa Art Center.
The next day, we learned to develop. Jonathan, an analog photographer who shoots a lot of 120-film on his Pentax 67 would teach us how to work with C-41 chemicals. This class was exactly the kind of learning experience I needed. I was about to develop a roll of film I wasn't too anxious for, giving me enough space for mess-ups. Khalid arranged for all the required tools. We had a few changing bags, AP tanks, developer, and bleach, and Jonathan brought his temperature control system. Haman and Waleed, both seasoned film photographers and developers were there to help when we needed it.
The first advice I got was: always cut the film leader. It just makes the process of loading it into the reel easier. Since all the loading had to be done in the dark, Jonathan made us practice loading some trial film with our eyes open before loading in our actual film. Loading the film onto the reel happens in the dark, ie. the changing bag. The key to getting it right is hearing the click when the reel engages the sprocket holes of the film strip. Waleed made sure I practiced this at least once with my eyes closed. It wasn't difficult at all.
Then, Jonathan walked us through the process of development. We needed some developer, some bleach, water, and time. The first step was pouring the developer into the AP tank and agitating it for a full minute. The agitation would ensure that the film and the chemicals get to interact as much as possible. After the first minute, we'd agitate for ten seconds every minute, for two and a half minutes more. Next, we would pour the developer out and pour in the bleach, which was almost the same, except this was 8 minutes long. That was it, after these two steps came the washing and Photo Flo. The Photo Flo solution was to ensure that no spots of drops show up on the film.
I couldn't contain my excitement anymore. The last step to this process was scanning the film, but I could still check the quality of the negatives I had just developed before scanning. They looked beautiful.
My friend Thanwi once told me that developing film is an incredibly rewarding process in its own right, and makes a photographer come even closer to their work. I couldn't agree more, and now I can't wait to get my own tools to develop my film at home. Anyway, here are the photos from the roll. They were scanned at Khalifa Art Center.
I am deeply thankful to the people who made this happen. I've wanted to learn how to develop film for such a long time. I cannot wait to go buy my own changing bag, tanks, and beakers now. These photos aren't sharp, some could be composed better, and some could do a lot better without my finger blocking the lens. Yet, I feel deeply for these photos, and they are incredibly special to me. It's my first self-developed film.
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Love how you are growing as a photographer <3
Is this on Pinterest? If not what are you waiting for!
Loved the pictures, keep sharing.
what a read <3