There’s something magical about the anticipation of seeing an image appear on your film for the first time. At DarkLab, we believe black & white development is more than just a technical process, it's a ritual. Whether you're a newcomer to the darkroom or looking to refine your technique, here’s our tried-and-tested approach to developing black & white film.
🧪 What You’ll Need
For this guide, we’re using our standard chemistry at DarkLab:
- Developer: Ilford ID-11 (we use it diluted to ratio 1+1)
- Stop Bath: Ilford Ilfostop (dilution ratio 1+19)
- Fixer: Ilford Rapid Fixer (dilution ratio 1+4)
Other essentials: developing tank, thermometer, timer, scissors, film opener, running water and squeegee
🕯️ Step 1: Load Your Film
Loading film takes place in complete darkness. This is because film is sensitive to all light. Use a changing bag or a fully light-proof darkroom and make sure there are no light leaks.
1.Set everything you’ll need in the dark on the bench and try to familiarise yourself with that setup.
2.If it is your first time, first practise with a dummy roll as loading the film can be tricky until you get the hang of it. Practise for a few times until you’re confident enough to do the real thing.
3.Turn off all lights and carefully open the film canister.
4.Unwind it and cut off the leader, I personally hold the leader in between my left index and middle finger and cut it off using the scissors in my right hand.
5.Spool it onto the reel with care.
6.Once you arrive at the end, cut the last piece which is attached (this avoids any adhesives from sticking to the film) and spool the last few of your film. Don’t panic if the last part does not go in, simply place it as close to the reel as possible.
7.Place the reel into your tank and seal it tightly.
Pro tips:
Keep the scissors in your pocket as if they fall in the dark you will never find them (personal experience)
Press against the bench to ensure you are in the correct place in the dark, especially if working in a large darkroom.
🧊 Step 2: Mix the chemicals
For Ilford ID-11 1+1:
- Check the bottom of your tank for chemical capacity. (For one film I use 400ml of chemicals).
- As we are using 1+1 Dilution it is 200ml of concentrate to 200ml of water.
For Ilfostop 1:19
- I normally make a litre of chemical each time as you can use the stop bath and fix for more than 1 film
- 1:19 Dilution when making 1L is 950:50ml.
For Rapid Fixer 1:4
- I normally make a litre of chemical each time as you can use the stop bath and fix for more than 1 film
- 1:4 Dilution when making 1L is 800:200ml
IMPORTANT: All chemicals should be mixed and used at 20°C for standard development.
Step 3: Development
Pour the developer into the tank and start your timer immediately. Agitate gently for the first 30 seconds, then for 10 seconds every 30 seconds.
📌 Typical dev time for Ilford HP5+ at 1+1 is 13 minutes. Adjust according to film, style and push and pull techniques.
📌 For all film development times with push and pull compensation consult the Ilford timesheet: Link here
🛑 Step 4: Stop the Development
Pour out the developer and pour in the stop bath (Ilfostop 1+19).
Leave it in for 30 seconds, agitating for the full 30 seconds. This halts the development process instantly.
🧷 Step 5: Fix It
Next, add the Rapid Fixer (1+4 dilution) and fix for 4 minutes, agitating for the first 30 seconds and then every minute. This step makes the image permanent and safe to expose to light.
💧 Step 6: Wash Your Film
Remove all chemical residue with a thorough wash:
- Rinse under running water (ideally at 20°C) for 15 minutes. (as the fixer mixes with the water is is crucial to have running water)
- Optionally use a final rinse with a wetting agent to reduce water marks.
🌬️ Step 7: Dry and Admire
Hang your film in a dust-free space. Use film clips to prevent curling. Remove water particles by using a film squeegee Avoid touching the emulsion with bare hands, best to invest in some cotton gloves.
Drying takes 2–4 hours unless it is humid, in this case it takes 5. Once dry, cut into strips and store in archival sleeves.
🎞️ What Next?
Now the creative journey continues. Whether you're scanning your negatives or preparing for a darkroom print session, you've done the hard part, you've brought your images to life with your own hands.
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