Darkroom portraits

[fotch]

Hey gustavlrssn, looks nice and cozy.

 

[John W]

It's put together with the Simpson strong tie connectors.

Now those are brilliant! I picked up a massive dry mount press for a song a little while back, but have been dithering on how to build the equally massive print finishing workbench required to hold it. I think the dither has just ended...

 

[Chuck_P]

Chuck! Congrats! Has been a thrill and motivating to follow your progress in the Gallery this winter! Thanks so much for the update, it looks amazing, the ability to print in the day and pop those windows open to see and evaluate a print w daylight is such a wonderful attribute! Enjoy!

Somehow I missed your post here-----thanks very much, I'm quite proud of the window idea if I say so myself, it's going to work out wonderfully. I'm somewhat short of materials for printing, have some paper, been spending money getting this thing together, I look forward to doing some good printing.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Now those are brilliant! I picked up a massive dry mount press for a song a little while back, but have been dithering on how to build the equally massive print finishing workbench required to hold it. I think the dither has just ended...

Here are some plans from their website. Very easy to modify for your specific project. Pay attention to where it says "Install top connector 1/2" below top of post" otherwise your boards will be a bit crooked.

My last project will be to build a 10' table for my press, matt cutter, paper trimmer and supplies.

Be sure to send pics when you finish.

 

[Roger Thoms]

View attachment 47107

View attachment 47108

This darkroom is located in the basement of a student residential building and there are logbooks from the 60's in here, so it has a long history.

This is nice, might have to rethink the wall finish in my next darkroom.

Roger

 

[robbalbrecht]

Ok it's not completely finished but it is functional.

The window is blocked out right now but I'm building a ventilation system that will fit in it. Since it's only useable at night I'm going to build some light walls around the space too. It's a work in progress but at least I can print now and hey, it's got a Godzilla poster too.

 

[Robert Hall]

I like your Poster, but I might suggest putting dark cloth on the walls you are close to as to avoid reflection off the walls from the enlarger light. It can cause a bit of fogging on the paper or a loss of local contrast in the image.

I'm adding an example...

http://www.roberthall.com/Darkroom/

See the first or 7th picture as an example of what I am talking about.

If you can't you will live without it, but I think that close to the corner you will see a difference.


Great start!

 

[robbalbrecht]

Thanks for the tip, Robert. I'll give that a try.
What kind of material would you suggest? Just something black? We have a pretty good fabric store here maybe I'll pay them a visit to see what they have.

Nice darkroom by the way.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

What kind of material would you suggest? Just something black?

A great quickie solution is black poster board, available at your local drug store.

 

[CatLABS]

room 521 (may it rest in peace)

My private darkroom from when i was a student...
The room is no longer there.

 

[Robert Hall]

Any flat (non shiny) fabric will work, if you can get flat black poster board, that would work too, but get what ever is easiest to store and the cheapest.

Thanks for the kind words about the darkroom. Stop by for a little workshop sometime. I was just through your neck of the woods. Lovely place. I'll drop you an email next time Im out that way.

Thanks for the tip, Robert. I'll give that a try.
What kind of material would you suggest? Just something black? We have a pretty good fabric store here maybe I'll pay them a visit to see what they have.

Nice darkroom by the way.

 

[jbrianfoto]

My private darkroom from when i was a student...
The room is no longer there.

Wow - that pano must have been alot of work to complete.....was a real exercise of my eyes. too bad it's gone.

 

[CatLABS]

When i was there i was the only student actually using the private room as a darkroom for processing and not as another storage unit... So i guess its not that much of a shame.
I remember taking a tour on that floor as a prospective student 2 years prior, and they had a mural printing room with a magnetized and vacuum wall for UL prints, an 8X10 enlarger on a dolly rail and all the gear... that was gone by the time i got there to make room for a new digital printing room...
Who cares about all those rich kids anyways, let them shoot their holgas and be art students.

 

[John W]

What kind of material would you suggest? Just something black? We have a pretty good fabric store here maybe I'll pay them a visit to see what they have.

At the fabric store, ask if they have "blackout cloth". I have a few yards of that which I purchased primarily for light-blocking, but it's black and matte and probably would work fairly well.

If you want/need total overkill at a matching price, then consider telescope flocking. Here's an example page for Protostar's flocking products, you can find others via web search.

 

[robbalbrecht]

Any flat (non shiny) fabric will work, if you can get flat black poster board, that would work too, but get what ever is easiest to store and the cheapest.

Thanks for the kind words about the darkroom. Stop by for a little workshop sometime. I was just through your neck of the woods. Lovely place. I'll drop you an email next time Im out that way.

Easy and cheap. I can do that.

I have an friend in Salt Lake City so me stopping by isn't totally out of the realm of possibility. Absolutely drop me a line if you're going to be on the Central Coast. I'd love to get together to shoot or talk shop over a coffee.