Keeping track of your N, N- and N+ exposed sheets

haziz · Mar 31, 2008

What system do you use to keep track of your N, N- and N+ exposed sheets? Post-it notes stuck to the holder? Individually numbered holders/sides with detailed records? Other method?

How do you keep track of your N, N- and N+ sheets after exposing without individually labeling every holder and elaborate record keeping? I am simply too lazy to do that, and hence tend to do only N development; except when using Quickloads, when I write on the individual envelope.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Hany.

david b · Mar 31, 2008

I write on the holder and then leave it sit until I am ready to develop it.

I also had 50 holders.

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 31, 2008

I write the development info (-1, -2, N, +1, +2) in pencil in the white space on the holder and keep fairly moderate notes.

If I'm unloading and not processing immediately, I usually put the sheets in a box using a divider system with tabs along the side that I can feel in the dark, and one tab along the top edge of the top divider, so I don't mix up the orientation of the stack. If I accumulate a lot of sheets, I can divide the stack into two or more boxes.

JBrunner · Mar 31, 2008

All my holders are numbered, and I record the exposures in one of these:

http://www.lulu.com/content/2045656

The video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmKkx7vG08I

If you don't want to fork the big bucks for mine, even after this blatant and shameless plug, you can always use a small notebook or some such. Some people use those waterproof field books, like the bird watcher guys, real nice if you work in wet forest type stuff or coastlines, etc. Either way, you have it for ever, what, when, where, how, how much, why, with, to be, and such.

jgjbowen · Mar 31, 2008

Hany,

Sounds like you need to get yourself one of "those waterproof field books, like the bird watcher guys."

Inside joke because Hany IS a bird watcher.

eclarke · Mar 31, 2008

I use gaffer's tape, which leaves no residue, on my film holders and make all my exposure notes. When I develop, I peel the tape off and affix it to glassine envelope which will store the negative. I use another strip on the envelope to note the development info, one more later with the print details. It's a very effective system...Evan Clarke

Chuck_P · Mar 31, 2008

I have a very simple little system that works very well for me; I guess similar to Jason's method. I have little stickers on each side of the holder and they are labeled using the alphabet. So, my first holder is the A/B holder, then C/D holder, E/F holder, etc...

I keep my exposure and development notes on 3x5 cards (I actually transcribe the notes from a small handheld tape recorder that I use while in the field, only takes a few minutes---I find it easier to just think it through outloud and a bit faster too). Each card has the date and holder letter to identify the exposure. When it comes to developing the film it's a simple thing to lay all N+1 sides of the holders on the table to remove and develop in the same tank or tray.

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 31, 2008

Here's what my notebook looks like (you may have to be logged into the LF forum to see this)--

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=11413&d=1206547326

Photo Engineer · Mar 31, 2008

LFF has suddenly stopped taking my login. TSK!

Anyhow, if I do a -1, N and +1 I can see a progression of light, medium and dark negatives, so to me the situation is rather obvious.

PE

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 31, 2008

Well, it's obvious once you've processed them, but you need some way of marking which ones are going into which batch before they're processed.

Here's a shot of a couple pages from my notebook, for those who don't have access to the LF forum.

Photo Engineer · Mar 31, 2008

Ummm. Is that in Polish David?

JK

PE

Stephanie Brim · Mar 31, 2008

Wow, David...I can just ALMOST read that.

jmcd · Mar 31, 2008

I use blue painter's tape, cut into rectangles, and stick them all over my tripod, so they are handy. Then I record pertinent data with a Sharpie just after exposure of exposure, and stick the blue note onto the outside of the dark slide. Then I sort film into various film boxes, according to N, N+, N-.

jeroldharter · Mar 31, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
Well, it's obvious once you've processed them, but you need some way of marking which ones are going into which batch before they're processed.

Here's a shot of a couple pages from my notebook, for those who don't have access to the LF forum.

I think Risperdal fixes this.

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 31, 2008

Yeah, I never did well in penmanship, but I can read it.

My point is just that notes don't have to be so complicated or require grids, charts, and check boxes. Sometimes I'll make a lighting diagram in my notes for a studio shot, but that's about as complicated as it gets for me.

Photo Engineer · Mar 31, 2008

Well, as long as you can read it, I guess that is all that counts. I was reading my notebook. Hmmm, well it is OK for me.

OTOH, if you don't behave, I'll post a picture of you at the CFAAHP workshop.

PE

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 31, 2008

Photo Engineer said:
OTOH, if you don't behave, I'll post a picture of you at the CFAAHP workshop.

PE

They have one up already--

http://www.cfaahp.org/content/view/4/13/

That's Daniel Levin in the foreground popping bubbles in the wet albumen with the corner of a strip of paper, and me in the flare on the right, and Dave Wooten in a contemplative mood back on the left.

jeroldharter · Mar 31, 2008

I am always terrible with notes. Even if I take them, I lose them. I actually enjoy using the BTZS application for Palm. I have it on my Palm Treo phone. I can also take a snapshot of the photo on my phone and record a voice memo (although I rarely do). At home, I can either use the phone for the data which is in memo format or sync it with Microsoft Outlook (sure to be a Soapbox whine) which stores everything.

Of course, you have to do the BTZS testing to use the system but I think it is very useful and easy to use their test negatives.

Also, the BTZS software computes the development time for each exposure based on the meter readings you feed it. My only complaint is that there is no easy way to enter shortcuts for N, N+1, etc.

MurrayMinchin · Mar 31, 2008

Back a few years ago (before the daughter, full time job, and house) I used to go photographing for up to two months at a time without getting back to the darkroom. Space was tight in a sea kayak, so I came up with the following system that lets all the negatives be fired into one box.

I brought 4x5 glassine negative sleeves to make exposure, development, date, and location notes on, then made a simple sketch of the scene as well. After getting back to the tent I'd look at what development was indicated and cut a small notch for -1, two notches for -2, etc. into a corner of the glassine sleeve. Then I'd arrange the holders and sleeves in order in the changing bag, put each negative into its sleeve, and fire them all into one negative box. When back home in the darkroom I'd have an empty film box for each kind of development, and it was a simple matter to feel how many notches were cut in the corner of each negative sleeve, and pop it into the proper box.

The sketches are an old habit which helped in matching sleeves to negatives when there were dozens of negatives drying on the line. Now it's easier since I filed (with teeny-tiny files) l and V shaped notches in the little plastic flippy thing at the bottom of each negative holder, so the number of each holder is exposed right onto the edge of the negative. Think lll for holder #3, Vlll for holder #8, etc...

Murray

Photo Engineer · Mar 31, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
They have one up already--

http://www.cfaahp.org/content/view/4/13/

That's Daniel Levin in the foreground popping bubbles in the wet albumen with the corner of a strip of paper, and me in the flare on the right, and Dave Wooten in a contemplative mood back on the left.

David, I meant my workshop!

PE

michael9793 · Mar 31, 2008

In the back of one of AA's books I think it is #3 has a copy of his sheets he used for the zone system, lens, filter, and placing your n,n+,n-. it also allows you to record the film holder. Now if you have only so many film holders like I will in Yosemite you might want to get a paper punch and is it to mark your film. 1 punch = N, two punches = N-, three punches = N+. you may ask why not N-, then N, and N+ will most of my films are normal and so the less punches the better. if you are not sure how to punch only use the edge of the film to punch so that would be almost unnoticeable if done right.

MA

Kilgallb · Mar 31, 2008

I use my Canon Digital to snap the scene. Then I use the Audio memo feature to record exposure, filters etc. I also record holder number and development. I then transfer the information to my notebook at the end of th day.

smieglitz · Apr 1, 2008

I stick different-colored self-adhesive paper dots on the holders for different developments, then segregate the films into different boxes or dark envelopes for each treatment.

Joe

Mark Sawyer · Apr 1, 2008

Just plain old post-it notes with the un-sticky edge tucked under the slot where the dark slide goes in. It takes any info I want, (ususally, development time, lens, filter, subject), and if I'm loading different films, I put the post-it note on right after loading with the film type written on it. After processing, I transfer any pertinent info to the negative sleeve, along with the date and, after printing, the contrast paper/filtration needed.

Mark_S · Apr 1, 2008

I do a combination of things. My film holders are all serialized, with notches so that I can tell which film holder each negative came from. I also have preprinted a 3x5 card which has a mini worksheet for calculating exposure and development (takes into account meter readings, bellows factor, filter factor, reciprocity etc). I record all of this on the 3x5 card, and then slip the card into the film holder, with the edge between the darkslide and the bottom lip after exposure. I almost always expose both sides of the holder the same way. Then develop one side, inspect and adjust development for the other side if needed.

After development, I put the two negs, the 3x5 card and a contact print into a 4x negative sheet and make notes about the printing on the back of the contact.

If I am going to be on a longer trip, where I will shoot more film than I have holders, then I keep three film boxes, labelled N-, N and N+, and use the numbering system to reunite the negatives with their 3x5 cards after processing.

Keeping track of your N, N- and N+ exposed sheets

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