What are your favorite darkroom hits?

[Loose Gravel]

I've been doing much printing lately; 10 - 20 hours per weekend. I usually listen to music and NPR and sometimes nothing. I've got a few CDs that I think I'm burning holes in. So, I'm curious, what are other's favorite darkroom hits? I've heard some people watch TV in the darkroom. Does this work out?

 

[Nige]

Can't imagine watching TV! I usually put on the radio on a channel that plays 60's to 80's mostly. I can't actually remember listening to it though

 

[Les McLean]

My listening in the darkroom depends on my mood, sometimes it's Led Zeplin or Atlanta Rhythmn Section others it's the gentle jazz guitar of Joe Pass or Jim Hall. When I feel like an argument I listen to the local radio phone in programme and have been known to give them a quick call to disagree, it can be great fun. The only music that I don't listen too is Opera and traditional jazz.

I have heard of people watching TV with a red filter in front of the screen in the darkroom.

 

[Joe Lipka]

Developing sheet film in trays is done to smooth jazz to keep the rhythm while shuffling the sheets of film. Otherwise, it's usually female vocalists. Might be just the sound of a female voice that keeps things calm in the darkroom.

 

[Annemarieke]

My favourite is Celtic music, especially when I print my Scottish negatives.

 

[Ed Sukach]

My current favorite is the CD recording of "Stranded In the Moonlight", by Tony Trischka , Skyline and Dede Wyland. In "normal" times, I too listen to PBS and the local "College" radio stations. I *love* to hear the Student Broadcasters' imperfect (yet, beautiful) styles.
When the more grating Hip-Hop or Reggae (I don't give a damn if your silver chain was stolen) sessions come on, I'll listen to tapes of early "cool" jazz - Brubeck, etc., the female vocalists of that era - Anita O'Day, Blossom Deary, June Christy; and "Samba" - Astrid Gilberto ... And, once in a while, The Introduction to "Zampa" by Herold, Camina Burana ...

Generally, the same stuff I play when working with a model in the studio.

 

[Ole]

My only timer is a metronome. So I listen to
Tick
Tick
Tick
Tick
...

 

[DKT]

[ I've heard some people watch TV in the darkroom. Does this work out?[/quote]


I do that sometimes... in my own darkroom I have an old b&w tv with a red gel taped to it....mostly just listen to it like a radio, but I watch it sometimes when a print is running through a processor, washing etc. At work sometimes all I do is spend 8+ hrs of the day (day after day after...) in the dark...I usually just listen to the local jazz/NPR station...since I'm using film and print processors, there are gaps of time just waiting for the thing to be done, sometimes I work on a crossword puzzle under the thomas duplex safelights or read PDN or something...

 

[Tim Budd]

Being a young 'un in the eyes of you lot I prefer a bit of rock or leftfield dance music. But Les - bang on with your choice of Led Zeppelin, I would never of thought it!

 

[bmac]

I've got the O'Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack too, as well as CCR's greatest hits and Elvis #1 Hits.

 

[Jorge]

Gypsy Kings, Ottmar Liebert, Vivaldi, some spanish people you would not know, and light jazz.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

W. Eugene Smith famously had a B&W TV in his darkroom with a red filter over it.

I find music too distracting when I'm printing, but sometimes I might listen to the news on NPR while I'm processing film in a daylight tank (Tri-X, PMK, N+1=24 minutes!), but not in trays.

 

[Tom Duffy]

I agree with David, I don't listen to anything, I'd rather concentrate on the process. If I were listening to Zeplin or something, I know I'd turn the light on with my paper safe open or something.

Besides, my wife suspects I use my darkroom as an escape from the family. If I installed a stereo and made it more of a "Lurkum" (her word), I sure my privleges would be curtailed...

 

[Les McLean]

But Les - bang on with your choice of Led Zeppelin, I would never of thought it!

Tim,

I was a pro rock guitarist through the 60's and Led Zep were among my favourite bands at the time. An interesting sequel to that is that my stepson toured with Jimmy Page in the late 80's and them went on to form a band called Bonham with Jason Bonham, son of John, Zep's drummer. During the 80's tour I got to photograph a couple of concerts with access to anywhere but on the stage, I asked but was refused. I shot it in both colour and black and white and was chuffed when Pagey asked me for a 16 x 20 of one of the colour shots.

 

[fingel]

In the summer I usually listen to baseball games (A's or Giants). When there are no games on I will listen to just about any kind of music, from DMX to Placido Domingo, just depends on my mood.

Jorge, who are some of the Spanish People we would not know? I am always interested in hearing new music. (or at least new to me)

 

[clogz]

Wasn't that "Les & The Pyro Cats?"

 

[Jorge]

In the summer I usually listen to baseball games (A's or Giants). When there are no games on I will listen to just about any kind of music, from DMX to Placido Domingo, just depends on my mood.

Jorge, who are some of the Spanish People we would not know? I am always interested in hearing new music. (or at least new to me)

Rosanna (Spanish singer), Juanes (Colombian singer), Luis Miguel (Mexican)

 

[Jeremy]

I usually make a new mixed cd for each extended darkroom printing session. There's usually a good mix of all genres except faster rock songs and techno. I find these make me impatient and lead to worse prints in the end.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Jeremy]

Aggie, I wonder if that was a matter of the darkroom supervisors not wanting to deal with everyone wanting to listen to different music?

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[fingel]

Thanks Jorge. I will try to check those out.

 

[Tim Budd]

I was a pro rock guitarist through the 60's and Led Zep were among my favourite bands at the time. An interesting sequel to that is that my stepson toured with Jimmy Page in the late 80's and them went on to form a band called Bonham with Jason Bonham, son of John, Zep's drummer. During the 80's tour I got to photograph a couple of concerts with access to anywhere but on the stage, I asked but was refused. I shot it in both colour and black and white and was chuffed when Pagey asked me for a 16 x 20 of one of the colour shots.

Wow Les! That is so impressive. I wouldn't mind seeing some of those images if it is possible to post them in the gallery or something. What was Jimmy like? He looks a bit different now with a radical crop of his hair.

 

[Cheryl Jacobs]

For me, it's Norah Jones (to soothe me through the difficult negs), Josh Groban (to inspire me on the more creative negs), Michelle Branch (to speed me through multiple prints of the same neg), or Celine Dion (to irritate me into finishing up when I've been in there way too long -- works every time!)

 

[David Hall]

I have just recently started burning my own CD's. So now I take five minutes before leaving for the darkroom and make a CD that matches the mood and the printing that day.

I find that it doesn't distract me, and in fact keeps me more energized during those interminable periods when I am not quite getting something right.

dgh