Test your Camera for Light-leaks: In the darkroom or using a changing bag, attach black & white printing paper in the rear of the camera. Close the camera body up, check to see your shutter tape is in place and set the camera in the sun for a few minutes without making an exposure. Develop the negative. If it is not pure white you probably have a light leak. Try applying another coat of paint to the interior of the camera, and check to see that that your lid fits securely. If you suspect a leak tape the outside. If it leaks around the lid, tape the edge of the lid and repeat the test. Make sure that you camera is light-tight before going on to the next step - making an exposure.
First Exposures: Place the camera on the ground or somewhere stable. If the camera moves during the exposure your photograph will be blurry. Remove the tape for 30 seconds (bright sun, bright subject). Return to the darkroom and develop the paper negative. The beauty of working with black & white printing paper is that you can develop by examination and quickly fine-tune the exposure time. If your negative develops too rapidly (gets dark too quickly), shorten the next exposure. If the negative is too light, increase the exposure time. Remember that if you want the negative twice as dark, double the exposure time. With some trial and error you
will discover what the correct exposure is for a particular camera. If there
is no image at all, check if your aperture hole to see if it is plugged
with black paint.
Self-Portrait with Umbrella, '83
paper negative |
positive print |
The exposure for the negative (above left) was approximately 45 seconds in bright sunlight. I set the camera down on the ground, removed the shutter tape and walked into position. Fifteen seconds into the exposure I slowly opened the umbrella. At the end of the 45 seconds, I replaced the shutter tape.