A changing bag is a photographic bag specifically designed to be light-proof and therefore to protect the light sensitive (unexposed) film before intended use. A changing bag is made of light proof material, and usually is composed of synthetic fibre. They are convenient to use when a

darkroom A darkroom is used to process photographic film, make Photographic printing, prints and carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light-sensitive photographic materials, including ...

is not available, as when in the field. Many photographers do not own or have access to a darkroom, yet still need to being able to protect film from light, as when removing

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

from its canister to put it into a developing tank, or loading and unloading sheet film holders. They are also commonly found on the set of a

, where the

clapper loader A clapper loader or second assistant camera (2nd AC) is part of a film crew whose main functions are that of loading the raw film stock into camera magazines, operating the clapperboard (slate) at the beginning of each take, marking the actors as ...

may need one if shooting on location or far away from a darkroom.

Usage

A changing bag is routinely used by amateur photographers and others when a darkroom is not available as is often the case in field shooting. It is also used in commercial photo processing labs, often to change

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, Textile, rags, poaceae, grasses, Feces#Other uses, herbivore dung, or other vegetable sources in water. Once the water is dra ...

Description

A changing bag has two sleeves at one end for both the user's arms, and a zipper (often more than one, for double layered changing bags) to insert the tools and film needed. There are several sizes available, from smaller ones for many still photography applications to larger bags used in large-format still photography or film making, which may need to hold both a

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

and a can of

film stock Film stock is an analog medium that is used for recording motion pictures or animation. It is recorded on by a movie camera, developed, edited, and projected onto a screen using a movie projector. It is a strip or sheet of transparent pl ...

which each have a 1000-foot capacity. Larger changing bag sizes are also available as "changing tents", where the top of the bag can be held in a dome-like configuration through the use of two curved rods.

References

Photography equipment Bags {{Photo-stub