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Closing my eyes in the dark

Open, and when loading 120 film my eyes strain to make sure the first wind goes well, then I can relax and watch the rest of the roll slip in place.
 
Yes, I usually do. As someone else pointed out, it frees the brain from processing sensory input from the eyes. I also shut my eyes if I have to work by feel alone in other situations.
 
I shut mine too, I learned as a teenager to field strip and re-assemble a rifle and light machine gun in complete darkness in two minutes each but that was a lifetime ago, I can still load spirals, but it takes me all my time now in the dark to find the bathroom to have a pee in the middle of the night without turning the lights on .
 
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Changing room + Closed eyes = A nap will ensue ....And thats why there isnt a chair in my closet of a changing room... If there were, I wouldnt get anything done. I ahve to admit, when things are being more stubborn than normal, I do tend to close my eyes at times in an effort to concentrate harder.
 
In the darkroom, yes and no, mostly yes while loading roll film reels.
I don't use a changing bag often, but I find it helps to close my eyes, helps me to concentrate on feeling what the film is doing, rather than expecting to be able to see my hands.

Interesting thread.
 
I allways have my eyes open in the darkroom, closing them feels strange.
 
When I had to load an E6 dip & dunk machine I found out that I would get dizzy and fall over if I closed my eyes, not good in a pro lab. Although pitch black, if I kept my eyes open - no falling over. Go figure. Used to be in there for hours sometimes, ah memories.
 
It's not closing the eyes--- it"s leaving the lights on that is the problem.
 
Interesting responses. I keep my eyes open when I'm relaxed and natural. In moments of grief associated to sticky film, or sticky reels I close my eyes and scruntch my face. But one thing I've noticed recently is when I leave my eyes open in the dark, I can see my hands and in some cases, objects that I'm holding I can get a faint outline of it, in like a very low wattage neon sign kind of outline. The best kind of way I can describe this is like the way they showed Neo in the last movie in the Matrix series when he sees despite having his eyes fried by the electricity. Nowhere nearly as lit up as that, a very dim outline. I think what I'm seeing is my aura. If I doubt that I'm seeing it, it goes away. I've noticed this for the past few months now. Maybe had I looked for it earlier I might have noticed it.
 
When I close my eyes to load a roll of film I find I can concentrate better. Although it's dark I find myself trying to look, so closing my eyes stops this and I get the job done quicker and smoother.
 
I think if you can see something, anything, you have light coming from somewhere. The glow from a Gralab for example.
 
fotch said:
I think if you can see something, anything, you have light coming from somewhere. The glow from a Gralab for example.
Click to expand...

I thought that too, and promptly it went away. When I accept that I can see it, I see it. I do not have any Gralab timers in my darkroom. Nothing to glow. No light coming in through bottom of door because I jam it with a towel. There is no visible light in there.
 
I keep my eyes open when I use a changing bag, but maybe I will try closing them, since apparently a large number of people find some benefit from it.
 
I was using a changing bag in the lobby of the Bright Angel Lodge on the rim of the Grand Canyon. I kept my eyes open while reloading 4x5's. One of the bell boys eventually came over and asked what I was doing (my hands were still deep in the changing bag). I had to resist the desire to say, "I'm a heroin addict and I would like to shoot up with some privacy, thank you!"
 
Changing bag here!
I load it with my eyes open, and i take short time to do it with JOBO plastic reel or even with stainless steel one, but with Paterson which should be easier i took longer time always in changing bag even after i practice for hours and weeks.
 
I close my eyes whether I use a changing bag or load film in the darkroom. Everybody knows that you will screw up unless you close your eyes...
 
i'm exactly the opposite. i absolutely have to keep the eyes open. occasionally i try to close my eyes - staring into total darkness can be weird thing with odd shapes moving in front of your eyes, like after you looked directly into a light source- but i feel like i can't concentrate or properly coordinate my hands and i have to open them up again.
 
I keep eyes open. Also see the glow from the sticky tape and from the Gralab Timer.

Best regards,

/Clay
 
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