Topic: Damn Those Light Leaks and Why I like Arista Ortho Litho II Film

[Adam Doe]

Last night I decided to develop the Arista Ortho Litho II sheets that I shot on Crowder's Mountain. I enjoy playing with this stuff as it is super contrasty, extremely affordable (about 20 cents US per sheet if you buy a box of 100), and red-light safe. You can tame some of it by using highly dilute paper developers. I'm still experimenting trying to find a good developer/dilution combo. I've tried Ilford Multigrade, Legacy Pro Select Soft and then last night, some very dilute (I just eyeballed it, I should have measured for reference) Photographer's Formulary Liquidol. I chose Liquidol because it's supposed to have a nice long shelf life, something which the Legacy Pro Select Soft most definitely does not have. Being red light safe I tray develop by inspection, which I find to be more fun than tank developing. Also, the film develops quickly, even in dilute developer, usually in a matter of seconds, so inspection is really the way to go.

I was looking forward to seeing how this shot from one peak of the mountain to the next would look, but there is an obvious light leak that looks as if it was filtered through the material of my backpack, judging by the regular pattern.

Light-Leak-Mountain-Crowders-Arista-Ortho-Litho-II by adoephoto, on Flickr

Here's another Ortho Litho shot from the same batch that came out better.

Crowders Rocks and Leaves by adoephoto, on Flickr

[Francois]

You don't use dark bags and holders?

[Adam Doe]

Francois, Of course I do. I think the leak was in one of my holders, but the holders were in my backpack. Only way I can explain that pattern.

[Francois]

Did you process in a glass plate with the safelight under it?
It could be a pattern that doesn't come from the bag. I'm also thinking of something that was accidentally pressed in the emulsion by accident...

I don't think a darkslide would allow such a pattern to form, even with a bad light leak.

[moominsean]

yeah honestly these look more like developing issues rather than lightleaks. the larger white marks look like something is touching, and the other marks look like uneven developing. i haven't really done a very good job myself developing 4x5 an i get similar "waves" and swish marks on my negs.

[Adam Doe]

Did you process in a glass plate with the safelight under it?
It could be a pattern that doesn't come from the bag. I'm also thinking of something that was accidentally pressed in the emulsion by accident...

I don't think a darkslide would allow such a pattern to form, even with a bad light leak.

No, I process in opaque plastic darkroom trays with a safelight bulb aimed at the ceiling.