Andrew O'Neill
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My darkroom is an enclosed space under the deck. It has plumbing and electricity. My only criticism is air circulation is not great... but it's a much better than the spaces I had in Japan!
How many of you have a adequate darkroom?
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I don't have a darkroom anymore and so I shoot only slides and have the lab process the film. When I had the darkroom it was rather complete but didn't have the wet side. It was not much a problem as I did only color negative so the wet side can be done in daylight so I did it in the bathroom. The dry side was my spare bedroom which I blocked all the windows.
Changing bag and Paterson daylight tanks for film developing. Scanning and out sourced inkjet prints for the time being, but currently getting gear together for doing contact prints in the bathroom.
[Still trying to find suitable trays locally before I settle for ordering some in. Getting deliveries at home is a pain at my current apartment.]
[Still trying to find suitable trays locally before I settle for ordering some in. Getting deliveries at home is a pain at my current apartment.]
My "darkroom" isn't light sealed enough for use during daylight (nor would I attempt to load film holders) but works OK at night for printing, which is when I would normally do it anyway. I'm sure if I left paper exposed face up for 10 minutes and critically tested for fog it might fail, but I'm able to make nice looking prints being careful. It's basically a "rec room" with opaque shades where I have a 4X5 besslar enlarger setup in the corner of the room and use a nearby desk for the trays. After developing I turn the lights back on and wash them in the nearby bathroom.
Years ago I had the very small bathroom converted into a totally light sealed darkroom, I much prefer working in this larger space.
Years ago I had the very small bathroom converted into a totally light sealed darkroom, I much prefer working in this larger space.
MattKing
Moderator
We live in a condominium apartment. A significant percentage of the bathrooms in our complex are like ours - i.e. interior rooms without windows, but with dedicated exhaust ventilation.
I would guess that the majority of temporary darkrooms are in apartments, because more and more the majority of photographers live in multiple unit buildings.
I would guess that the majority of temporary darkrooms are in apartments, because more and more the majority of photographers live in multiple unit buildings.
I bought my current house because it had a basement, a very rare thing in Australia. It is huge, no windows and plumbed. It's not as well set up as the darkroom I had in Colorado when I printed professionally but it's pretty darn good. I've settled on 11 x 14 as my max print size and everything is based around that.
I use a shared darkroom owned by the local camera club.
Used to use one of the bathroom in my flat (with no windows) when I was still living in Italy.
Used to use one of the bathroom in my flat (with no windows) when I was still living in Italy.
I have a spare bedroom with my 4x5 enlarger. It's not completely light tight, but close enough for printing on paper. It doesn't have any running water, and I use it for my computer/music room as well.
I also have a spare bathroom that I use as a darkroom. It can get dark enough to develop film in trays. It has running water and all of the other fun stuff, and is where I keep all of the chemicals. I have a smaller enlarger on wheels that I can easily roll in there (The 4x5 will fit too, but it gets really cramped, and I have to disassemble it to get it through the door). It's doubles as a guest bath, so you wouldn't usually know it's also a darkroom unless you pulled the shower curtain back.
I also have a spare bathroom that I use as a darkroom. It can get dark enough to develop film in trays. It has running water and all of the other fun stuff, and is where I keep all of the chemicals. I have a smaller enlarger on wheels that I can easily roll in there (The 4x5 will fit too, but it gets really cramped, and I have to disassemble it to get it through the door). It's doubles as a guest bath, so you wouldn't usually know it's also a darkroom unless you pulled the shower curtain back.
My basement is mostly finished with a couple of rooms separated from the main area. One of those rooms serves as my darkroom, and the other serves as my plate-coating room. They are fully tricked out for the work required to make emulsion, coat plates, and develop film / prints.... except there's no running water. I just bring water down from the kitchen / up to dispose of as needed. Of course, for emulsion making I'm using distilled water which is stored in 1 gallon jugs in the fridge down there.
When I lived in the UK I had to adapt the bathroom. One of the items on our list when we bought the house in California was somewhere that could be made into a darkroom.
It's shed divided into a 7x8 ft space with a pocket door, and an 8 ft by 3 ft lobby area. The lobby holds a lot of gardening tools (!) and the cold water feed (hose from the house). So I can run the print washer there, and not in the house, which is nice. The excess wash water can go to the yard - there is not much and the chemical residue is minimal. Before I rigged the hose and tap I brought water out in containers. Since my sink drains to a large bucket, it pays to have less available water than the drain can handle before needing emptying. Spent fixer is stock-piled for cleaning or hazardous waste disposal.
It is a bit tight - two Beseler 45 chassis and a Jobo CPE plus the sink, but i can do anything I want from 35mm to 8x10 monochrome.
It's shed divided into a 7x8 ft space with a pocket door, and an 8 ft by 3 ft lobby area. The lobby holds a lot of gardening tools (!) and the cold water feed (hose from the house). So I can run the print washer there, and not in the house, which is nice. The excess wash water can go to the yard - there is not much and the chemical residue is minimal. Before I rigged the hose and tap I brought water out in containers. Since my sink drains to a large bucket, it pays to have less available water than the drain can handle before needing emptying. Spent fixer is stock-piled for cleaning or hazardous waste disposal.
It is a bit tight - two Beseler 45 chassis and a Jobo CPE plus the sink, but i can do anything I want from 35mm to 8x10 monochrome.
I converted a spare 3/4 bathroom into a dark room. It doesn't do double duty though. The toilet is still there, but you can't get to it since there is a shelf obstructing it. The shower stall has a hanger that I use for hanging film and prints.
On the other hand, I'm not sure I'd call it a proper darkroom because its just too small, I bought a set of vertical trays because I could barely fit 4 8x10 trays in the space next to the enlarger. I don't have enough space to have a proper "wet side" and "dry side" I'd love all that, but so far, I manage with what I have.
On the other hand, I'm not sure I'd call it a proper darkroom because its just too small, I bought a set of vertical trays because I could barely fit 4 8x10 trays in the space next to the enlarger. I don't have enough space to have a proper "wet side" and "dry side" I'd love all that, but so far, I manage with what I have.
Just curious, is there a particular reason to store the DH2O in the fridge?
Bathroom and kitchen for now...got spoiled being in charge of a university darkroom, but I retired.
Yes. Most of it is used for the emulsion washing stage, which requires very cold water.
Everything else I used distilled for gets warmed up to 55C on a hot plate anyways.
For all other regular darkroom needs I just use tap water. I have very good well water but the small amount of iron content means it’s no good for making emulsion (iron kills the speed).
Around 5 years ago, when we were looking to move to a new house in the mountains, we lucked upon a nice house that had a large garage that had been extended.
The garage extension became the darkroom, with a small lightroom space too.
Darkroom is fully darkened for working with film and plumbed for hot and cold water.
All i need now is the time to use all the kit i've collected over the past 40 years
Mike
The garage extension became the darkroom, with a small lightroom space too.
Darkroom is fully darkened for working with film and plumbed for hot and cold water.
All i need now is the time to use all the kit i've collected over the past 40 years
Mike
"Proper".... Yes, in that it's enclosed and has water and electricity and it's a dedicated space.
Big enough.... No, not really. It's more of a darknook than a darkroom.
Big enough.... No, not really. It's more of a darknook than a darkroom.
I use a spare bedroom which accommodates a dry bench with my enlarger, NOVA colour processor and heaters for my black & white work. There are several power points for the heaters, enlarger and lights. There is no water supply. but I have the bathroom directly opposite the darkroom which means I can bring water into the darkroom in a bucket and take prints into the bathroom to be washed. It isn't perfect, but I have used it and similar set-ups for the last 38 years without a problem.
I cannot lay water and drainage to the darkroom side of the house as all the main drainage id on the bathroom side.
For film processing, I do this in the kitchen where there is electricity and water, of course I make sure it doesn't get in the way of food preparation. That is a big No-No. As I have the house to myself there are no complaints.
I cannot lay water and drainage to the darkroom side of the house as all the main drainage id on the bathroom side.
For film processing, I do this in the kitchen where there is electricity and water, of course I make sure it doesn't get in the way of food preparation. That is a big No-No. As I have the house to myself there are no complaints.
ah yes, of course. should have thought of that! thanks!
Mine gets the job done. The enlargers are on an old clothes dresser. Trays go on the washer/drier. big utility sink with one side covered with a wood plank for holding bottles, making notes, etc.
I miss having a basement. Not too common here in California.
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I retired in December and worked for three months now renovating this space. Previously it was used for color paper exposing, film loading, and storage. Next "phase" is to add electrical upgrade, and plumb the sink. Washing and drying will occur just outside the room, mostly because it it already plumbed for extra sinks and due to space limitations.
Second DII finally initial install by Nokton48, on Flickr
Relocated Safelites, Air Evac System roughed in by Nokton48, on Flickr
Second DII finally initial install by Nokton48, on Flickr
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