Clouds on my negatives

[Alex Thorne]

I'm trying to figure out what is going on with my last batch of negatives. In the sky of the picture that I posted, what looks like clouds in the sky, are actually something else. The sky was completely clear the day I shot these pictures. All 12 negatives that I shot on the same day and developed in the same tank have this issue. The patterns are very different on each negative.

Here's what I'm using:
Burke & James Orbit 4X5
Fujinon 135
Arista Ultra ISO 200
Yankee Agitank daylight tank with 12 exposure capacity
D-76 and Kodak fixer

My first batch of still-life shots came out fine.
The tank was loaded properly, so none of the negatives were touching each other.

What do you folks think?

Thanks

 

[Bob F.]

If the "clouds" look like a grey fog on the film, try re-fixing (always worth trying for these sorts of strangeness). Might also be uncleared anti-halation dyes? Re-fixing should remove those too. Other than that, I'll defer to those who might recognise the effect...

Good luck, Bob.

 

[David William White]

Looks like a fixing problem. Refix this sheet and see if the highlights clear. Quick and easy first step.

 

[srmcnamara]

I think it's ghostly spirits trying to communicate with you from their torturous existence between worlds. Like in The Sixth Sense.




or maybe fog....would the sky have been the lighter tone or the darker tone?

 

[David William White]

Yes, I had this problem once, but after I refixed, I kinda liked the first print better!

 

[Alex Thorne]

The sky should have been the darker color. But, it came to me in the shower; I don't think I agitated the negatives during the development stage nearly as vigorously for this batch of negatives then for my first set.

What do you guys think? Could it be an agitation issue?

 

[DannL]

I experienced a very similar problem several months ago testing bakelite FR development tanks (square) for my own use. They are almost a spitting image of the Yankee tank, I believe. I could never figure out how to get the developer to circulate evenly throughout the entire tank. So, more often that not I would have developer flow streaks on most of the sheets. They turned out looking just like your photo. After many attempts and untold wasted sheets of film, I gave up using that type of development tank. If you have been using your tank flawlessly up to this point though, and no variables have changed, I doubt if it's a developer circulation issue.

 

[David William White]

The sky should have been the darker color. But, it came to me in the shower; I don't think I agitated the negatives during the development stage nearly as vigorously for this batch of negatives then for my first set.

What do you guys think? Could it be an agitation issue?

Maybe, but refix first, then go there.

 

[Alex Thorne]

DannL, did you find a daylight developing tank you liked? Can anyone else recommend a good daylight developing tank for 4X5?

 

[Bob-D659]

If it was a fixing problem the tree trunks wouldn't be very dark against the white sky section, esp right above the two people on the path. Looks like nice photo of water vapour in the air.

 

[DannL]

DannL, did you find a daylight developing tank you liked? Can anyone else recommend a good daylight developing tank for 4X5?

I started using a Unicolor 8x10 color processing drum and Unicolor drum roller for 8x10's and 4x5's about two years ago. They work well, but they do have a tendency to drip. For 9x12cm sheet film (the primary reason for purchasing the FR tanks) I am now using an 8x10 Chromega drum on the same Unicolor roller. The Chromega drum that I acquired has adjustable spacer rods that can be adjusted for the slightly smaller sheets. It will also do the other two sizes. You can develope four sheets of 4x5 or 9x12cm at a time in that drum if you have the original sheet separator. I think the Chromega drums are more difficult to find complete. I don't do stand development with sheet film, so I have no trouble with using the roller units. Although thinking about it, using a roller unit might be construed as semi-stand development. Being limited to 4 sheets maximum at a time also works very well as a safeguard for me. I know drums aren't for everyone, but the results have been consistent. I like the drums for several reasons: Little to no mess, daylight processing, less fuming, easy to load/unload, works for paper and film, and consistent results.

How to: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/unicolor/

.

 

[Chris Breitenstein]

If it were a fixing issue the unfixed portions would be much lighter in the print. And given that the sky is usually more heavily exposed then the fore ground, assuming their is no heavy burning and dodging done, then the unfixed portions should be totally blown out even when compared to the overexposed sky.

Did you prewash? how long was your development time? using a short development time, little to no aggitation, or omitting the prewash could all result in uneven development; which would show much more prevalently in the heavily exposed portions of the negative.

best of luck with this mysterious problem!

yours: