How often do you use your darkroom?

rayonline_nz · Nov 24, 2017

I was fortunate enough to have someone at my camera club to show me how he make a wet print in his darkroom. I have been developing my film but haven't touched upon the printing stage.

All our rooms have windows here including all the bathrooms and they only have "shaver" power sockets.

How often do you use your darkroom other than very quick minor jobs? I found out locally there is an art center that rent out darkrooms at $15US equiv for 24hrs or $3US per hour.

Cheers.

winger · Nov 24, 2017

I try to use my darkroom once a week (minimum), but it doesn't work out that way most of the time. I basically only get free time when our son is at school and I've gotten everything else done. I don't usually just do a quick minor job - if I mix up the chemicals, I plan on using them for a few hours at least.
Mine has a window in it, too, but I covered it with the black plastic that photo paper comes in. I had a darkroom in a previous house, so I had the stuff. My current one is also the laundry room - not ideal from a dust standpoint, but I've been able to keep my prints clean.

Mick Fagan · Nov 24, 2017

Well I used it to develop a roll of film about 30 minutes ago.

As for how often I do printing, sometimes every day for a week, then a pause, which can be up to a month(s), then into it again when I have spare time and a need to do prints.

If you have it, you'll use it.

For value, that hire price for a darkroom, would seem to be very good value.

Mick.

rayonline_nz · Nov 24, 2017

Just a quick question. I have not got into large format. Do you process one sheet at a time or multiple sheets?

Cheers

Arklatexian · Nov 24, 2017

rayonline_nz said:
I was fortunate enough to have someone at my camera club to show me how he make a wet print in his darkroom. I have been developing my film but haven't touched upon the printing stage.

All our rooms have windows here including all the bathrooms and they only have "shaver" power sockets.

How often do you use your darkroom other than very quick minor jobs? I found out locally there is an art center that rent out darkrooms at $15US equiv for 24hrs or $3US per hour.

Cheers.

Have a friend who, when they had a house built, included a darkroom adjacent to the garage. Once the house was built, he became busy at his job and seldom had time to use it. His wife said that she had noticed that everyone she knew who built a darkroom seemed to immediately become too busy to use it. I think she had a point there. I designed mine so that if I could not use it for photography, I could put aquariums in the sink and raise tropical fish there. My friend brewed his own beer in the darkroom sink for a while. $3.00 an hour doesn't sound too bad, especially if you still develop your film at home. Just figure in enough time for cleaning up after the person who used the darkroom before you.........Regard!......I did not answer your question. Sometime I don't get in the darkroom for months at a time, but one of these days, if I live long enough, that will change.

Mick Fagan · Nov 24, 2017

Quick answer.

This afternoon it was a 135 roll of film.

Last time it was 3 sheets of 4x5" film, prior to that, 8 sheets of 4x5" film, prior to that, 17 rolls of 135 over a two day period.

Contact prints took almost 5 hours for a shed load of film last time I printed big time. Followed by three days of printing with between 3 to 4 hours of printing time each day/session.

I do though, enjoy the luxury of having a quite nice darkroom behind the garage in the backyard.

Mick.

Andrew O'Neill · Nov 24, 2017

Everyday.

MattKing · Nov 24, 2017

Sometimes frequently, and sometimes infrequently. It is a bathroom that needs to be set up and taken down every time it is used.

Laurent · Nov 25, 2017

oldtimermetoo said:
Have a friend who, when they had a house built, included a darkroom adjacent to the garage. Once the house was built, he became busy at his job and seldom had time to use it. His wife said that she had noticed that everyone she knew who built a darkroom seemed to immediately become too busy to use it. I think she had a point there. I designed mine so that if I could not use it for photography, I could put aquariums in the sink and raise tropical fish there. My friend brewed his own beer in the darkroom sink for a while. $3.00 an hour doesn't sound too bad, especially if you still develop your film at home. Just figure in enough time for cleaning up after the person who used the darkroom before you.........Regard!......I did not answer your question. Sometime I don't get in the darkroom for months at a time, but one of these days, if I live long enough, that will change.

Sometimes I have the feeling this is only procrastination. I longed for a DR for years, and, as you describe, did not "have" the time to use it when it was ready. Most of the time, just as a photograph should be "made" and not "taken", I need to "make" the time to use my DR, and the rewards come as soon as I start "finding" this time.

AgX · Nov 25, 2017

rayonline_nz said:
All our rooms have windows here including all the bathrooms and they only have "shaver" power sockets.

-) windows can be darkened (there have many proposals been posted here)

-) You definitely would need a regular mains outlet and wiring:
-Lay an extention cable into your bathroom (needs a slit or so under the door).
-Have an electrician connect a new line and outlet starting from the light switch in your bathroom.
-Have in either case a residual-current-protective-devices installed in that line.

mooseontheloose · Nov 25, 2017

When I moved here to Kyoto I specifically looked for a 2-bedroom apartment (to the confusion of the rental agents here - "why do you need so much space? " - uh...have you seen Japanese apartments? ) so that I could use the second bedroom as a darkroom. I got permission from my landlord (a Brit) to remove the curtain rods to the window in the room, and I have it permanently blacked out with a black out curtain. I also have some hooks over the door so I can place another black out curtain there when I use it - they're not too obtrusive. It's a dry darkroom, which means no running water, but it's easy enough to fill up the trays with a couple trips to the kitchen. Print washing and all film developing takes place in the kitchen (I use a film bag to load my tanks).

Unfortunately, I don't use my darkroom enough. I'm a professor with a courseload that's at least double what most people do, so even though I'm free on the weekends, I need that time to de-stress and run other errands. So usually I only get into the darkroom during holiday periods, like over Christmas/New Years, Feb/Mar and Aug/Sept (if I'm not travelling). Next year my workload should be a lot less so I hope that I'll have more time (and mental energy) to work in the darkroom on a more regular basis. I have several portfolios that I want to print, so I've got a lot of motivation to get in there. When it's not in use it usually becomes a storeroom (as it is now) which means a bit of work getting back into a state that I can work in.

Jim Blomfield · Nov 25, 2017

The use you give your darkroom will vary with the amount of time you have available, and that amount of time will change at different stages of your life. If you have the time, your creative juices and your curiosity will keep your darkroom busy every day.

LeftCoastKid · Nov 25, 2017

MattKing said:
Sometimes frequently, and sometimes infrequently. It is a bathroom that needs to be set up and taken down every time it is used.

+1. During the summer months, my darkroom use is, to say the least, infrequent. I process film when time permits, or accumulation warrants; I seldom print, preferring to spend my leisure time shooting and exploring. During the winter months, when rainy days predominate, I will often spend the better part of many weekends playing "catch-up," printing previously processed negatives and processing any recently exposed film. I would hazard a guess that my winter shooting is less than 60 per cent of summer volumes.

Bob Carnie · Nov 25, 2017

I print often but like most I will take a break and when ready go in for a few days at a time.
For clients I am tending to do day rates which helps me plan my months and gives me time to contemplate the projects coming too me... I will never go and print one image again, as set up time for my darkroom
is a bit complex and I like to have my room setup for whatever the process I am going to do , done in advance a day or two so all I have to do is fill the trays and print.
btw I am using the Dim Room a lot with the Alt Prints these days which is a real blessing as it allows me to make prints more , rather waiting for larger silver projects.

Andrew O'Neill · Nov 25, 2017

mooseontheloose said:
When I moved here to Kyoto I specifically looked for a 2-bedroom apartment (to the confusion of the rental agents here - "why do you need so much space? " - uh...have you seen Japanese apartments? ) so that I could use the second bedroom as a darkroom. I got permission from my landlord (a Brit) to remove the curtain rods to the window in the room, and I have it permanently blacked out with a black out curtain. I also have some hooks over the door so I can place another black out curtain there when I use it - they're not too obtrusive. It's a dry darkroom, which means no running water, but it's easy enough to fill up the trays with a couple trips to the kitchen. Print washing and all film developing takes place in the kitchen (I use a film bag to load my tanks).

Unfortunately, I don't use my darkroom enough. I'm a professor with a courseload that's at least double what most people do, so even though I'm free on the weekends, I need that time to de-stress and run other errands. So usually I only get into the darkroom during holiday periods, like over Christmas/New Years, Feb/Mar and Aug/Sept (if I'm not travelling). Next year my workload should be a lot less so I hope that I'll have more time (and mental energy) to work in the darkroom on a more regular basis. I have several portfolios that I want to print, so I've got a lot of motivation to get in there. When it's not in use it usually becomes a storeroom (as it is now) which means a bit of work getting back into a state that I can work in.

My first apartment was a one bedroom, but it was quite roomy. My darkroom was multi-layered black plastic garbage bag affair in the corner of the kitchen. I suffocated in there, especially in summer. I endured for a couple of year until the arrival of my son. Moved to another area of the city, into an apartment with 3 bedrooms. One quickly became my darkroom. As you, it was a dry darkroom, but the bathroom was directly across from it. The room had a small window, which I covered over with blackout material. I stuck a small AC in it, keeping it nice and cool in those summer months! I spent many evenings and weekends in there!

Andrew O'Neill · Nov 25, 2017

I forgot the best part... the second apartment we moved into was owned by my wife's friend's parents. No we didn't get a deal because of that. We got a deal because about 6 months before we moved in, a young mother was robbed of her husbands summer bonus money, and left for dead in the kitchen. Father came home from work to discover what had happened. There was a baby, but it was okay. The suite remained unoccupied. Japanese are somewhat superstitious. It was offered to us quite cheaply...but I often wondered if the place was haunted. We lived there for seven years. That little baby would be the same age as my son now. 23. The crime was never solved.

removedacct1 · Nov 25, 2017

Daily.

hacked - sepiareverb · Nov 25, 2017

4 days a week most weeks. I’m very lucky!

RalphLambrecht · Nov 25, 2017

rayonline_nz said:
I was fortunate enough to have someone at my camera club to show me how he make a wet print in his darkroom. I have been developing my film but haven't touched upon the printing stage.

All our rooms have windows here including all the bathrooms and they only have "shaver" power sockets.

How often do you use your darkroom other than very quick minor jobs? I found out locally there is an art center that rent out darkrooms at $15US equiv for 24hrs or $3US per hour.

Cheers.

I use mine every day doing something andonce or wine a week to do some serious printing.Also, I'm in charge of our club darkroom here I spent The afternoons and evenings. If I can't smell processing chemicals every week I get anxious.

R.Gould · Nov 25, 2017

Sometimes I will print for days on the trot, sometimes I will go a week without printing. but then there is film processing, If it is wet, which it has been a lot over here lately, then it's hey ho to the darkroom I go, if it is a nice day then in Autumn and winter I prefer to be out with a camera, I prefer taking photos this time of year, the light can be so good, In summer I tend to prefer the darkroom, I usually sped a 2 or 3 days catching up with printing, every week.
Richard

images39 · Nov 25, 2017

Once per month on average. Wish it were more often, but life gets in the way. Now that my daughter's way at college, I should be able to increase it a bit. I use the laundry room, so I have to put it up and take it down each time, but I can make the conversion in about 15 minutes, which is pretty manageable.

Dale

fdonadio · Nov 25, 2017

rayonline_nz said:
Do you process one sheet at a time or multiple sheets?

I use a MOD54 and can process up to six sheets at a time. Sometimes I do less than that, though.

Andrew O'Neill · Nov 25, 2017

Just made fresh glop. Tissues will be poured in a few hours after it's gassed out a bit. Tomorrow morning they'll be ready for sensitising and printing. Afternoon will be spent at the local branch of the Legion, having a pint (I'll be drinking rootbeer) with a friend and listening to and watching the pipe band. Gotta have a life, too!

removed account4 · Nov 25, 2017

not nearly as much as i should.
i was down there for a few hours a few days ago
and sporadic hours mid week as i could sneek it in
ive got to make it a point to get in there more often

Johnkpap · Nov 25, 2017

I haven't really finished mine yet, it is mostly usable. My enlargers and big 8 foot sink is installed but I have no plumbing yet, hopefully after the holidays I will have this done. At the moment I do basic processing in my jobo and small 8x10 prints due to my lack of water. I normally do something every two weeks or so. Hopefully more often once the water is connected

Johnkpap

How often do you use your darkroom?

rayonline_nz

winger

Mick Fagan

rayonline_nz

Arklatexian

Mick Fagan

Andrew O'Neill

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MattKing

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Laurent

AgX

mooseontheloose

Jim Blomfield

LeftCoastKid

Bob Carnie

Andrew O'Neill

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Andrew O'Neill

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removedacct1

hacked - sepiareverb

RalphLambrecht

R.Gould

images39

fdonadio

Andrew O'Neill

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removed account4

Johnkpap

How often do you use your darkroom?

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