Wonderful post oh photographically archaic grouchy one! :)
Just did my first darkroom stint in about twenty years or so! My local
photo shop put a rental darkroom in their new building when they moved a
couple of years ago. I had been meaning to do some B&W and printing ever
since then. My 14 year old daughter's school project finally pushed me
over the edge. This past week the two of us worked together and shot 8
rolls of B&W. Processed the film at home. I spent this morning in the
darkroom doing contact sheets and three 'warm-up' 8x10s. Monday Epiphany
and I go into the darkroom to do the prints for her school project.
There really is nothing that compares to watching that image emerge when
the paper is in the developer! Something I have never forgotten. What I
did forget was how relaxing it can be and how time flies while you are
in the dark! For the obsessive compulsive perfectionist control freak
the joys of doing your own printing are boundless. (Not that I would
know anything about that!)
Jim Couch
AG Schnozz wrote:
> > Actually I envy your ability and space to do Siver Gelatin B&W
> > prints. One
> > of the significant short comings of an ink jet printer is that
> > it won't do
> > quality B&W prints. And also, I admire consistency (g) you
> > are true to your
> > grouchy self, a prerogative of age no doubt (g).
>
> 35 for a few more days yet.
>
> The darkroom space is a cove in the basement that has a 2-meter
> workbench. If I need to Dremel something I've got to set all
> the chemical trays on a card table behind me. The two windows
> in the basement are covered with sleeping bags to block out the
> light (usually). There is a decent utility sink in the basement
> about twenty paces away. Fortunately Ilford RC paper and
> chemistry doesn't require much water. Washing the fixer off
> takes about a minute under flowing water while brushing the
> print with your hand. Soak it too long and the paper starts
> seperating at the corners.
>
> Right now, I'm using two enlargers, an Omega B66 and my Dad's
> Federal 4x5. The Federal is a beast and the diffusion head is
> about as bright as night during a new moon. Besides that, the
> lens starts at F6.3. Of course, that lens is for 4x5 prints, so
> it's worthless for 35mm. The enlarger is so old that I have to
> almost ducttape the 50mm enlarger lens in place. But THAT lens
> is a F2.8.
>
> I just picked up a set of 8x10 trays as the big trays are a bit
> much if I'm not working on 11x14s. Takes two liters of
> chemicals to use each of the larger trays. Mixed chemical
> storage is in 2-liter Coke Cola bottles hiding in a darkened
> room. Burp the air out and they are perfect, stable storage.
> Cost: 5 cents each (Iowa bottle deposit). Basement temperature
> stays a constant 72 degrees (F) nearly the entire year.
>
> I did "enhance" the darkroom experience lately when I installed
> a stereo system down there. MUCH better.
>
> Most importantly, I am starting to introduce my girls (ages 4
> and 3) to photography and the darkroom is an incredible
> experience. The joy of seeing their faces light up when a
> picture of them emerges from this blank piece of paper is
> incredible. Frankly, I could care less about "Fine Art"
> photography if it means that the girls develop an interest.
> I'll print family pictures and "shadow prints" until bedtime if
> I have to. (hence, two enlargers)
>
> It just isn't the same with computers, scanners and ink-jet
> printers as this is too "normal" for them and the process just
> seems too input-process-output for artistic expression. The
> "magic" of the darkroom is something that absolutely cannot be
> substituted with "modern technology". Not even color printing
> with the drum comes close to B&W tray processing.
>
> Yes, I love the darkroom. My introduction with it was when I
> was barely a toddler and I have never "moved beyond" it. I can
> understand why Ansel Adams settled in on B&W fine art
> photography and never really took an interest in anything else.
> B&W isn't a pathway to Color, it's a photographic category all
> in itself. There is a romance to B&W photography and B&W is a
> very jealous lover.
>
> AG-Schnozz
>
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--
Jim Couch
Tacoma, WA USA
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