When I was a kid, I wanted a photo developer kit. I wanted to develop film myself and make my own pictures. I wanted it so very badly. I dropped hints that would have crushed an elephant. Christmas came and my little brother got a photo developer kit. I probably got something considered more gender appropriate. I don’t remember what I did get, only what it was that I didn’t.
Fortunately my brother is a sharer and together we developed film in the black container, wrapping it carefully into a loose spiral. I can almost smell the chemicals now. Then we made prints in the darkest place we could find, the big pantry in the middle of the house.
Chemically damaged photo c1951
Our negatives didn’t always turn out so well so we tried making pictures from some of Dad’s negatives. Bad move! On several counts! The kit was definitely not professional grade and we were pretty messy. I think in making the print here, we destroyed the negative as well which is a great shame as it is us as little tykes under the big pine tree that was beside our house. It is the only one of its kind, no other copy has survived which makes our destruction all the more lamentable.
But for all its smudges and chemical smears, I do love this photo and I have no intention of attempting any restoration or repairs. It is of two kids who were best mates and still are to this day. It is also about the shared fun we had when let loose with chemicals. And, yes, about the punishment we shared over the damage we caused. It was definitely the last time we went near Dad’s negatives.
Kinship Matters 