Film Soup for the Soul: A 35mm Guide to Soaking Film
Film photography has been around for centuries, and in today’s digital age it has recently resurfaced as a hot commodity. Everyone seems to be trying to get their hands on an SLR 35mm camera or a single-use disposable to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments. Companies are popping up everywhere with the intention of finding old cameras and repurposing them to be sold. Instagram feeds and Tumblr blogs are overflowing with these developed images. However, a recent discovery has challenged the limitations of film leaving only one question to be answered: are you willing to sacrifice that glass of Cabernet for a wine-soaked roll of digitals?
You may be confused and wondering why you would ever waste a roll of $10 film, or worse, a glass of wine, to possibly end up with a couple cool images. My question for you – why not? Soaking film highlights the characteristics of film photography that make it so unique. The happy accidents that occur during the process make the anticipation of getting your film back even more unbearable. There is a unique beauty that comes from the unknown of each shot you take. Brigette Bloom, an experimental film photographer, has soaked her film in many substances including wine, the washing machine, and even her own urine. She spoke about her most recent project, “Float On,” that features herself walking around the desert she grew up in. “It just felt like it wasn’t [my] secret refuge anymore,” Bloom said. “I knew it was time for me to ‘float on’ and find new places. This series is my way of saying thank you to the desert, and a farewell at the same time.”
Film has a way of telling an unspeakable story that no other art form can capture. It slows you down and forces you to be present in every moment in order to specially curate each shot.
The process of soaking film may seem intimidating at first, but it is far from an exact science. Each photographer has their own process with different ways of going about soaking film. No two exposures will ever be the same, but try following along these simple steps to create your own masterpiece.
Materials:
35mm film camera of your choice
35mm film roll
Container for soaking film
Red wine (or substance of choice)
Rice (optional)
Step 1: Pick your film
Choose your preference of 35mm film that you are going to soak. My go-to is Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 due to its availability, consistency, and lower cost.
Step 2: Soak your film
As a rule of thumb for choosing your soaking material, the more acidic a solution is, the more dramatic the image will develop. The most common substances I have seen used are red wine, urine, tequila, and ramen soup. Simply fill your container with enough liquid to fully submerge the film canister and let it soak for several hours. The amount of time you soak your film is up to your own personal preference. The longer you soak your film, the more dramatic the results will be.
Step 3: Rinse your film
After you have finished soaking your film, rinse the canister off in water. This makes the roll easier to shoot as it will be less sticky and avoids bringing unwanted residue into your camera.
Step 4: Dry your film
Wet film is very sensitive and may cause problems during the developing process. To avoid unwanted issues, dry your film out in a bag of rice for 1-2 days before placing it back into your camera.
Step 5: Run your film
Once your film has been soaked, rinsed, and dried, load it in your camera and wind it through like normal. You may come across a little resistance when advancing the film as the roll may still be sticky from the soaking process. To avoid this inconvenience, you can advance through the roll ahead of time and rewind the film by hand.
Step 6: Shoot your film
Now comes the fun part! Simply shoot your camera like you normally would and follow the traditional steps when unloading and sending off your film for developing. If you aren’t developing your own film, I recommend notifying the lab that your film rolls are soaked prior to mailing them in to be sure they don’t need to make any accommodations during development.
Remember that film is an imperfect process with imperfect results. Take pride in your work and enjoy the blemishes that end up bringing magic out of every image.
Image Courtesy: Bldg 25
Now that you know how, the next time you’re at the store take a look around and get creative with different substances you can use to soak your film. You can even attempt to make your own concoction from items in your kitchen. The opportunities for soaking film are endless. Shoot a roll and see how it turns out. Film photography is all about trial and error and every image has a story worth telling. Don’t be afraid to shoot your shot, literally, and lose yourself in a world of double dipped masterpieces.
Strike Out,
Writer: Ellie Rill
Editor: Giselle Parks and Savannah Tindall
Tallahassee