----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Williams" <dwilli10@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 6:57 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: OT Contact Printing ... contact
proof printers
The first film I ever developed was done this way. My dad had taken a photogrphy course but never did anything with it. He bought a "darkroom in a box" I am pretty sure Kodak. It had three little trays, a couple of Tri-Chem-Paks a ruby lamp and a couple of film clips. Also a package of Velox. I developed some film, I think 127 from a box camera. It seemed to take forever but I was, I think, 8 so lots of things seemed to take forever. I can still see the film coming up in my memory. That thrill has never faded. Of course, the film was Verichrome, an ortho film, so the red safelight could be used. I later printed the pictures but have no memory of what they were of or even if I took them. I did not get serious about photography until I was about 12, after we had moved to Los Angeles. I think someone gave me a bunch of photography magazines and I nagged until I was able to assemble the stuff necessary. I have been at it ever since and get itchy if I am away too long.I remember an embarrassing moment when I was in grade school,
developing film in a print tray (using the method where you hold the
ends of the roll and let it pass through the chemicals).
Anyhow, I needed a safe light so I went to the local TG&Y store and
bought a little red bulb.
I quickly learned that that bulb was not "safe" in any way, but it
took a few rolls to find out why the film was so hazy. Then I went
to our local photo store (probably a drug store) and got, for more
money a real safe light.
Those were in the days of the Kodak Tri-Chem-Pac, which seemed like
an elegant way to go at the time. The only problem was getting the
powders to dissolve in their respective trays.
I think I still have some of those negatives, probably taken with a
Kodak 620 box camera, later replaced by a camera with a bellows, "a
big time upgrade" for me.
Don Williams La Jolla, CA
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