How do you organize holders in field?

amellice · Feb 19, 2020

Hi, I'm new to large format. I've problems organizing my holders. Right now I use labeled ziplock bags but it's pretty inefficient and slow in field (mainly landscapes). I've to have to bags for each film type. How do you guys organize your holders with different film/speed/B&W/colors,, etc?

david schaller · Feb 19, 2020

I number the holders, and put the same film types in labeled ziplock bags. All this is written in a small notebook which I take with me in the field, and later into the darkroom.

BradS · Feb 19, 2020

I keep loaded holders in a small, padded soft sided bag that holds about ten (4x5). I use the usual dark slide convention - white side (or bumps) out indicates un-exposed film and black side out (no bumps) indicates exposed.

I do not ever take multiple film types out into the field but if I did, I guess that I could simply use multiple bags to keep various film types separate in the field.

Alan9940 · Feb 19, 2020

Like BradS, I never take different film types into the field. Both 4x5 and 8x10 holders are carried in photobackpacker cascading film holder cases.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 19, 2020

amellice said:
Hi, I'm new to large format. I've problems organizing my holders. Right now I use labeled ziplock bags but it's pretty inefficient and slow in field (mainly landscapes). I've to have to bags for each film type. How do you guys organize your holders with different film/speed/B&W/colors,, etc?

I only shoot one tire pressure when I go out.

mmerig · Feb 20, 2020

amellice said:
Hi, I'm new to large format. I've problems organizing my holders. Right now I use labeled ziplock bags but it's pretty inefficient and slow in field (mainly landscapes). I've to have to bags for each film type. How do you guys organize your holders with different film/speed/B&W/colors,, etc?

I often take three emulsion types with me, and use all three for each scene (a project requirement). The holders have two places to write something on each side. On one of them, I write the emulsion (FP4, etc), the other, the frame number (1A, 1B, for holder number one, a and b side). My notebook has references to the emulsion and frame number. The holders also have a notching system that shows up on the negative to indicate the frame number.

David A. Goldfarb · Feb 20, 2020

I don’t typically take multiple film types with me. I used to, but I find it hard to think in color and B&W at the same time, and usually lighting/subject conditions aren’t so varied at one shoot that I feel I need a fast film and a slow film. If I’m shooting large format with a tripod and not shooting available light at night, a medium speed film is fine. If I’m shooting press camera style, handheld 4x5”, then a faster film is in order.

I do use the zone system, though, so I will take notes and mark the holders for development adjustment as I use them (-2, -1, 0, +1, +2) and then if it’s a long enough trip to reload at the end of the day, I’ll group the exposed sheets by development plan, usually first in a box with tabbed dividers that I can feel in the dark, and as I shoot more, I’ll separate that box into multiple boxes, keeping the sheets grouped by development time.

juan · Feb 20, 2020

I buy china markers and write on the dark slides. Film type and date loaded on the outside of the unexposed side. It wipes off with a Mr. Clean sponge. No, I’ve never had any flake off onto the film. Of course, I also number the holders and record exposure information in a notebook.

grahamp · Feb 20, 2020

I 5x4 I will often have two emulsions, but the holders are labeled and never get a different emulsion unless I change the label

Dark slide up in individual bags, dark slide down when both sides exposed. This gives me a visual/tactile clue about which holders are available. If I am using a small bag (6 can cooler bags are useful), then used holders go into the back. The Photo Cascade bag has a method of tagging used holders.

I do do some 4x10 on my 8x10 camera, and that requires a post-it in the ziplock bag to track which side/half has been exposed. Otherwise the same practice.

Remove exposed holders from the kit as soon as possible, then you know what you have available for the next trip.

I recommend leaving unloaded holders set as exposed (I usually bag them with the dark slides slightly withdrawn as well while they await reloading). That way I won't take out a holder thinking it is loaded. I would much rather set up to process an empty holder. The best shots are taken on an empty holder 8-(

Doremus Scudder · Feb 20, 2020

I have all my holders numbered. It's really easy with stickers if you don't want anything permanent. I often take two types of film with me into the field, so I'll load odd numbers with one film and even numbers with the other. At the time of exposure, the exposure information along with holder number, film type, development (N, N+, etc.) and notes gets written down in my exposure log. I have a small notebook with printed forms (homemade); each shot gets one sheet.

If I were to take more different types of film, I'd pre-fill my exposure record pages with holder numbers and film type for easy reference. A Post-It note on the darkslide after loading helps too.

Best,

Doremus

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 20, 2020

All my holders are number on the darkslide tabs with stickers. I keep the holders in ziplock bags, which are labelled indicating what film is loaded. I store exposed film in used film boxes (slipped inside their black bags. I'm not worried about different films in the same box as I keep very careful records. Exposed film is laid inside the box oriented the same way. Back in the darkroom, I refer to my exposure record form, pull the first sheet out (on the bottom), and give it appropriate development. I've never had a mix up in the 25 years I've been doing this.

pwitkop · Feb 20, 2020

Like most of us, I usually only take one type of film. In the past I'd often take two though, a black and white and a color transparency. I've always used zip lock bags, pint freezer bags are a decent fit and easy to get, I order packaging zip too bags that for closer though when I have the option. With the color film holders I make a big red mark, and I carry a sharpie to make development notes on the bag, n+1 etc.

mark · Feb 20, 2020

Every once in a while on the LF photography.info forum photobackpacker sells what he calls cascade film holders. I bought one on a whim and gosh darn it, I really like the thing. ended up buying an 8x10 too. I never use more than one film type in the field. That's too much thinking for me. White or bumps out for unexposed and black or smooth for exposed. I do live in dustville Arizona so I keep my holders in ziplocks even when they are in the cascade holder.

Luckless · Feb 20, 2020

I've been using a good quality masking tape to apply labels and more clearly indicate exposed vs unexposed, and to serve as additional safety catches.

I only have a handful of film holders, and all of the little locking tabs are a tad loose, so I like to have some extra assurance that the darkslide isn't slipping unexpectedly.
Plus, I only rarely use my large format gear, so I can easily forget if the standard was bump in or out for unexposed, and also can quickly become unsure if I had actually loaded the film as per the standard or not... Adding a bit sticker that says "Unexposed" and ripping it off after exposure kind of eliminates that misunderstanding...

Well, at least it has so far. I assume eventually I'll manage to put my darkslide back in, and then put all the tape back rather than just the film type label.

jim10219 · Feb 20, 2020

My Fidelity holders have white stickers across the top that I write on using a dry erase marker. I give each holder a number, and then write the type and speed of the film. Then, after I expose the film, I may write any additional instructions on that label. If there's something more I feel like I need to record, I'll put that into a field journal I keep with me that also has other useful information like filter factors, actual shutter speeds (for some of my older, pneumatic shutters), etc. I use acronyms for everything, so a sticker might read something like "3 TMX 100 +1" for 3rd film holder, Kodak TMax 100 ISO film, to be developed, pushed one stop. Or it might say "1 IR 400", which would mean film holder one, Rollei IR 400 speed film, regular development. For the dark slide, I do the same as everyone else, white out for unexposed, black out for exposed.

As for in the bag, I usually keep them all in a gallon sized Ziploc bag or two, and organize them according to type and speed. So I'll have all of my B&W together, all of my C-41 together, and all of my E-6 film together, and order them by speed. I keep the used film holders in with the unused ones, and just go by what the dark slide says to let me know if it's exposed or not.

Which system you use doesn't matter. All that maters is that you have a system that you stick to. Once you get it down so you don't have to think about it, everything becomes much easier and faster, and you make fewer mistakes.

M Carter · Feb 23, 2020

They sell a 1/4" wide masking tape for car painting - I put strips of that on the memo strip on my holders, and number with a sharpie and not which film it is if I have different emulsions. Works well and peels off when done.

Bob S · Feb 23, 2020

M Carter said:
They sell a 1/4" wide masking tape for car painting - I put strips of that on the memo strip on my holders, and number with a sharpie and not which film it is if I have different emulsions. Works well and peels off when done.

How do you identify which sheet of film came out of which side of which holder?
That is the advantage of either using numbered or lettered friskit inside the holders to I’d each side or to you small notches or semicircles or grooves on each side of each holder so there is a unique ID on each sheeflm that identifies WH side of which holder the sheet came out of.

Renato Tonelli · Feb 23, 2020

All of my holders are sequentially marked with a label maker. (each holder has an A and B side)
I use white masking tape when using something other than Tri-X.
Each holder is in a zip-lock bag.
Whether I store them in a camera bag or a small cooler, the holders are stored sequentially; the highest numbered holder gets used first and returned to storage upside down after both sides have been exposed: this tells me how many holders I have left with unexposed film.
I take notes in a small notebook (Rite-in-the-rain).

M Carter · Feb 26, 2020

Bob S said:
How do you identify which sheet of film came out of which side of which holder?
That is the advantage of either using numbered or lettered friskit inside the holders to I’d each side or to you small notches or semicircles or grooves on each side of each holder so there is a unique ID on each sheeflm that identifies WH side of which holder the sheet came out of.

I've seen the various tricks to know which specific holder a neg came from, but haven't had the need yet (IE, no light leaks or anything, knock on wood).
I label each holder sequentially, A, B, C, D, and if I'm taking different films, it may be "A delta 100, B delta 100, C Rollei IR" and so on, and I use a pocket-sized notebook to record bracketing or any other info. Filters used, sometimes why I chose a filter or bracket to see how good my "guesswork" was.

Thing is, I only develop 2 sheets at a time - I have a rotary processor so it's not a beatdown really, my development app chimes a minute before the time is up, so I can clean up or read or whatever. So I may load a sheet from 2 different holders if I want to verify development time - a lot of my stuff is really complex lighting setups and filtering for skin, hair or makeup person lately, so I develop one or two sheets, dry them, and actually do a contact print test to see how my highs are doing - sheer paranoia. From there I'll move to two at a time, and often those will get a test before moving on. I'm getting to where the travel (buildings and ruins) or the studio setup is extreme enough that I try not to be cavalier about any of it. I'm really bad about "cavalier" (even things like negative handling, I've scratched some really nice negs due to hurrying and inattention) and still trying to be more disciplined.

Sometimes I'll peel the tape labels from the holders and stick them to a sheet of paper and add processing notes, if I decide I need a half-stop bump in the highs or something, I'll write my new dev time and I end up with a history of each sheet. When the sheets are dry, I sharpie the frame number on the printfile sleeve, so even weeks later, I can look back on my decisions for exposure and developing. All that crap goes in a folder (manila job-jacket type things) in a file box. Eventually it gets filled with masks and print maps and test prints.

Kinda cool though, there's a zillion ways of skinning the organizational cat, seems like many of us evolve some elaborate stuff over the years.

Bob S · Feb 26, 2020

M Carter said:
I've seen the various tricks to know which specific holder a neg came from, but haven't had the need yet (IE, no light leaks or anything, knock on wood).
I label each holder sequentially, A, B, C, D, and if I'm taking different films, it may be "A delta 100, B delta 100, C Rollei IR" and so on, and I use a pocket-sized notebook to record bracketing or any other info. Filters used, sometimes why I chose a filter or bracket to see how good my "guesswork" was.

Thing is, I only develop 2 sheets at a time - I have a rotary processor so it's not a beatdown really, my development app chimes a minute before the time is up, so I can clean up or read or whatever. So I may load a sheet from 2 different holders if I want to verify development time - a lot of my stuff is really complex lighting setups and filtering for skin, hair or makeup person lately, so I develop one or two sheets, dry them, and actually do a contact print test to see how my highs are doing - sheer paranoia. From there I'll move to two at a time, and often those will get a test before moving on. I'm getting to where the travel (buildings and ruins) or the studio setup is extreme enough that I try not to be cavalier about any of it. I'm really bad about "cavalier" (even things like negative handling, I've scratched some really nice negs due to hurrying and inattention) and still trying to be more disciplined.

Sometimes I'll peel the tape labels from the holders and stick them to a sheet of paper and add processing notes, if I decide I need a half-stop bump in the highs or something, I'll write my new dev time and I end up with a history of each sheet. When the sheets are dry, I sharpie the frame number on the printfile sleeve, so even weeks later, I can look back on my decisions for exposure and developing. All that crap goes in a folder (manila job-jacket type things) in a file box. Eventually it gets filled with masks and print maps and test prints.

Kinda cool though, there's a zillion ways of skinning the organizational cat, seems like many of us evolve some elaborate stuff over the years.

But even doing one holder at a time you haven’t identified which sheet came out of which side of the holder.

Doremus Scudder · Feb 27, 2020

If you need to identify exactly which holder and side a sheet of film comes from, then you need to number each side of the holder (I do). Still, if you take a lot of identical shots, you have no way of knowing which is which unless you have some way to link the sheet of film to a specific holder and side. I've notched all my holder flaps with a Roman-numeral code that corresponds to the holder-side number and imprints on the film at the time of exposure.

Best,

Doremus

Bob S · Feb 27, 2020

Doremus Scudder said:
If you need to identify exactly which holder and side a sheet of film comes from, then you need to number each side of the holder (I do). Still, if you take a lot of identical shots, you have no way of knowing which is which unless you have some way to link the sheet of film to a specific holder and side. I've notched all my holder flaps with a Roman-numeral code that corresponds to the holder-side number and imprints on the film at the time of exposure.

Best,

Doremus

See #17 above.

M Carter · Feb 27, 2020

Bob S said:
But even doing one holder at a time you haven’t identified which sheet came out of which side of the holder.

True, I've yet to find a need for that I suppose - usually if there's 2 sheets, it's either a bracket or filter change (will be obvious), or I'm shooting a model and getting different poses/angles, after I've done a solo sheet or two to check development. If I find evidence of a holder failing... I guess at least I'll know which holder!

Doremus Scudder · Feb 28, 2020

Bob S said:
See #17 above.

Missed your post on the way by, Bob. Yep, something to imprint numbers on the film is really the way to go if you want to match film to the exact holder and side.

Doremus

esearing · Mar 8, 2020

Blue painters tape on the darkslide - When I load film I write what film is in the holder. As I use the film I write date and sequence for the day (03/01-I) . The painters tape leaves no residue when removing. On rare occasions it may make the slide difficult to remove. Tape side is always facing outward, no confusion whether exposed or not since exposed has the sequence number.
I usually also have all my capture notes on a 3x5 card with matching sequence number. If I know the scene may need special processing I note it on the tape and the 3x5 card.

How do you organize holders in field?

amellice

david schaller

BradS

Alan9940

RalphLambrecht

mmerig

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

juan

grahamp

Doremus Scudder

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

pwitkop

mark

Luckless

jim10219

M Carter

Bob S

Renato Tonelli

M Carter

Bob S

Doremus Scudder

Bob S

M Carter

Doremus Scudder

esearing

How do you organize holders in field?

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