When was the last time you screwed up ...

[paladin1420]

Recently I had forgotten to remove the yellow filter from my lens so I was metering all wrong. And I was shooting color instead of bleach and white. That's

 

[paladin1420]

Recently I had forgotten to remove the yellow filter from my lens so I was metering all wrong. And I was shooting color instead of bleach and white. That's

two screwups at once.

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

I just spent about three minutes printing a base exposure, holding back one area and then burning in another area. I went to pull the paper out of the easel and there wasn't any paper there.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I just spent about three minutes printing a base exposure, holding back one area and then burning in another area. I went to pull the paper out of the easel and there wasn't any paper there.

Kevin, look at the money you just saved.

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Kevin, look at the money you just saved.

Money saved and practice gained. It's all good.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

After that the kids insisted on flashing both sides. They made some beautiful images, using a technique they had invented themselves.

Sometimes, I get too wrapped up into technique because I have years of experience. A lot of experience in screw ups too. But kids have non of that and have a true Zen Beginner's mind.

 

[Sirius Glass]

If I want the opportunity to make mistakes, I shoot 4"x5" because there are no safety interlocks and so many inventive ways to screw up.

 

[Moopheus]

Not quite a major disaster, but annoying nonetheless. I was on vacation in London last month with my Hasselblad and one of the rolls I shot is ruined because I stupidly loaded it upside down (i.e, so the paper faces the lens). It wasn't even the only issue I had (the weather was terrible and grey the whole time we were there). On the plus side, I got a deal on another back because of the favorable exchange rate.

 

[cliveh]

I can't even remember when I last screwed up. But when you keep things simple, same camera, same lens, same film, same film developer, same process technique, why should you ever screw up. However, I may screw up on composition and timing.

 

[Helinophoto]

Decided to use my Brita filter can for a 35mm film, to avoid muck and specks.

Seems like the filter is old/ruined, because the roll was full of crap, even too much to spot on scans.

Total shambles.

(The filter is now in the garbage with the film)

 

[Eric Rose]

When have a screwed up? Yesterday, today and probably tomorrow. Photographically the last major screwup was when I went out to photograph a major bridge in Calgary at night. It was freezing cold and the fog was super moody so I packed up the Blad and a couple of rolls of film. The evening went on well, took some great shots and finally got to the end of the roll. The counter on the back had said 2 when I started but when I popped the back open it was empty. Decided it must be an omen and went home.

 

[NedL]

About 20 minutes ago. I was washing a salt print and poured in some spent fixer instead of distilled water. I realized my mistake at once, poured it out, and extended the wash, but it did cause some additional fogging.

Interestingly:
The spent fixer wasn't old and contained a combination of used sodium thiosulfate, gold chloride, borax and ammonium thiocyanate. The gold toners weren't used up, so it was almost sel d'or. When I did go to tone the print, it toned faster than usual, and more burgundy at first.

This print was doomed from the start because the paper had to sit for more than 24 hours before I could start printing, but this mistake lost the highlights, that still looked pretty nice before it happened.

 

[NedL]

Oh, and the last time I used my N2020 ( which I don't use as often as other cameras ), the sun was setting and the geese were flying and the film ran out. In a hurry, I pressed the wrong button before starting to rewind, and the film ripped out of the cassette. I'm going to have to spool it into another cassette in a changing bag and soon before MSA ends!

 

[wahiba]

Today - Wednesday. I developed three films, 2x120 and 1x135 all taken using different cameras and three different processing tanks. Each film a different make. However I used the same Ilfosol developer, Ilford fixer and stop bath. I now have three totally clear pieces of acetate that will make use ful full size test pieces. There is nothing on any, No sign of any processing or chemistry having taken place. Stripped clean.

I suspec the rather out of date Ilfosol developer. back to rodinal which I know lasts forever.

 

[OptiKen]

A family death sent me out of state to southern Illinois for the past week and I naturally selectively chose what photo gear to take with me, being careful to check out the ancient equipment before leaving.

After pulling the batteries out of my Pentax Auto 110 and putting new ones into the holder, I loaded it with a cartridge of Orca film. When I took the camera out at my destination to use it, I discovered that I forgot to reinsert the battery holder. Useless camera for that trip.

I haven't used a folder for a while so I wanted to do some 6x6 shots and took my Hapo-66e - a camera that has given very sharp, nice shots in the past. When I went to use the camera, I discovered that the rangefinder has been knocked out of alignment to the point of being useless. I shot one roll guessing at distances after I found that 3 meters on the rangefinder could be anything from 8 ft to infinity.

On a better note, my OM2-S worked flawlessly.

 

[Harry Stevens]

Me screw up.............. never!

 

[Helios 1984]

I did not screwed, my Kodak VR35 did! The rewind ran but failed to rewind the film back in the cassette and I opened the door... The camera is toasted now, the advance run none stop each time I press the shutter : / Brand new out of the box, good job Kodak. I hope I'll be able to salvage a few shots (*sigh)

 

[MattKing]

Brand new

Brand new??
At least 23 years old, because they stopped making them in 1993.

 

[Helios 1984]

Brand new??
At least 23 years old, because they stopped making them in 1993.

Well this one was brand new when I bought it last summer, the kodak batteries and the free roll were still in the box. I opened it out of curiosity, the rewind spur gear is eaten. Another one for the electronic recycling bin.

note: This one was from 1986

 

[MattKing]

I think you must use "brand new" in the same way as I use "old but never been used".
But I am sorry that it wasn't working.

 

[Helios 1984]

I think you must use "brand new" in the same way as I use "old but never been used".
But I am sorry that it wasn't working.

I got 40 shots out of the roll and the rewind stopped working at frame 30. I'll drop the roll at the lab next week and see what else can be salvaged.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Got my prints back from shooting the Retina IIa. One series of closeup indoor shots was screwed up because I made the rookie mistake of ignoring parallax at close distances.

 

[NJH]

Developed my first roll of Delta 400 last week. Late at night, tired and not gripping the dried film firmly enough (wearing cotton gloves) it slipped through my hands, crumpled in a couple of places and caught the scissors I was holding in my right hand to cut it into strips. Result after inspecting the strips is even after being sat under some weight for a week there are some crumple marks in the film, and a nice hairline scratch down 3 frames, bugger. Learned my lesson now I am cutting film sat down at the dining room table, with the film sat on several glassine bags. I really like Delta 400 tones btw but maybe its Ilford compared to Fuji or Kodak but it seems to be a really slippery film.

Going back a few months I learned a similar but opposite handling tip with Acros developed in Rodinal, you have to leave it to dry and harden up without any touching for a good hour or more and be really gentle with it when wet or damp. I took one of my first of those films which seemed nice and dry after about 40 min down to cut up. The places at each end where I was holding the film have nice marks embedded in them from my gloved fingers, basically the pattern of the weave of the cotton. That film is really soft but seems to be OK to handle once left for a good hour or more.

 

[TattyJJ]

I bought a bunch of expired film, including some Tmax-100. Before taking it on holiday i wanted to take some test shots to check the condition of the film.
Took about 10 shots, then removed and cut the film in the darkroom to develop it. All good so far and negatives came out perfect.
While on holiday i loaded the remainder into my camera, took a load of pics, then got confused when i wasn't running out of film when i was expecting to. Then i discovered the film hadn't caught properly and wasn't winding on!

I will only be making that mistake once!

 

[M Carter]

Testing film and dev combos. Bizarre uneven development from start to end of roll. Realized the reel had floated up in the big tank. Ack. I do have little pieces of 3/4 PVC cut to hold the rolls down, whether 35 or 120. Didn't bother with it this time. Lesson learned.

Took my Minolta RF on a trip. Half the time I'd take a shot and realize the lens cap was on (SLR guy, what can i say). Well, the shutter's also finally stuck in that one, after two teardowns and cleanings, I think it's officially decor now.