A contact sheet of my developed negatives Not all of my negatives came out well but I took the opportunity to make contact sheets so I could have a convenient way of viewing them and deciding which to develop. It’ll also help me assess my process and make choices for the next set.
Looking at them on the contact sheet, they’re quite dark over all. This indicates that I could have overexposed them while photographing, or I may have over-developed the negatives. To correct this I could try using a lower ISO film, changing the aperture and shutter speed settings, or adjusting my developing technique.
Loading negatives into the contact sheet frame
The frame is ready to be exposed Making the contact sheets is simple. Separate the negatives into strips of about 6 frames. You can lay the negatives out directly on photo paper or use a contact sheet frame like the one above. I made a quick test strip to estimate the exposure time needed before exposing a full page. It can then be developed in the usual way.
I made a quick test strip of the negatives in order to avoid photo paper wastage
You can hang your sheets to dry but I used a drying rack due to time restraints
I intend to continue making contact sheets for my next batch of negatives because it is a useful way of cataloguing the negatives and being able to view them all together. It also gives an opportunity to assess my photographic and development techniques in order to continually improve in my practice.