| Photography Forum: Darkroom Techniques Forum: |
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Q. Home darkroom -- newbie question
Asked by Dan Strunk
(K=0) on 6/25/2002
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I've just set up my first b&w darkroom. I've printed photographs before, but this is the first time I've set up my own chemicals, and I think I've done something wrong:
My print looks fine in the developer, but when I transfer it to the fixer, it fades almost immediately. Any suggestions as to what I've screwed up?
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Koen B
(K=3279) - Comment Date 6/26/2002
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Dan, are you sure you used the stop bath before the fixer ? I do not know if this can cause the problem, but the correct order is develop, stop, fix, wash, dry.
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David Goldfarb
(K=7611) - Comment Date 6/26/2002
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That's really strange. Even if you didn't use a stop or a plain water rinse between the developer and fixer, the fixer shouldn't destroy your image.
Are you diluting the fixer to the working dilution, and not using the stock solution? What kind of fixer are you using?
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Richard E. Ray
(K=45) - Comment Date 6/26/2002
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Curiosity question: are prints "fading" to white or to black? If white, I vote for concentrated, undiluted fixer, although I've occasionally used more concentrated - though diluted - film fixer for prints. If they're fading to black, are you rushing things and turning on the white lights too soon to see what you've done, thereby re-exposing the silver in your prints to that white light before the fixer's done its job?
Hope that helps. Let us all know what you find. rr
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Michael John Banks
(K=2092) - Comment Date 10/26/2002
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Check that you are not using a liquid rapid fixer at full strength. It must be diluted, usually about 10 to 1. Ammonium thiocyanate is a good reducer when used at full strength!
Mike
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