closing the loop

I'd taken this photo of Chris at a Krispy Kreme years ago when he wasn't expecting it. I was using an Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80 which was my "go everywhere" camera for a short time until it developed some pretty disturbing light leaks from the front of the camera.

Yesterday Chris posted a cell phone pic on Facebook to show a Beseler 23C II enlarger he found at a local junk shop, marked "$50" and "WORKING".

I drove over, plugged the thing in, and lo and behold it worked. Not only does it work, but it came with a spare bulb. Huzzah!

I spent a little bit of time trying to remember my photography classes from high school, how we used to print back then (1980's) and it worked remarkably better for me this time around. Probably because my chemicals were fresh.

The "dry" side of my darkroom is sitting the Beseler on the toilet seat. I've got a decent enlarger timer and working grain focuser (also salvaged) and an easel that I bought for $1. All of the paper that I have now is also salvage.

The wet side of my darkroom is the bathtub. I'm only making 5x7 enlargements for now because that's as big as my trays will go.

My wife and kids got a big kick out of coming in with me, huddling around over the bathtub and watching the white paper reveal a finished image. I think one of my kids looks at me like a mad scientist or something.