Photo2

I bet you're feeling very good right now. I remember my first experience in the darkroom in Junior High Print Shop during summer school session. I pleaded with my mom to please let me go to summer school. Class sessions were not the normal 1 hour or 50 minute sessions like normal school year but rather like 3 hours. And I got about 2 hours solid time in the darkroom most days that summer. I was addicted quickly. Then came High School, I went to a private school with minimal resources and many students into photography. I only got one year of Photography but wanted more. Then the next dozen years I would sometimes draw floorplans of my dream houses I wanted to build but never got to. Every house had a huge darkroom, but that never happened. Then the digital age hit. I'm in the industry (software developer). I have digital skills but my heart kept going back to the superior analog techniques. I'm 45 now. A renter. Have a small one bedroom apartment. And last year I finally went and did what I wanted to for over 20 years. I thought I had to have a dedicated darkroom. But I found that I could very easily convert my bathroom as a takedown darkroom. And now, I'm very happy. I don't know why I didn't do this earlier on in my life! But no regrets.. Moving forward here. Well, back to your first darkroom, thanks for sharing your first experiences here with us. I'm excited that you took the plunge. Please share your progress, and even the failures. I've found that there are many many photographers who are very willing to contribute energy in the process of perfecting your craft.

By the way I like the composition of this shot. Is that your son?

Nice work, Donnie! Bring the boys in to make photograms and get them hooked on the darkroom as well!

Yes that is my son. He was waiting for his brother to get home from school, he was lonely. I thought it was a good image for next assingment from Valerie!!!!