Playing the Waiting Game?

[BradleyK]

In a post several weeks back, in which I raised the issue of seasonality and its effect on one's shooting, I made mention of the fact that I have been, for several years past, in the habit of allowing my darkroom "work" to accumulate throughout the year, and leaving the bulk of my film development and printing for the winter months. I am curious about how many here do the same and for what reasons. I can think of several off the top of my head, but I am certain others have their reasons for not processing and printing their work immediately after shooting. Some possible reasons:

1. Here on the Left Coast (the Southwest Canadian portion anyway), winter (aka the "Rainy Season" can be charitably described as inclement: cloudy, overcast days - in my experience - are well used by a retreat to the darkroom (in my case, this applies to my black and white work only - I out-lab my colour transparency processing);

2. Several photographers that I have broached the issue with, argue for the need for objectivity. To a number of folks, one benefits by distancing oneself from the shoot in order to gain a measure of objectivity vis-a-vis the merits of the photograph. The assumption here, if I am reading this correctly, is that a difficult shot (defining "difficulty" as in emotionally or physically draining) may unduly influence one's evaluation of a particular work/shoot;

3. The issue of time constraints: for some, leisure time may be a bit constrained at times due to work and family pressures;

4. A few souls have even confessed to not particularly liking darkroom work and postpone the inevitable until the last possible moment!

Other "excuses," rationalizations, etc., for the delay in processing/printing of your work?

 

[Tom1956]

That's why I switched to 8x10. I can shoot 1 or 2 negatives or so and have them contact printed before the day is out, while the excitement is still fresh. Something about a backlog of unprinted negatives turns to work i put off till...never.

 

[johnielvis]

Same here--for immediate gratification, try shooting big transparencies..no waiting even for printing--see them immediately--and no going back to correct things to get the perfect print--you get what you get and you better be satisfied with it.

although, you can go back and bleach to lighten something that's too dark--or intensify if the other way around.

 

[gone]

I have the same trouble Tom has. Putting off printing is just too easy. I DO recommend developing your negs ASAP though. It's important to know if you have any issues before going on to other rolls of film, and my photography improved quite a bit once I started developing right away, vs waiting till I had a lot of rolls to do. I'm quite jealous of you 8x10 shooters. Getting a nice print the same day sounds like a lot of fun! Getting an 8x10 camera somewhere on my bike or the bus won't work though.