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  #1  
Old 8th June 2014, 09:40 AM
paulmac paulmac is offline
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Default Closing eyes when loading film!!

I wondered if any of you close your eyes when loading film in a darkroom.

I always do and it seems a bit of an odd thing but it just seems more "right" than leaving them open even though it's totally dark.

The late and much missed Victor Blackman used to relate one of his many stories about a press photographer colleague who came in from a rush job and went straight into the darkroom with his film and proceeded to load the film without turning off the lights but with his usual habit of closing his eyes and realised to his horror what he'd done when he tried to turn the lights back on!!
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Old 8th June 2014, 10:13 AM
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Yep, as daft as it sounds, I close my eyes too!
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Old 8th June 2014, 10:15 AM
paulc paulc is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paulmac View Post
I wondered if any of you close your eyes when loading film in a darkroom.
Not me. I like to see what I'm doing

When I load/unload film, it is usually done inside a changing tent so it doesn't matter if the lights are on.
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Old 8th June 2014, 10:41 AM
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When you close your eyes, your fingers are more sensitive...

Strange, but true... think about it
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Old 8th June 2014, 10:59 AM
Michael Michael is offline
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I load film with a tent - and certainly I often find I'm sitting there with my eyes shut (especially at moments when I need to concentrate). Thank you for this thread: it's one of those that make this forum so illuminating!
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Old 8th June 2014, 11:39 AM
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David Lingham David Lingham is offline
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I've often wondered if I'm the only person to do this, yesterday I processed three rolls of film each time sitting with my eyes shut twiddling the spiral. I feel normal now.
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Old 8th June 2014, 01:30 PM
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I have on occasion loaded my film into the tank, opened my eyes to discover that I had forgotten to unplug an extension cable with a little red indicator in the socket unit glowing away. I have being lucky that my back is usually facing this socket.
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Old 8th June 2014, 02:11 PM
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I used to work 'eyes closed' when in the dark. I think it comes in part from the early days of practice loading the tank with scrap film in daylight, eyes closed of course. Also I suspect our brain associates total dark with 'eyes shut'.
Since I started tray processing sheet film I've got over the habit. From start to finish I might be in the black for twenty minutes or more. Too long to keep your eyes shut! Now I'm happily eyes-open in the dark.
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Old 8th June 2014, 02:48 PM
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this is a question often asked.

I think the reason is that if you are trying to see in your mind's eye what is happening inside the bag, then clsoing your eyes makes that easier since your mind is not being confused by what you are actually seeing.
But if you have trained to do it by feel alone without trying to visualise it, then closing your eyes makes no difference.

I'm sure cognitive behaviouralists would have something to say about it.
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Old 8th June 2014, 05:34 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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I never close my eyes but it can be disconcerting. Sometimes when a film have been difficult to load and has taken 10 mins, I end up with the irrational feeling that I can begin to see vague shadows and then think everything has been ruined.

The wife will never allow me to take cyanide into the darkroom for this very reason.

Actually I am never allowed cyanide when I watch Scotland play football either.

Mike
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