Tiny Darkroom Project

[Don Plumley]

Originally Posted by jyl

Hmm, thinking about it, to skip drywalling would be lazy/cutting corners. I really only need to drywall the bumpout I framed for the enlarger, the underside of the stairs, and the ceiling. Okay, I will probably do the drywall.

The room will have a fair amount of humidity from the trays. Why not use a vinyl-coated hardboard? It's easier to work with, you won't have to tape and mud (plus the dust), and you could simply use drywall screws to mount and caulk in the corners?

[jyl]

The local rental darkroom is great, and they host exhibits, offer classes, etc. But it is less convenient than popping down to the basement, plus they aren't open all the time and it does cost $ to use.

Vinyl-coated hardboard - I don't know this stuff, but it sounds good, so i will check it out.

She does various different arts - drawing, film, digital. I seriously doubt it will be a career, her academic interests are in biology, genetics, etc.

After she goes off to college, it will be my darkroom, hopefully I will get back into photography myself.

[Rusty Heap]

Seriously, while not doing a whole lot of work flow, I just set up mine in a downstairs bathroom for the day with a red light and towels taped over the door jamb.

sink and bathtub and some folding TV trays in the tub and you're set.

Yes watching the image appear is awesome, as are Contact Sheets to preview each frame before enlarging.

Ask 98% of people today what ISO/ASA film is, or shutter speed or f-stops are, and you'll get a dumb deer in the headlights look back at you.

[winders]

Glen,

Don't get me wrong. I spent lots of time in a darkroom with b&w and color film. I loved darkrooms! Learned a lot about chemicals, paper, film, etc. Didn't learn much about actually photography from that experience though.

The art of taking photos is a lot different than the science of developing film and making slides and prints. Sure, there is art in burning a dodging prints. But that pales in comparison to what you can with digital photos and the right software.

Film is dead. The art happens when you are behind the camera. DSLR or film SLR doesn't change that. You aren't going to learn more or take better photos with film and you aren't going to learn more about photography or get better results in a darkroom.

Scott

[jyl]

Could say the same thing about painting. Why use brushes and paint and canvas. Why not simply use digital tools to simulate paint, with the infinite flexibility that computers provide?

Because the medium, including its limitations, is a part of the art.

Similar reason for riding a bicycle instead of a motorcycle, playing a piano and not a synthesizer, etc.

Of course, film is dead from a commercial standpoint. Advertising, news, fashion, sports, snapshots, every functional use of photography is 100% digital. But painting died centuries ago from a commercial standpoint, and it remains an art form. I think something similar will happen with film.

[winders]

No you can't...because painting is 95% of the art......the subject is far less important than the artist's interpretation along with the technique with the brush and with mixing the paint. You can't get the texture with a computer.

Photography is quite different. It's all about the image. No one cares of if it was shot with a DSLR, SLR, etc. or what lens was used. \

Film is dying an inglorious death and it will not survive. Kodak is gone.....the hobby market can't sustain film. It's not like painting supplies. People still love to paint. It's quite popular. Darkrooms and the required supplies? The writing is on the wall....

[jyl]

Film supplies and chemicals are pretty low tech. The lines to make the emulsion are fully depreciated, they get bought, moved to low-cost countries, operations scaled down to the current market size, and selling a roll of film for $5 is pretty darned profitable. Ilford, FujiFilm, Kodak (the film business), Lomography are all profitable.

The equipment - cameras, lenses, etc - is in essentially endless supply.

As long as there is a solid niche of demand, there will be film and the means to make art with it.

Remember how record players and tube amplifiers were going to disappear?

[herr_oberst]

Pinhole photography. I'm not into it, but I know people who are. A guy in PDX builds the wooden cameras (975 a copy) and a guy in Korea builds the brass ones (watch-works for timing the shutter!)

Making satisfying images takes time and imagination to learn.

[Flat Six]

Cool, h_o; thanks for posting.

[jyl]

Project coming along. Built the walls, hung the door. Wired up the outlets. Painting the interior a flat medium gray. Basic enlarger and tray shelving is built, it will be a lighter gray. Still need a supplies storage shelf and a print drying rack. It will be a pretty basic and small, but usable, darkroom. I used something of similar size in the college darkroom back when, and it was fine.