# data[].attributes.body
Drexel photo student creates the cover of Time Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
They call it commencement because it's supposed to be a new beginning.

College graduation is one of life's last clean transitions, a final passage from adolescence to adulthood that is predictable in ways other transitions rarely are. Relationships end with breakups or death, jobs often end with quitting or firing, but college is one of the only things in life that ends with a fresh start. Except when it doesn't.

One morning in March, Clavey Robertson took a study break and climbed onto the roof of his dorm at the University of California, Berkeley. He had spent the past year working on his senior thesis on the erosion of the social-safety net since the Great Depression, and he needed to clear his head. In the distance, Robertson could see a tiny white speck: the Diamond Princess cruise ship, carrying crew members infected with COVID-19, lingering in the San Francisco Bay.
Hannah Beier, a photography major in the Drexel University Class of 2020, has been virtually photographing her classmates in quarantine. She directed this series of portraits over FaceTime.
Two months later, Robertson's transition to adulthood is in limbo. He skipped his online commencement and he's living in his childhood bedroom, which had been converted to a guest room. His parents have lost their travel agency work, and his own job prospects have dried up. "No longer am I just a student writing about the Great Depression," he says. "Now there's a depression."

College graduation is often marked by an adjustment period, as students leave the comforts of campus to find their way in the raw wilderness of the job market. But this year's graduates are staggering into a world that is in some ways unrecognizable. More than 90,000 Americans have died; tens of millions are out of work; entire industries have crumbled. The virus and the economic shock waves it unleashed have hammered Americans of all ages. But graduating in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic will have enduring implications on the Class of 2020: for their memories, their earning power, and their view of what it means to have a functional society. For these young adults, the pandemic represents not just a national crisis but also a defining moment.

Even before COVID-19, the Class of 2020 came of age at a time of fear and uncertainty. Born largely in 1997 and 1998-among the oldest of Gen Z-the Class of 2020 were in day care and pre-kindergarten on 9/11. Their childhoods have been punctuated by school -shootings and catastrophic climate change. Their freshman year at college began with President Donald Trump's election; their senior year ended with a paralyzing global health crisis. "We stepped into the world as it was starting to fall apart," says Simone Williams, who graduated from Florida A&M University in an online commencement May 9. "It's caused my generation to have a vastly different perspective than the people just a few years ahead of us or behind us."

Related Stories

Researchers have found that the major events voters experience in early adulthood--roughly between the ages of 14 and 24-tend to define their political attitudes for the rest of their lives. And the Class of 2020's generation was -already disaffected. Only 8% of -Americans -between 18 and 29 believe the government is working as it should be, and fewer than 1 in 5 consider themselves "very patriotic," according to the 2020 Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics survey of young Americans. They are at once widely skeptical of U.S. institutions and insistent on more government solutions; they're disappointed in the current system, but hold out hope for a better one.

For the Class of 2020, COVID-19's lasting impact may be determined by what happens next. If the rising cohort of young workers are left to fend for themselves, mass youth unemployment could lead to permanent disillusionment or widespread despair. A forceful, effective response that invests in the rising generation of American talent could restore their faith in the system.

It's not clear to the Class of 2020 how the pandemic will play out. They just know it will change their lives. "Everything" is at stake, says Yale history major Adrian Rivera. "It's this pivotal moment where we'll never forget what's done," he says. "Or what isn't done."

School is often a refuge from the gusts of history. But the events that rupture the classroom routine, from President Kennedy's assassination to 9/11, tend to be the ones that stick with students forever.

The coronavirus disrupted more class time, for more students, than almost any other event in U.S. history. It started with a scramble: The University of Washington announced on March 6 that it was cancelling in-person classes for its 57,000 students. Then Stanford University followed suit. Over the next few days, campuses from Harvard to the University of Michigan announced they'd be transitioning to online learning. Soon, hundreds of other colleges and universities followed.

By Friday, March 13, an eerie silence fell on campuses across the nation. "Something about that day was really weird, because every time my friends and I would say 'See you later' or 'Catch you after break,' I just had this sinking feeling that I wasn't going to see them," says Vincent Valeriano, a member of Iowa State University's Class of 2020. "Saying goodbye felt like it carried a lot more weight than it used to." He ended up watching his online -graduation -ceremony at home, in his pajamas.

For underclassmen, the shortened semester was an irritating disruption. For seniors, it was a total upheaval. "There's no way for there to be closure," says Sam Nelson, who recently graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri. "I know in real life, closure doesn't exist, but this is one of the last moments for young people to say goodbye to young adulthood and move into the next phase of their lives."

The Class of 2020 hugged their closest friends and mourned their lost semester, but scattered back home without so much as a goodbye to many people they'd lived with for years. Acquaintances who laughed in hallways or shared inside jokes in seminars simply disappeared. Fraternities and sororities canceled their formals and philanthropy events, attempting Zoom happy hours that didn't come close to the real thing. For some couples, casual hookups quickly escalated into long-distance relationships. Others quietly packed up their feelings for college crushes and left without saying a word.

The loss of a milestone like an in-person commencement had a special sting for some families. Arianny Pujols, the first natural-born U.S. citizen in her family and the first to graduate from college, still did her hair and makeup as if she were walking across the stage at Missouri State University. She and her family held a small ceremony in her grandfather's backyard, and then she stood on the sidewalk in her cap and gown waving at cars with a sign that said "Honk, I did it!" Brenda Sanchez, 22, whose parents are immigrants from Mexico, says they will miss both her graduation from Humboldt State University in California and her sister's college graduation the next day. "My parents didn't go to school. They didn't graduate," says Sanchez, who is herself an immigrant and is protected from deportation by President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. "Your heart breaks a little. You did work hard, you did earn this degree, but you're not going to see yourself walk across that stage."

Instead of graduating into their future lives, many Class of 2020 seniors feel like they've gone backward. "We were ready to be in the world as young adults-not good adults, maybe clumsy adults, but some kind of adult," says Ilana Goldberg, who recently graduated from Tufts University in an online ceremony. "We're not in the system anymore, but we're not far enough out of it to have our footing in the world."

Eric Kolarik, who was supposed to be sitting at his University of Michigan commencement ceremony in early May, is instead back home in Traverse City, Mich., raking leaves, helping his mom with the dishes, doing the same chores he did in high school. "I'm 22 but I've assumed the life of 15-year-old Eric again," he says. "You feel like a failure to launch."

If only they knew that a stolen senior spring is the least of their problems. The Class of 2020 is falling through a massive hole in the U.S. social-safety net, into a financial downturn that could define their lives for decades to come.
Graduating seniors have lost on-campus jobs that got them through school. Many haven't been working for long enough to qualify for full unemployment. If they've been listed as dependents on their parents' taxes, they don't get a stimulus check. They haven't had time to build up significant savings.

"I'm not sure they've fully processed what 25% unemployment, disproportionately affecting younger Americans, will actually mean," says John Della Volpe, director of polling at Harvard's Institute of Politics. He recalls that during the last recession, the Class of 2009 scrambled to scoop up opportunities, "like a game of- -musical chairs." The Class of 2020, by contrast, is essentially frozen in place by a pandemic that has trapped much of the nation inside their homes. "There almost are no opportunities in any sector," Della Volpe says. "It's like suspended animation."

More than 1 in 5 employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in April said they were rescinding their summer internship offers. The overall number of postings on the online jobs platform ZipRecruiter have fallen by nearly half since mid-February, while new postings for entry-level positions have plummeted more than 75%, according to ZipRecruiter labor economist Julia Pollak. A year ago, less experienced job seekers were enjoying brisk wage growth and rosy job prospects. Now, Pollak says, "it's particularly hard for new graduates.

Sanchez, who worked two jobs and started her own eyelash-extension business to help pay for school, has applied for more than 70 jobs in recent weeks without success. Williams, who dreams of working in the entertainment industry, had no luck with at least 15 jobs and struck out with fellowships that are no longer taking applicants; now she's cobbling together gig work. Robertson had planned to try to get a job in labor activism; these days, he's considering graduate school instead.

It's not just dream jobs that have disappeared. Historically, many young people take positions in the retail or restaurant industries as they find their path. According to Pew, of the roughly 19 million 16-to-24-year-olds in the labor force, more than 9 million were employed in the service sector. Suddenly, a significant chunk of those jobs have evaporated. In April alone, the leisure and hospitality industry lost 47% of its total workforce, with 7.7 million workers newly unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Which means the economic crisis has hit the youngest harder than any other age group. More than half of Americans under 30 say someone in their household has lost a job or taken a pay cut because of the corona-virus crisis, according to Pew, and the youngest workers are more likely than older generations to say that the pandemic has hurt their finances more than other people.

Graduating into a bad economy can affect everything from future earnings to long-term health and happiness. Researchers have found that beginning a career in the teeth of a recession can depress earnings for 10 years, and trigger broader impacts for decades. One study from UCLA and Northwestern found that the young people who came of age -during the early 1980s recession had higher mortality, and were more likely to get divorced, and less likely to have children. Till von Wachter, a UCLA labor economist who has spent years studying this issue, has a name for these young people who enter the labor force at the worst possible moment: "unlucky graduates."

Rather than brave a job market battered by COVID-19, some in the Class of 2020 are seeking refuge in graduate school. But that presents its own conundrum. As of 2019, nearly 7 in 10 college students graduated with student loans, with an average tab of nearly $30,000. Going to graduate school can mean -taking on even more debt. "I'm having to take out grad loans, but I can't work to pay them off," says Sean Lange, who plans to enroll in a master's program in public policy after graduating from New York's Stony Brook University in an online ceremony in May. He's not even sure he'll get his money's worth for the $18,000 annual tuition. Especially if his classes end up being taught online.

All of this-the forgone memories, the abrupt goodbyes, the lost opportunities-will stay with the Class of 2020 forever. "The coronavirus pandemic is the biggest cultural event since World War II," says Jean Twenge, a psychologist and author of iGen, who studies millennials and Gen Z. "It's going to have a huge impact on -everyone, but young adults in particular."

Even before COVID-19, much of Gen Z was disappointed in the government response to the issues facing their generation. These are the students who joined the March for Our Lives gun-safety movement amid near weekly school shootings, and went on strike over inaction on climate change. They were too young to be swept up in Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, but old enough to gravitate toward Bernie Sanders' message of progressive revolution in the 2016 primary. Those who were old enough to vote overwhelmingly opposed President Trump in that year's general election. They favor student debt reform and universal health care. They are the most -racially diverse generation in U.S. history.

Their skepticism of public institutions is largely fueled by a sense that the government is doing too little, not too much. A study last year by Pew Research Center found that 7 in 10 wanted the government to "do more to solve problems." The divide is generational, not political: more than half of Gen Z Republicans say they want the government to do more. (Less than a third of older Republicans agree.)

Near mandatory use of social media has already contributed to sky-high levels of depression and anxiety among Gen Z, according to Twenge. She analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and found that the number of young adults reporting symptoms of major depression had increased 63% between 2009 and 2017, with a marked turning point around 2012, when smartphone use first became widespread. The pandemic has likely only made them more anxious and disillusioned. Pew found that Americans between 18 and 29 are more likely than older ones to feel depressed during the pandemic, and less hopeful about the future than the senior citizens who are far more vulnerable to the disease caused by the virus.

Which helps explain why young activists view this as a now-or-never moment for their cohort. They know that the pandemic will shape their futures, even if it's not yet clear exactly how. "Either we will end up with a generation that is far more resilient than earlier generations," says Varshini Prakash, a leader of the Gen Z-powered Sunrise Movement, "or it could be a generation that is far more nihilistic, and far less likely to engage in our politics because they've seen the institutions fail them at the times they really needed it." The youngest cohort of Americans "could be traumatized for life," says Robert Reich, a former U.S. Labor Secretary who is now a professor of public policy at University of California, Berkeley. "They could turn economically and socially inward. They could lose faith in all institutions, and they are trending in that direction anyway."

In other countries, like Egypt, Tunisia and Spain, widespread unemployment among educated young people has led to social unrest or radicalization, mostly because of a sense of betrayal. They think, "we thought there was some kind of bargain, a social contract, that if we play by the rules we get a job at the end of all of this," says Heath Prince, a research scientist at University of Texas at Austin. So far youth unemployment in the U.S. is mostly correlated with drug addiction and right-wing extremism, Prince says, and hasn't tipped into the realm of mass uprisings. Then again, -unemployment hasn't been this high in nearly 80 years.

"My generation isn't feeling like they're being spoken to or listened to, and at the same time, a lot of us are becoming economically disenfranchised," says Robertson, the University of California, Berkeley, graduate who studied the New Deal. "I definitely think a lot of us have lost confidence in the government."

The only way to address an unemployment rate reminiscent of the 1930s, according to some scholars, students and activists, is a federal government response that echoes the scale of 1930s reforms. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal included major initiatives to get young Americans back to work. Six days after he took office in 1933, Roosevelt proposed the Civilian Conservation Corps: within four months, the federal government had hired 300,000 young men to plant trees and maintain parks and trails. Three million young people were ultimately employed as part of the program. In 1935, Roosevelt created the National Youth Administration (NYA) as part of the Works Progress Administration, designed to give young Americans work-study and job training. (A young Lyndon B. Johnson got an early political break as an administrator of the NYA program in Texas.) The Americans employed by these New Deal programs grew into the selfless, patriotic army that fought World War II, now known as the "Greatest Generation."

Some Democrats say the COVID-19 pandemic calls for a similar approach. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has called for a "Coronavirus Containment Corps," to expand the public-health workforce and employ an army of contact-tracers to help fight the spread of the virus. (Warren, an admirer of the New Deal, noted the CCC acronym is no coincidence.) Senator Chris Coons (D., Del.) joined with Senator Bill Cassidy (R., La.) to champion a national service bill that would expand Americorps and fund 750,000 jobs to help train new health care workers to fight COVID-19. And proponents of a Green New Deal, like Prakash and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, are working to shape the environmental policy of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Given Republicans' skepticism of big government programs, none of these ideas are likely to make it through Mitch McConnell's Senate or onto President Trump's desk. But the political landscape has already shifted the universe of the possible, with Republicans agreeing to recovery measures-such as sending $1,200 stimulus checks to eligible working Americans-that would have been unthinkable only months ago. And if Democrats reclaim the Senate and the White House, broader reform could be closer than it looks. Young people who are skeptical of government's ability to solve big problems say their faith can be restored. "I have no faith in this Administration and this government," explains Lange, the Stony Brook public-policy student. "But I believe in Big Government."

Eric Kolarik spent his last semester at the University of Michigan working on a paper about the 1918 flu pandemic. Now, with classes canceled and his job search on ice, his copy of The Great Influenza is on his childhood bookshelf, alongside his old high school copies of The Crucible and Of Mice and Men. "There will be a sort of unity that the Class of 2020 has with each other, and it's not fond memories," he says. "People will say, 'You're the Class of 2020,' and everyone will know what that meant."

The pandemic has marked the end of one phase for this unlucky cohort. The recovery could mark the beginning of another.
Cover photograph in collaboration with Melissa Nesta
Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How COVID-19 Will Shape the Class of 2020 For the Rest of Their Lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
They call it commencement because it's supposed to be a new beginning. College graduation is one of life's last clean transitions, a final passage from adolescence to adulthood that is predictable in ways other transitions rarely are.

# data[].attributes.body
Where do NY'ers go to escape if they have no backyards?

# data[].attributes.body
DC political Photojournalist

# data[].attributes.body
Does photographing a moment steal the experience from you? 8min TedTalk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Does photographing a moment steal the experience from you? | Erin Sullivan

# data[].attributes.body
2m. video on local Photographer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Photographer Captures Heartbreak And Hope Of Class Of 2020 With Unique Portraits | TODAY

# data[].attributes.body
#ourgreatindoors travel photog stuck inside!

# data[].attributes.body
under 2 min - great pics!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Baltimore Photographer Captures Impacts Of COVID-19 Through His Camera

# data[].attributes.body
Local guy is shooting all the seniors at NoVa HS

# data[].attributes.body
Former Whitman grad covers the pandemic!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By now, your social life probably looks something like this: Your group chats are ablaze with constant conversation, your screen time has reached an all-time high, and suddenly you're into phone calls. This might be our temporary reality-but that doesn't mean you can't make it a little more exciting.

You've likely already had your first virtual dinner party (or even a virtual happy hour), so for your next online hang, consider adding a competitive twist: Play a game over Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangouts. Consider your Friday night (and Saturday and Sunday and beyond) plans sorted.

Pictionary

With the help of a random word generator , you can easily play Pictionary over Skype or Google Hangouts-just hold up your drawing to the screen. If you have at least four people, it's easy to divide into teams. Another option: On the free app Houseparty , you can start a game of Quick Draw right on your phone, which makes it even easier to get the competition brewing.

On a good night out, karaoke is a great way to make you feel a little more free-spirited and lighthearted. On a night in, we dare say it might be even more powerful. Grab your hairbrush as a stand-in microphone, pull up the karaoke version of your go-to song on YouTube, and sing your heart out-virtual duets are highly encouraged.

You won't be hard-pressed to find a solid list of trivia questions on any given topic with a rudimentary Google search, but it's way more fun to compile your own, especially when you can get as specific as possible. Some ideas to get you started: Name the fake paint color out of four out-there options (we recommend looking to Farrow & Ball for inspiration), guess what an IKEA piece is based on its name alone, and match the pasta shape to its name. Put one person in charge of questions-they'll be your presenter and judge. Have them share their screen over Google Hangouts, and may the biggest nerd win.

If you're a devoted fan of Cards Against Humanity, this online game is perfect for you. In , everyone gets a prompt (for example, "the worst theme for a pinball machine"), to which each player submits an anonymous answer. Once everyone turns in their answer, they can all vote on their favorite to choose the winner. You'll need one person to buy the program on their computer, and then up to eight people can join in from their phones or laptops. The added element of a video call isn't necessary, but it does make it a lot more fun: Have one person present on their screen and get everyone else to join on Google Hangouts or Zoom.

Chips and Guac

This Houseparty activity is most similar to Apples to Apples: It's a word-association game that switches judges each round, so you can tailor your plays based on who you know is reading your cards. You'll need at least three players, and you can get your family involved, too-the app recommends the game for ages 13 and up.

See more stories like this:
Indulge Your Inner Child and Decorate With Pastels
This Simple Curtain Trick Is an Instant Mood Booster
How 9 Creatives Are Making Their Homes Extra-Cozy Right Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Games to Play on Zoom, Because Your Social Life Doesn't Have to Stop

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By now, your social life probably looks something like this: Your group chats are ablaze with constant conversation, your screen time has reached an all-time high, and suddenly you're into phone calls. This might be our temporary reality-but that doesn't mean you can't make it a little more exciting.

# data[].attributes.body
Online classes under 1 hour each!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inspiring presentations from the world's best photographers.

Nikon Live brings you all the excitement, education and inspiration of live photography and videography presentations from some of the world's greatest photographers.

Rewatch recent events.

Introducing the Z 9

Rewatch the worldwide launch event for the Z 9 mirrorless camera, including product tours, feature highlights, behind the scenes footage and panel discussions with top professional photographers and filmmakers.

Watch it Here

Creators Hour on Assignment

Eleven creators. Two amazing new cameras. See what they did, how they did it, and what they thought about taking on their task and being the first to create with the new Z 6II and Z 7II cameras from Nikon. Come see what happens creativity is put to the test.

Watch it Here

Unscripted

Nikon Live: Unscripted brings you casual, off-the-cuff conversations with the top photo and video professionals in the industry. Join us live from Nikon's in-house studio as we talk gear, shooting philosophy and all things photography.

Watch it Here

Wedding & Portrait Photography International

WPPI is the largest show for professional, amateur and emerging wedding and portrait photographers and filmmakers. During the event, Nikon Ambassadors and photographers share tips, advice and techniques for capturing amazing portraits and wedding photographs and videos.

Watch it Here

Consumer Electronics Show

For more than 50 years, CES has been the global stage for innovation in consumer technologies. The Nikon booth at CES hosts live presentations and panel discussions from Nikon Ambassadors and photographers throughout the event covering topics from outdoor adventure to landscape and nature to iconic rock legends and so many more.

Watch it Here

Z 50 Mirrorless Camera Panel Discussion

Learn all about the new Nikon Z 50 mirrorless camera and hear from photographers who have had a chance to use the camera.

Watch it Here

NAB Show

NAB Show is the ultimate event for media, entertainment and technology professionals looking for new and innovative ways to create, manage, deliver and monetize content on any platform. Nikon showcases its groundbreaking technology along with keynotes and panel discussions from Nikon Ambassadors and professional cinematographers and videographers.

Watch it Here

PhotoPlus Expo

PhotoPlus is the largest annual photography event in the US offering classes, workshops and featuring new innovations in camera equipment, tech and software. Nikon's booth at PhotoPlus showcases the latest Nikon mirrorless Z series cameras, DSLRs, Nikkor lenses and outstanding presentations by Nikon Ambassadors and photographers.

Watch it Here

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nikon Live - Photography Live Streams & Videos | Nikon

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nikon Live brings you all the excitement, education and inspiration of live photography and videography presentations from some of the world's greatest photographers. Rewatch the worldwide launch event for the Z 9 mirrorless camera, including product tours, feature highlights, behind the scenes footage and panel discussions with top professional photographers and filmmakers.

# data[].attributes.body
Using found objects

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Stay Home Photoshoot (~ $35 Bedroom Studio)

# data[].attributes.body
How many could you try?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6 Home Photoshoot Ideas for Instagram (#StayHome Challenge)

# data[].attributes.body
Bored? Why not try a photo challenge!  Click below for link...

# data[].attributes.body
A short video produced by Ilford - makers of great black and white film HP5. This video walks you through the process of dodging and burning your prints.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dodge & Burn - ILFORD PHOTO Darkroom Guides

# data[].attributes.headline
William Eggleston: Powerpoint and Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
William Eggleston: Powerpoint and Resources

# data[].attributes.body
Click the link to add the C224 printer. Abuse of this printer will result in loss of tech access for your school account.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Google Cloud Print is a technology that allows you to print over the web from anywhere, including your phone, to any printer.

# data[].attributes.body
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kn71BLAk1OCUgigSjyaplS1JYjEV2NkUKhl93RFHjDo/edit?usp=sharing

# data[].attributes.body
Negatives didn’t come out right?  This article can help you to understand why!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Below are some of the common errors that can occur when processing black and white films. Unfortunately some of these errors can result in the images being lost or partially ruined. By knowing what has caused the errors, you may hopefully prevent any repeat incidents.

Film entirely blank - No visible images or edge signing

A completely blank film with no images and no signing (i.e text in the perforation areas showing product and numbers) - indicates the film has received no development at all.

This type of error usually means a film was initially processed in water or fixer instead of developer.

To help avoid repeat errors, ensure careful preparation is taken in mixing up chemistry. You must also take care with the order in which each of the separate chemistry solutions are positioned, so there is no possibility of confusion in total darkness, when ready to process.

Edge signing is visible but no images show on film

A film that shows no images, but still shows edge signing (i.e text in the perforation areas showing product and numbers) - indicates the film has not been loaded correctly in the camera, and has not advanced to enable any frames to be exposed.

To help avoid repeat errors, take extra care when initially loading the film. If the camera has one, check that the camera rewind lever is turning as the film advances.

Film is black, fogged or partially fogged

A film that is either fully black, or has partial black marks indicates that the film has been fogged. (Exposed to light). Fogging could arise in the following stages:

Loading a film into a camera

When loading a film into a processing tank

Using a bulk length loader

If films are left out in bright light prior and post exposure (i.e if roll films are not sealed tightly and left in bright light).

To help avoid repeat errors:

Ensure films are not stored in bright light.

Make sure all areas where films are loaded into processing tanks, are in total darkness.

If using roll film, seal the film tightly after exposure.

Processed negatives are too dark

Processed exposed negatives that are denser than expected could be caused by too much exposure whilst in the camera. Possible caused a faulty meter or incorrect readings.

It could also be caused by the following development errors:

Development time is too long

The developer is too warm

The developer is made to a high concentration

Too much agitation has been given

To help avoid repeat errors, check that the camera or hand held meters are not faulty. And make sure you read all instructions carefully when mixing up chemistry. Always check processing methods, times and agitation techniques. these are all available on the relevant technical data sheets on our website.

Processed negatives are too light

Processed exposed negatives that are lighter than expected or too light to make acceptable prints could be caused by too little exposure in the camera. Possibly caused by a faulty meter or incorrect readings.

The following development errors can also cause this:

The films hasn't been developed for long enough

The developer is too cold

The developer is over diluted.

Not enough agitation has been given

To help avoid repeat errors, check the camera or hand held meters are not faulty. Also make sure you read all instructions carefully when mixing up chemistry. Always check processing methods, times and agitation techniques. These are all available on the relevant technical data sheets on our website.

Crescent shaped marks

Moon shaped or short straight marks randomly appearing in a processed film, are caused by the film being creased or kinked when it is being handled.

This can occur when loading film onto a spiral for tank processing. This typically happens if a film has been cross-threaded and doesn't load smoothly into the spiral grooves.

Such marks on the negatives will likely show when printed.

To help avoid these marks, take care to slowly load films onto the spiral reels and try not to force the film.
Clear Patches
Clear or stained areas in processed images are usually the result of a film that has been in contact with itself whilst being processed on a spiral.

When the negative is in contact with itself, the area is not getting enough chemistry flow and the development is inhibited. This leads to lighter or even totally clear areas on the negative.

To help avoid such marks, ensure the film is correctly loaded onto the spiral processing reel.

Lighter band along the film edge

A lighter band showing on images on the edge of a processed film indicates insufficient chemistry was in the tank. The area that has been fully submerged in the chemistry will be correctly developed. However, where the volume of developer is too low, this area/strip of the negative will not have received adequate development and will result in a lighter part of the images.

To help avoid such marks, always ensure the developing tank has been filled with enough chemistry to cover the entire film. The amount required is usually indicated by the tank manufacturer.

Cloudy or Milky looking film

If a film has a milky or cloudy appearance after it has been fixed, it indicates a film has not been fixed sufficiently. This could be the result of:

An insufficient level of fixer

Using fixer that is old or exhausted

Fixer that has been over diluted

Some film products require a longer fixing time to others, but typically our ILFORD and Kentmere films will be fully fixed within 2-5 minutes.

If a film is still milky/cloudy - return the film into fixer and check again until its fully cleared. If it does not clear it is likely that the fixer is not effective and needs replacing.

To help avoid this error:

Always use fresh fixer

Ensure there is enough fixer to cover the film

Always check fixation times needed

Check the progress of a films appearance when fixing it before moving on to the wash stage

Surface drying marks

Irregular shaped dull marks or roundish spots on the surface of your film are likely to be drying marks. Caused by droplets of water forming in the film surface during the drying stage these marks are typically seen on the film backing (shiny side). Films washed in hard water areas are more likely to see this problem.

To help prevent drying marks:

Use a wetting agent such as our Ilfotol Wetting Agent.

Squeegee the film after washing

Gently wipe the film with a damp chamois leather cloth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Below are some of the common errors that can occur when processing black and white films. Unfortunately some of these errors can result in the images being lost or partially ruined. By knowing what has caused the errors, you may hopefully prevent any repeat incidents.

# data[].attributes.body
Been printing alot? Try a bulk pack if you're addicted.

# data[].attributes.body
Lose your cassette? Run out of paper?

# data[].attributes.body
download this to google drive for a step by step guide to making a contact sheet

# data[].attributes.headline
Loading film: Automatic ("Digital") Cameras

# data[].attributes.subject
Loading film: Automatic ("Digital") Cameras

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Load and Unload 35mm Film (Manual Cameras)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to unload film from the Canon AE-1 Program (works on AE-1 as well)

# data[].attributes.body
Lost your film cassette? Get one here

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
kalt 35mm cassette for bulk film (plastic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kalt 35mm Cassette For Bulk Film (Plastic, 1 Cassette)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Buy Kalt 35mm Cassette For Bulk Film (Plastic, 1 Cassette) Review Kalt null