To use double sided tape, stick a piece of tape to a strip of unexposed film, and roll it into the canister. Then, pull it out slowly to remove the lead of the film from the canister. [3] X Research source The film extractor is fairly simple to use. In most cases, the instructions for use are usually printed on the extractor and involve grasping the end of the lead with the extractor. The film canister opener acts as a bottle opener to pop off one end of the film canister. Only open the canister in total darkness, or the film will become ruined!

When you’re cutting, make sure you don’t cut too far into the first frame. This can damage the first picture on the reel!

If you’re using a dark bag, follow the directions for the bag carefully to make sure no light gets into the bag. In that case, you don’t have to worry about turning off the lights, but you can still do so to ensure that your film doesn’t get ruined in case of an accident. You shouldn’t be able to see even a sliver of light. Keep your phone out of the room so the screen’s brightness doesn’t affect the images. [5] X Expert Source Or GozalPhotographer Expert Interview. 20 March 2019.

Ensure you only touch the film by the edges during this otherwise you can scratch your negatives. If this is your first time loading film, you may want to sacrifice a blank roll of film to practice in the light. Learning the mechanism for securing the film can be tricky, but a trial run can help.

Depending on the type of tank you’re using, you may need to push the reel onto the tank with a bit of force. In some cases, it will snap into place.

Line up the developer, stop bath, and fixer in that order to make sure they’re ready for when you need them.

If you’re diluting your developer, you can use hot or cold water to the adjust the temperature as necessary, which tends to be the faster of the 2 methods. However, if your chemicals are premixed, a water bath is the best way to change the temperature. All of the chemicals should be around the same temperature to prevent a sudden temperature change, which can shock the film and ruin the images.

The more you shake the tank, the better the contrast of the image. If you want an image with less contrast, try shaking the tank for 15 seconds every 2 minutes.

The stop bath isn’t as time sensitive, so you can leave it in for additional time if necessary. Use this time to prepare your fixing solution if you haven’t already. Depending on the type of developer that you’re using, you may be able to pour it into a bottle for future use.

Most fixers are reusable, so you can pour the fixer into its original bottle for future use once the appropriate amount of time has elapsed.

Try to invert the tank at least 10-20 times during each rinse to ensure that the water coats all of the film.

If you notice that the negatives on the strip are a pink or purple shade, they’re slightly underfixed. Place them back into the tank and pour fixer into the tank, repeating the fixing and rinsing process until they’re a lighter shade.

If you have a shorter roll of film, you may not need to cut it at all.

Let the film hang until it’s completely dry, and flatten the strips between the pages of a book if necessary. Alternatively, you can hang the strips from a string tied between 2 pieces of furniture to dry. Just be sure that the area is relatively free from dust and pet hair.

Scanning is a popular and easy option for most new photographers. With a bit of practice and equipment, you can scan images that are suitable for small prints and sharing on the Internet.