by Chuck Baker

Stand development is a film developing technique that utilizes a highly diluted developer and minimal to no agitation over a long period. This method aims to create a compensating effect, where highlights are controlled while shadow details are enhanced. Stand development is my go-to method when processing expired b&w films. I’ve had great success with this method even with expired film as old as the 1920’s!

1. Preparation:

• Load your film: Load your exposed film into a light-tight developing tank in complete darkness. You’ll find detailed film loading instructions here.
• Pre-wash (Optional but Recommended): Fill the tank with water at the same temperature you plan to use for your developer (usually around 20°C or 68°F). Tap the tank to release bubbles and let it stand for 1-2 minutes, sometimes longer for very old films. Then drain the tank. It may be colored because of a anti-halation layer, this is normal. Pre-washing saturates the emulsion helping to ensure even development and reduces the risk of air bubbles.

2. Mixing the Developer:

• Dilution: Stand development requires a very dilute developer solution. Common starting dilutions for popular developers are:
  • Rodinal or Adonal: 1:100 (1 part Rodinal to 100 parts water) for a 1+ hour development is normal. Some photographers prefer a 1:200 for a 2+ hour development..
  • HC-110: Dilutions like 1+119 (Dilution G) or 1+150 (Dilution J) are often used.
• *Minimum Amount – IMPORTANT: Ensure you use the minimum recommended amount of developer concentrate per roll of film. For Rodinal and Adonal it is generally advised to use at least 5ml per roll (35mm or 120). This means that a volume of 500ml is the minimum that can be mixed at 1:100 for any one roll of film. The HC-100 dilution for stand developing is 1:119. Also known as “dilution G”. It is recommended that you use no less than 6ml of the developer for each roll of film. So, for one roll, measure out 6ml of HC-110 and top it up to 720ml with water.
• Temperature: While stand development is less critical regarding temperature fluctuations than conventional developing, it’s still best to aim for the standard 20°C (68°F) if possible. Consistent temperature throughout the long development time is more important than hitting it precisely. When the tank is standing it is advisable to have it stand in a tray of 20°C (68°F).

3. Development:

• Pour Developer: After pre-wash, carefully pour the diluted developer into the tank. Read the bottom of the tank to assure you are using enough, or more, developer for the films being developed.
• Initial Agitation: Agitate gently for the first 30-60 seconds. This can be done by inverting the tank a few times. Tap the tank to dislodge air bubbles before starting the stand process.
• Stand Time: Let the tank stand undisturbed in a 20°C (68°F) water filled tray for a long period 1/2 of the full development time being used. Typical stand time is 60+ minutes, with some preferring up to 2+ hours, depending on the developer and dilution. Example: At 30 minutes for a 60 minute development, 2-3 gentle inversions with a final tap to dislodge any air bubbles will help prevent bromide drag. The tank is then placed back into the temperate water tray for the remainder of the development process.
• No Further Agitation: Avoid any further agitation during the remaining stand time.

4. Stop Bath (Optional): You’ll find detailed instructions for post developing here.

• After the development time, carefully pour out the developer. This is a one-shot process and cannot be reused.
• You can use a water stop bath by rinsing the film with water a couple of times. Some argue, myself being one of them, that with such high dilutions and long times, an acidic stop bath isn’t strictly necessary. However, others insist that a proper stop bath will immediately halt the development process and is generally good practice. Whichever you choose, water stop by rinsing or agitate the stop bath for 1 minute.

5. Fixer:

• Pour in your fixer solution according to the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution and time. Typically, agitation is required during fixing (e.g., continuous for the first minute, then a few inversions every minute for the remaining time).

6. Washing:

1. Purpose: Proper washing removes all traces of fixer from the film emulsion and makes the film “archival”. When not properly washed, residual fixer will degrade the image over time causing staining and fading.
2. Method 1 – Ilford Archival Wash Sequence: If your tank setup allows, you can insert a hose into the center column and wash with a slow, gentle flow of running 20°C/68°F water for 10-20 minutes.
3. Method 2 – Ilford Archival Wash Sequence:
   • Fill the tank with clean water at approximately the same temperature as the chemicals.
   • Invert the tank 5 times. Drain.
   • Refill the tank. Invert 10 times. Drain.
   • Refill the tank. Invert 20 times. Drain.
4. Hypo Clearing Agent – Optional: Using a hypo clearing agent like Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent or Ilford Washaid between the fixer and the final wash can significantly reduce wash times and improve archival permanence. *Follow the product instructions. An example is washing using the running water method for 5 minutes, clearing agent for 1-2 minutes and final wash for 5 more minutes.

7. Final Rinse and Drying:

• Purpose: Using a wetting agent, such as Adox Adoflo or Kodak Photo-Flo, prevents drying marks and water spots by reducing the surface tension of the water, allowing it to flow off the film smoothly during drying.
• Mix: Prepare a solution of wetting agent according to instructions or use just a few drops in a tank full of water. Using distilled or deionized water for this step is recommended if you have hard tap water.
• Rinse: Pour out the final wash water and pour in the wetting agent solution or add a few drops of the wetting agent to the final wash water in the tank .
• Agitate Gently: Slowly rotate the reel(s) in the solution for about 30-60 seconds. Avoid vigorous agitation, which creates excessive foam/bubbles that can leave marks.
• Drain: Carefully pour out the wetting agent solution. Do NOT rinse the film after this step.
• Remove the Film from the Reels: Carefully open the tank and remove the reel(s). The reels snap apart, when twisted, into 2 ends allowing the film to easily be removed. I suggest practicing snapping the reels apart before starting the development process. Remove the film but be gentle, the emulsion is soft and easily scratched when wet.
• Hang Film: Attach one film clip to the top end of the film strip. Attach another clip to the bottom end to act as a weight, keeping the film straight and preventing curling.
• Location: Hang the film in a clean, dust-free area where it won’t be disturbed. A bathroom after running a hot shower to settle dust often works well. Avoid dusty rooms or areas with lots of air movement.
• Time: Let the film hang until completely dry. This can take 2-4 hours or longer, depending on humidity. Resist the temptation to touch the emulsion side while it’s drying. Do not use excessive heat (like a hairdryer) unless using a dedicated film dryer, as it can damage the film or even increase the image graininess.
• Inspect: Once dry, you can handle the film carefully by the edges. Hold it up to the light or even better to use a light box to admire your negatives!

Tips and Considerations:

• Developer Choice: Rodinal, Adonal and HC-110 are popular choices for stand development due to their characteristics at high dilutions.
• Contrast: Stand development tends to produce negatives with lower contrast and enhanced shadow detail. You may need to adjust your scanning or printing process to achieve the desired contrast in your final image.
• Grain: Depending on the film and developer, grain might be more noticeable with stand development, especially with faster films.
• Bromide Drag: This can appear as streaks of uneven development, often originating from the sprocket holes on 35mm film. Gentle agitation halfway through development can help mitigate this.
• Halo Effects: In high-contrast scenes, stand development can sometimes lead to slight halo effects around bright areas.
• Experimentation: Stand development can yield varied results depending on the film, developer, dilution, and stand time. Experimentation is key to finding what works best for your needs.
• Minimum Developer Amount: Always adhere to the minimum recommended amount of developer concentrate to ensure proper development. Insufficient developer can lead to underdeveloped negatives.

I always use a Rodinal stand development with expired films and not so old to extremely old films that storage conditions are unknown. Because contrast is diminished, I do not stand develop newer fresh films opting instead to do active development for better contrast and midtones. Stand development can be a forgiving and convenient method, especially for developing rolls with varying exposures or when precise timing and agitation are difficult. However, be aware of its potential effects on contrast and grain, and be prepared to experiment to fine-tune your process.