Huge 8x10 trip, need pointers

Zan · Mar 7, 2005

Ive had my 8x10 (Burke and James) for around a month now and I love it! I am planning a huge photo trip up the east coast and back down, around 1900miles in all. I have 100sheets of film (all I could afford), 4 filters, 6 holders, and a decent tripod. I dont have a changing bag that will accomidate 8x10 holders, and herein lies the delimma. Whats the best way to change film on the road? I have 2 full boxes of film, so I cant really use them to store exposed negatives? I was thinking that I could just take rolls of thick black tape and tape the hell out of the bathroom door when Im in a hotel. As for storing the exposed film, I dont have any bright ideas. Anyone have any suggestion?

Eric Rose · Mar 7, 2005

get a changing bag that works. plain and simple. why take the risk with expensive film and stupendous images.

colrehogan · Mar 7, 2005

I haven't tried blacking out the bathroom, but that is an option. Hopefully your tape won't pull up the paint from the doorframe.

If you got the film locally, you might go to the place you bought it and see if they have any empty boxes for film storage. It sounds like you'll need a couple before one of your film boxes is empty and available for use as storage.

Or someone here might have an empty spare box that they could send to you. When are you taking your trip?

I think that your best option is to get a changing tent.

Nick Zentena · Mar 7, 2005

If you can load/unload at night it shouldn't be too hard to find a dark spot.

Do you have a cheap plastic paper safe? Use that to store film.

Donald Miller · Mar 7, 2005

I have loaded and unloaded film in motel bathrooms before. It has worked well in my experience. Film changing bags, I do own one, are a pain in the ass as far as I am concerned. The chance of dust contamination is too great. When I use a changing bag I use a plastic trash bag inside the changing bag to cut down on the dust contamination. If you use a bathroom, my suggestion would be to wait at least five minutes so that your eyes acclimate to be sure that your location is actually dark.

Insofar as film storage for exposed film, I would recommend asking around for unused and empty film boxes or 8X10 paper boxes. Unfortunately I just discarded about three or four myself or I would send them to you. Perhaps someone else has some they could spare.

I like to have at least three boxes to store exposed film in. Those would be for normal, normal minus, and normal plus development. Or you could do what Michael Smith does. He notes each exposure and then unloads each holder into one box in the sequence that the film was exposed. It works for him...who am I to disagree.

rbarker · Mar 7, 2005

Although you might be able to darken a bathroom sufficiently at night, I'd still consider a good, large changing bag essential for such a trip. (I use the large Harrison "tent".) The risk of damage to the paint in the room from the tape is a real concern, and any charge for repair would far exceed the cost of the changing bag.

You should be able to get empty film boxes from a local lab that processes LF film. Using boxes from 8x10 paper (also available at your lab), along with the black plastic bags the paper comes in, is an alternative, but less desirable.

Troy Ammons · Mar 7, 2005

I would go for a 8x10 changing tent. I paid about $180 for mine and it will handle 8x10.

I just took a trip like this up the appalation trail with about 120 sheets of 4x5. The thing about a tent is you can use it anywhere. I always blow mine out before i use it and dont really have too many dust problems.

The problem I see with the bathroom scenario, is what do you do if you use all your film holders before you check in.

wfwhitaker · Mar 7, 2005

Zan said:
...As for storing the exposed film, I dont have any bright ideas.

What you need is a dark idea. Bright ideas fog film.

rbarker · Mar 7, 2005

wfwhitaker said:
What you need is a dark idea. Bright ideas fog film.

Will, that was brilliant. (lol)

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 7, 2005

If you don't have a local source for used film boxes, post a wanted ad here on APUG, and I'm sure someone has an extra or two they can send you for the cost of postage.

If you use the zone system, a compact way to handle lots of film is to make a set of cardboard dividers for N-2, N-1, N, N+1, N+2. Put tabs down the side so you can keep them in order in the dark, and then one tab on the top of the top sheet, so you know which is the top of the stack. I like this method, and I develop by time and temperature.

Another approach is just to keep the sheets in order and keep a list so that you can sort them out later. Michael A. Smith and Paula Chamlee use this method, but they also develop by inspection, and even though Michael claims that he's never gotten a sheet out of order this way, DBI is self-compensating, so that if you did get a sheet out of order, you could adjust your development time for that sheet on the fly in the darkroom, which you couldn't do if you develop by time and temperature.

I've usually been able to find a dark closet or bathroom to load and unload on the road, but a Harrison changing tent might give you more peace of mind.

Joe Symchyshyn · Mar 7, 2005

I'm anti changing bags as well... Too much dust and trouble in my past experiences...

I've carried a long piece of dark heavy fabric with me that I put over the door to the bathroom, then closing it seals the top and the extra hangs over the the bottom and seals the bottom. The sides have extra fabric hanging there so it blocks stray light. (10 feet of length does a good job.)

Pull all the drapes tight, turn off the room lights, change at night, run the shower for a bit first to kill any dust in the room.

You already have an extra film box... The unopened film can be put in another box because it is in a light tight bag... Put those into an old paper box and only opened film bags/exposed film go into the boxes.

As for different developments... You could use a hole punch to mark film yourself after it is shot by creating a new notch somewhere... That way all film goes into 1 common box for storage.

But someone in your area can get you a box I'm sure...

Do you have any pro-labs around there?? They'll likely WANT to get rid of boxes.

Good luck on your trip,

joe

Daniel Grenier · Mar 7, 2005

I use a Harrison "tent" and empty film boxes for storage (well marked as to what's inside). That works fine for me but I do remember burying myself in closets or bathroom with blankets or winter coats over me to get the film in/out. Now that was a pain in the butt!

George Losse · Mar 7, 2005

Zan,

The real question is how many exposures will you make in a day? You have six holders, if you think your going to make more then 12 exposures in a day, then you'll need to unload/reload the holders during the day. A changing bag/tent is really the best thing for this.

If you are only shooting 12 exposures a day or less then just change the film in the motel room at night. Shut all the lights off in the room (and the TV) then go into the bathroom. at most there will only be a little light under the door. Use your focusing cloth or a bathroom towel to block that. I've hung the focusing cloth on curtain rods in bathroom that had windows.

If you haven't been saving your old film boxes, you should be. That's what I use to store exposed film in. Also remember to tape the boxes closed after unloading your film in there, we don't want them to fall off a bed or something and accidentally open up.

If you don't have extra film boxes ask some other LF shooters in your area if they have any you could use. If that doesn't turn anything up then ask for a couple here. I'm sure we all have more then we need.

Brook · Mar 7, 2005

I have found very few motels with windows in the bathroom. I close the drapes, turn off the room lights, run the shower on hot for a few minutes to clear dust, shut the bathroom door, lay my darkcloth across the crack under the door, and change film. Never had a problem. Even if I have my changing bag, I only use it for emergencies.

jimgalli · Mar 7, 2005

I've done the bathroom thing. It works fine. Read Edward Weston's account of changing all of his 8X10 film holders in the back seat of a '38 Ford Tudor sedan each night if you need additional encouragement. Buy more holders. The nice old wooden holders simply don't fetch much on Ebay. Especially in large numbers. 10 / $150 is money better spent than a fancy changing tent.

Zan · Mar 7, 2005

Thanks for all the good suggestions. As for empty boxes, Ive only had the camera a month and havent made it halfway through a box of film yet, so I have no extras. I simply cant afford a 200$ changing tent before friday (which is when I leave). Im sure I can pull off the bathroom changing ritual because my gal will be with me and she can hold up some sheets etc over the outside of the door. So I guess storage is going to be the big problem, and being that my local photo store is wolf camera, I dont think they'll have extra 8x10 film boxes. Im pretty certain that I can use one extra box to store all the film in order and write it down so I can process them all accordingly. I will go and try the wolf camera for extra boxes though, just in case. Thanks again for all the great responses!

jp80874 · Mar 7, 2005

Zan,

Here is a cheap solution. Delta Safe-T-Bags store your film and paper in these light-tight 10" x 14" double thick bags with extra carbon black pigment.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=15808&is=REG

Delta Light Tight Safe-T-Bags with Labels for Film and Paper (5-Pack)
Mfr# 13510 B&H# DESTB Our Price: $ 2.95

You may not be able to get these in time for your departure. Is there some where you can send them to meet you early in the trip? Most mail order stores will not ship to motels because you may not show up.

Alternatives: 1) Call Quality Camera in Atlanta to see if they have these.
2) Do you have any photo printing paper? My B&W Kodak Polymax comes all wrapped in a light tight black plastic bag inside the cardboard box.
3) Buy a cheap paper safe from a good camera store in your area.

Good Luck. Have fun. Dont sweat the small stuff. Keep a log of what you do and where you go. You will enjoy it for years, maybe even write a book from it.

John Powers

KenS · Mar 7, 2005

Zan said:
As for storing the exposed film, I dont have any bright ideas. Anyone have any suggestion?

Zan,

For my 4x5 films I still have a couple of packes of 100 "foil" containers, similar to the separate packs of 25 sheets in a new 100 sheet box, that Kodak used to market. They were originally for archival cold storage of processed film. On road trips, I have foil packs for +, -, and N development. The films are removed from the holders in my changing box and inserted into these packets with the top folded over and sealed with masking tape before placing into boxes marked "exposed film".... On a couple of occasions I have borrowed an iron from motel housekeeping to "heat seal" full packets.

A year or so ago, I went looking for similar foil packets for 8x10 film... I believe that either Light Impressions or Conservation Resources had them available in a size to hold films up to 8x10.

Ken

MurrayMinchin · Mar 7, 2005

Hey Zan...good to hear you're through the navel gazing stage and now have the creative juices surging through your system!!!!

What worked for me on a six month sea kayaking trip (three legs - two months each) was to take glassine envelopes for exposed negatives. On the envelope I would write down the date, location, subject matter, vertical or horizontal, exposure/development information, the film holder number, and just to be sure, I made a quick sketch of the image to make it easier to match the envelope to the negative when I was developing all day back at home. To indicate what development was to be given I cut notches in the envelopes edge before I unloaded the film holders. Hundreds of negatives...not one mistake. The glassine also prevents the negatives from rubbing against each other.

After you get back from your trip and develop all those negatives and have a chance to digest the significance of it all, will you please let us all know how it went?

Murray

Zan · Mar 7, 2005

Murray, thats a wonderful idea! So you wrote all the info down and put the exposed negs in envelopes, then into a storage box, that way the negs wouldnt touch each other? Ill definately pick up some envelopes before I go, and Ill definately post how it went when I get everything sorted out.

MurrayMinchin · Mar 7, 2005

Yup...you got it. The trick is to have everything organized in front of you, and organized in your head before the lights go out. This is probably stating the obvious, but don't forget to clean your holders each time. I use one of those huge things they sell in drug stores for blasting wax balls from peoples ears...works for 4x5 anyways...could be a big-time forearm workout for 8x10!

Murray

Zan · Mar 7, 2005

Yeah, Ive tried a little hand pump thing to without a whole lot of success. What I think would work better would be some kind of paint brush, what do ya think?

MurrayMinchin · Mar 7, 2005

www.kinetronics.com is what I use in the darkroom to great effect...they have several kinds of anti-static brushes. I'd be interested in hearing how other people battle dust.

Murray

chuck94022 · Mar 7, 2005

http://www.novadarkroom.com/acatalog/Blackout_Materials.html

Now you don't even need a motel room!

-chuck

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 8, 2005

I'm also a fan of the Kinetronics brush--great for filmholders, lenses, cameras, and vinyl LPs.

Huge 8x10 trip, need pointers

Zan

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