"Can we keep the stripey ones?"

[rmartin]

[moderators - I do not know if this is the right forum. Please move if not correct.]

Yesterday I finally had the time to get started on my couple dozen postcards for the postcard exchange. It was the afternoon so my girls, 7 and 4, asked if they could help in the darkroom/bathroom. They like running the timers so I agreed. I showed them the joys of watching the emerging image and other such things as well as calling out when it is time to move the paper. As we were cleaning up, my 7 year old asked "Can we keep the stripey ones?". Apparently that was the coolest part to her (yes, I still get a charge out of them too ) They are now putting together an album of the "stripey" test prints.

It was a proud dad moment. They may be among the few that will grow up in this digicam age also knowing about the fun of the darkroom.

[I kept them from touching anything that the chemistry has touched and made them wash up immediately afterwards. Stop dialling DCFS ]

 

[jd callow]

This seems like the right forum to me

 

[dianna]

That's so cool. My 5-year-old likes helping in the darkroom, too. His favorite part is counting off the exposure (I use a metronome) and measuring/pouring the chemicals when I first set up the tray line. Unfortunately he does not like black & white photography, so he shoots with a Polaroid camera...

 

[pentaxuser]

Good for them. If you have it, try them with the Paterson 5 one inch strip tester or similar strip tester, using the same part of the neg for each strip. Great if there are figures/portraits. So you have 5 identical pics of the cat, Mum etc with different exposures and contrasts.

I still like those and I am 61. Hitting computer keys can never be as much fun.

pentaxuser

 

[Vaughn]

What a great experience! My darkroom is not at home, so I have not had the boys in with me as I print, except once to make photograms. They have been on the lens side of the 8x10 many times -- staying still for 30 to 60 seconds under the redwoods. Then seeing themselves up on gallery walls in platinum prints.

Vaughn