Darkroom Motivation

David Brown · May 20, 2006

My favorite photographer, Brett Weston, is allegedly to have once said that darkroom work is drudgery. I couldn't agree more. However, I have half a dozen prints due soon for a print exchange. However:

blansky said:
The funny thing is, if your force yourself, you'll probably end up having to do it over anyway.

So I didn't want to hurry.

On the other hand, they're due in a week.

Guess I'm more motivated than a week ago.

SteveH · May 20, 2006

cdholden said:
Get an empty light-tight box of sheet film and put your undeveloped film in there to free up the holders to answer your call of the wild. Once you get that call of the darkroom, the box of film will be waiting.

Chris
(making my first attempt at home developing this weekend!)

Chris,
I have done this before...Using three boxes (n-1, n, n+1). However, I usually like to keep the momentum going, and develop within 24hrs of my exposure. This is also helpful because if I didn't get the shot I wanted, I can go back while the environmental conditions are still the same and reshoot. Its just that this time...well.....hehe....
Good luck with your first time !

rbarker · May 20, 2006

SteeeeVEN! This is your mother. Get in that darkroom right now and do your work, before I spank you in front of your APUG friends!

leeturner · May 21, 2006

Ome of my motivations is the APUG exchange programs. I hate missing deadlines so the postcard exchange and now the group print exchange is making me go in the darkroom. It's a bit like going to the gym. It's hard to get motivated sometimes but once you're there you start to enjoy it.

OTOH I agree with Blansky that if you walk in the darkroom and think "I can't be arsed" then it's better to leave it. For most of us it's a hobby and should be enjoyable rather than a drudge.

Ian Grant · May 21, 2006

colrehogan said:
Gee, I don't feel so bad now. I only have 11 rolls of b/w to do and 4 sheets each of 8x10 & 5x12. I better get going soon, I got my 5x12 shipment of film from Ilford today!

See someone else has the same problems

Just realised I have a load of 10x8's to do, thought it was just the four in dark-slides then found a box of 20+, and a missing roll of 120 ! A third of the way into the 10x8's as I write this. Back to work . . .

Ian

Stan160 · May 21, 2006

My motivation comes from the fact that I've never created prints using an enlarger before. After a recent shopping spree on that auction site, I've got everything set up, a copy of Ilfords "Making your first black and white print", and two rolls of negatives. I'm just about to start once I've had lunch.

Wish me luck!

Ian

SteveH · May 21, 2006

rbarker said:
SteeeeVEN! This is your mother. Get in that darkroom right now and do your work, before I spank you in front of your APUG friends!

HAHAHAHAHAHA
I think many APUG'ers would rather enjoy that sight to be honest with you.....

Ian Grant · May 21, 2006

Good for you. A few hours after you posted I should ask how you got on ?

I've been using film for over 40 years, and printing my own negs, the buzz and highs you get from producing great negs and prints is amazing way above anything else . . . .

And thats speaking of today when I remembered all the images I'd made last September but not seen. Now all processed and the first printed !

Learning to print is a steep learning curve, don't be afraid to ask for help & advice.

Ian

Stan160 · May 22, 2006

Ian Grant said:
Good for you. A few hours after you posted I should ask how you got on ?

I've been using film for over 40 years, and printing my own negs, the buzz and highs you get from producing great negs and prints is amazing way above anything else . . . .

And thats speaking of today when I remembered all the images I'd made last September but not seen. Now all processed and the first printed !

Learning to print is a steep learning curve, don't be afraid to ask for help & advice.

Ian

It was a fun afternoon! I made about 20 prints in total, at this stage just trying to experiment and record what I did to learn from it rather than concentrate on getting one or two images to perfection. To my surprise 3 prints turned out very well. I'm really pleased with them, although no doubt my opinion of what constitutes a good result will change as I gain experience ;-)

I will have many questions, this evening is going to be a bit of a post-mortem comparing prints and notes so I can work out what I need to learn more about.

Ian

colrehogan · May 22, 2006

Ian Grant said:
See someone else has the same problems

Just realised I have a load of 10x8's to do, thought it was just the four in dark-slides then found a box of 20+, and a missing roll of 120 ! A third of the way into the 10x8's as I write this. Back to work . . .

Ian

Yup! I did finish the 8x10 b/w and the 5x12's this weekend. I am determined that I will take the 8x10 E6 to the lab today along with a bunch of color stuff that has been waiting for a while to be developed for some reason. I will be needing my 8x10 holders in the next few weeks for a workshop, so now is the time to get it done.

I even managed to make a couple of prints last night.

Black Dog · May 22, 2006

I love the smell of selenium in the morning

Haven't made any prints for.....WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY too long. New darkroom being built and I'd rather have a good session in there than a month in a sunkissed tropical paradise with Cameron Diaz

.......How soon is now?

Darkroom Motivation

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency