Renting a darkroom, for how long?

Hello, I've been wanting to print for quite some time and I have finally found a darkroom to rent.
I have never printed but I'm ready to give it a try, the thing is, how many hours should I get? I've thought of 4 hours but I'm not really sure, what would you guys recommend me?

Thanks!

If you've never printed before, 3-4 hours would be a good starting point, assuming you're prepared. If you've read up on it, and prepare note cards on test strips, proper sequences, etc. you should be able to get close to attaining an acceptable print. However, I think you'll need multiple 3-4 hour sessions before you come up with a print you'll be proud of. With each visit, you'll get faster and better. Bring a lot of paper, and be prepared to throw most of them away.

Remember to stop printing so that you will have time to wash and dry the film and prints. Wet films can be taken home in a development tank for further washing and then being dipped into Kodak PhotoFlo or equivalent before hanging to dry in the shower/bath tub. Wet prints can be continued to be washed but then you need a blotter book [http://www.freestylephoto.biz/search?q=blotter+book], drying racks or drying screens to finish the drying.

welcome to apug...

if you have an experienced friend bring them along... maybe visit the darkroom and see if they'll let you watch as another works... just seeing it done once makes a difference in the learning process.

a 3-4 hour session will be good... as eddie said, be prepared! have fun!

jvo

I would first go for two hours and make some good contact prints of all your best negatives. I would take them home and really take a close look at them and go back a second time to print a really good negative. Good Luck! If you just go to print without contact prints, take your time and leave with one good print you are satisfied with and not a bunch of rushed prints that you aren't happy with.

Randalcav said:

I would first go for two hours and make some good contact prints of all your best negatives. I would take them home and really take a close look at them and go back a second time to print a really good negative. Good Luck! If you just go to print without contact prints, take your time and leave with one good print you are satisfied with and not a bunch of rushed prints that you aren't happy with.

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This is the way I'd do it.

Start small with something easily accomplished.

Do dry runs in your own home; do it all...talk yourself through it a few times. (out loud)

Then, just shoot for getting a contact sheet that's usable on the first trip.

Once you have that, then you can spend time at home evaluating which of those negatives you think would be worthy of spending another 2 hours getting a decent print out of.

Does your darkroom rent by the hour, or blocks of time? Personally, I think 3-4 hours would be good. It gives you time to figure things out, make mistakes, try again...I know when I first started using a darkroom on my own things took much longer than they do now because I had to check things again and again (and I still made mistakes). Get your feet wet my making contact prints of your negs. Then, if you have time, make a few enlargements - of course, these won't be final prints, but will give you something to consider before the next session. Also remember, setting up and getting all your prints washed and dried takes time (even with RC paper) - for the first time I would err on the side of caution and book a slightly longer session so you don't feel rushed trying to do things. If it was too long, then you can adjust for subsequent sessions.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I will be going there next week.

mooseontheloose said:

Does your darkroom rent by the hour, or blocks of time?

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You can rent by hour or also rent for 10 hours for less money.

One last question, I use the acetate negative sleeves, are those okay to contact print too? They arent completely transparent.

Contact prints are a good place to start. Make sure you know how to make a proper proof before you go in the darkroom. Check with the darkroom, to see if they have a hair dryer/ microwave, so you can speed up the drying of your proofs (I'm assuming you'll be starting with RC paper). If not, bring a hair dryer.

Most importantly, try not to get too frustrated. Your first few visits will be full of failures. You will learn from them and, after a short time, you'll see the failures as part of the learning process. Enjoy the magic...

scan your negatives at home to figure out what you want to start with. Otherwise you'll make contact prints there n wasting alot of time you could use for an actual print.

Renting usually wastes the first n last hour for prep n clean up. Most rental darkrooms have 2 n 3 stage washers so the prints can be dried as fast as you make them but thats where a friend comes in handy.. the extra hands can help rotate the washed prints n drying process.

I find rentals make you feel rushed. Try to relax, bring music either an ipod mp3 player with ear buds to entertain n relax you. The friend is always nice for company as well. bring paper n a pencil to take notes.

Nice if you can visit the place before renting to see where everything is and the work flow of the place. The first time I did it, I spent alot of time trying to figure out the darn timer they used.. I never saw one like that before.

I also used my own stop watch for developing.. Their wall clock had a red second hand which made it hard to see in the safe light.

if you visit.. make a note which enlargers they use n if possable.. get the user manual for it before hand so there arent any secrets in adjustments when switching formats.. some need bellows adj or cones.

otherwise.. HAVE FUN!

I have my own darkroom, and have only worked in a rental darkroom once [Print Space, in Manhattan], but that darkroom only charged for time spent actually printing; washing and drying was done in a separate room, at no additional cost. I thought this was standard practice.

mmmm thats nice they do that. I only rented once as well in 1968 so alot has changed over the melenia... cave man back then.

its so nice to have your own darkroom. I love my space.

paul ron said:

scan your negatives at home to figure out what you want to start with. Otherwise you'll make contact prints there n wasting alot of time you could use for an actual print.

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I disagree with scanning in place of making actual proofs. Real proofs will give more information than scanned negatives. Down the road, once proper proofing is dialed in, it will alert you to problems in your exposure/development routine.

hi echoes:
great advice you have been given !
i don't have much to add except start out with RC paper
its not worth the extra hassle of FB when you are just learning the ropes.

have fun !
john

I'm new in the forum and I'm extremely surprised to see the huge amount of support and help here, thank you so much!!
I already decided to start with RC since I'm just learning, I bought a pack of Ilford Multigrade, what are your favorite papers?

See if you can attend an introductory session at the darkroom or share a session with someone who is familiar with the space. You can learn things like the peculiarities of the equipment and estimates for time from that experience.