Portable Darkroom For An Itinerant Photographer

[vickersdc]

Gosh, it's been ages and ages since I last posted on here! Anyway, after a totally manic summer, I've settled back down into my traditional photography...

The 9x12 sliding box camera that I made has been out in anger, and after developing the negs in Cafenol it was apparent that I have a light leak. Fortunately it's not from the camera itself, but the darkslides not seating properly; so they'll need sorting. But, early this year I also bought an old brass lens but the focus is too long for the sliding box.

There's only one thing for it, and that's to build a new camera! Then, the other day, I thought I'd make a bucket (don't ask!). Then I thought that this bucket would allow me to transport water around for a portable darkroom.

So, now I have two projects, a new camera and a portable darkroom (which I want to fit on to a cart and that will mean making the wheels and everything!). Anyway, here's the first bit, the Oak bucket...

I'll update this as and when I build a new part to it, and if anyone has any pictures of a C19th / early C20th itinerant photographers darkroom I'd love to see them

Cheers,
David.

 

[guitstik]

I'm gonna have to follow this one to see where it goes, pun intended

 

[Rick A]

Wouldn't it be grand to acquire an old caravan to remodel into a darkroom.

 

[Monito]

Wouldn't it be grand to acquire an old caravan to remodel into a darkroom.

Don't stop there. You mean "build an authentic period-style wet plate caravan".

 

[Toffle]

Wouldn't it be grand to acquire an old caravan to remodel into a darkroom.

If you saw the setup that Bill Schwab takes around with him, you would be truly impressed.

 

[neelin]

Don't stop there. You mean "build an authentic period-style wet plate caravan".

Holy fuming mercury, Batman!

 

[lesm]

David, there's some useful information on 19thC portable darkrooms, with a couple of photos, in Michel Frizot's "A New History of Photography," which you may be able to get through your local library. Pages 119 and 158. There's even a drawing from 1863 of a bloke carrying his camera and darkroom on his back!

If you can't get hold of the book, let me know and I'll dig out my scanner and try to post the relevant pages to you. I'm new to APUG and haven't looked at how to post stuff, but I'll figure it out.

There's some good photos and info here:
http://www.cwreenactors.com/phorum/read.php?1,8108

and a few here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=port...=univ&sa=X&ei=A6B2TuCnF-SdmQ&biw=1920&bih=899

Les

 

[vickersdc]

Thanks Les, I'll check those links out (I'm guessing the first one is Yaquina Photo's portable darkroom - but I'll check in just a moment), and I'll follow the link. Thanks also for the heads-up on the book, I've got A History Of Photography: From 1839 To The Present, and an early C20th edition of Everyones Guide To Photography but none of them show anything to do with portable darkrooms.

And thanks to everyone for their comments... very helpful LOL.