Journey Into My Darkroom
Discussion
This one could run for a while...
Back in my bog standard comprehensive school in the 90s we were suddenly offered the chance to study photography.
After years of failing to draw, make or visualise anything creative I signed up and was immediately and totally in love with it.
A succession of cameras followed but last month, scrolling through the photos on my current camera (12mini) I suddenly thought:
I miss black and white film photography and want to get back into it.
Straight onto the research and now starting to move towards my ultimate goal which is to have my own dark room and print black and white from my self - developed 35mm film negatives.
It will be a long and convoluted process with many stops and starts, frequent digressions and plenty of faff. May not make it - plenty of headwinds!
Anyone in if I document the journey here?
Back in my bog standard comprehensive school in the 90s we were suddenly offered the chance to study photography.
After years of failing to draw, make or visualise anything creative I signed up and was immediately and totally in love with it.
A succession of cameras followed but last month, scrolling through the photos on my current camera (12mini) I suddenly thought:
I miss black and white film photography and want to get back into it.
Straight onto the research and now starting to move towards my ultimate goal which is to have my own dark room and print black and white from my self - developed 35mm film negatives.
It will be a long and convoluted process with many stops and starts, frequent digressions and plenty of faff. May not make it - plenty of headwinds!
Anyone in if I document the journey here?
I've been considering similar - so would be interested.
However, on some of the (basic) research I have done, may be worth googling for community dark rooms in your area.
Gives you a chance to re-live the past memories without major expense, and also get top tips for making your own dark room.
I'm still at the finding community dark room stage - need to find the time!
Good luck
edit to add:
https://darkroom.directory/
However, on some of the (basic) research I have done, may be worth googling for community dark rooms in your area.
Gives you a chance to re-live the past memories without major expense, and also get top tips for making your own dark room.
I'm still at the finding community dark room stage - need to find the time!
Good luck
edit to add:
https://darkroom.directory/
Sounds good to me; it reminds me of my father's set-up, and his experiments with sepia toning, ferrocyanide etc. Then again it wasn't an ordinary house, it had an X-ray cupboard, brazing torches and pots of mercury upstairs... and a narwhal tusk of course.
Just be aware there is no 'Ctrl-Z' if you screw up
Just be aware there is no 'Ctrl-Z' if you screw up
I'm in although I've been there, done that, got bored.
I can see the interest but I much prefer missing out the faff of processing and developing. I used to use Ilford XP1 that could be developed in C41 by any high street lab to try to ensure good quality negatives for me to try to make good prints from.
But for me still the whole palaver of setting up the dark room, enlarger, chemical trays, drying rack, keeping dust off the negative, retouching the prints to get rid of dust spots I'd missed was to much of a chore not that I don't spend hours in processing and printing software mind
Good luck and do keep us updated.
I can see the interest but I much prefer missing out the faff of processing and developing. I used to use Ilford XP1 that could be developed in C41 by any high street lab to try to ensure good quality negatives for me to try to make good prints from.
But for me still the whole palaver of setting up the dark room, enlarger, chemical trays, drying rack, keeping dust off the negative, retouching the prints to get rid of dust spots I'd missed was to much of a chore not that I don't spend hours in processing and printing software mind
Good luck and do keep us updated.
I'm in.
Spent a fair bit of time in darkrooms in the past (and fancy setting up one again). My fingers have been stained brown with chemicals like a 60 a day smoker. So may be able to give some advice. I still process the odd B&W film, but not for a while.
Most people who do this go straight to scanning it to a digital format, PS, inkjet print etc. Missing the point of 'making prints', which is art, magic even, in the process. It's more satisfying keeping it all analogue. Good luck and keep us posted.
Spent a fair bit of time in darkrooms in the past (and fancy setting up one again). My fingers have been stained brown with chemicals like a 60 a day smoker. So may be able to give some advice. I still process the odd B&W film, but not for a while.
Most people who do this go straight to scanning it to a digital format, PS, inkjet print etc. Missing the point of 'making prints', which is art, magic even, in the process. It's more satisfying keeping it all analogue. Good luck and keep us posted.
Ok thanks for all the replies.
As stated - this will be a long term project to say the least. I have a slightly strange work situation and live in a compact terraced house where every square inch of space is fought over.
However, my plan creeps forward. I aim to equip myself with the basics for developing film first. Once I have those in place it’s the exciting part - choosing a new camera. Years into the future I plan to redevelop our garage and create a sliver of a room where I can set up my room...negotiations are in a very early stage but I know it will cost me dearly.
Thinking about this brought it home to me just how many cameras I have owned in my life despite a general tendency towards minimalism and not really upgrading until vital to do so.
Started off with a Canon sure shot type 35mm point and shoot.
Think I smashed it mountain biking and was then donated a ridiculously cool Nikon underwater or waterproof camera. Bright yellow and grey and looked tough as.
Then a spell with my father’s Zenit SLR with the external light meter. Moved onto the APS system late 90s and had a lovely little Canon (ixus?) which was tiny but took amazing panoramic shots and the film was always perfect to deal with too- no mistakes.
Loved the APS photo albums too - always searching eBay for them even now as I prefer a print to yet more screen time. Zero interest in this current project having anything to do with digital or scanning etc - analogue all the way.
Next was a Nikon F35 I think - an SLR again with a beautiful 28mm to zoom lens with macro and auto focus- amazing bit of kit at the time and I loved it. Then an iPhone 3 for a few years until a digital SLR -again a Nikon. Could never quite put my finger on it but just never loved this as much as I should have.
It was then assassinated by my then girlfriend / now wife / who killed off two of them in quick succession
A couple more years in the phone wilderness and then this sudden and very decisive feeling that I need film back in my life.
TLDR - I have owned more cameras than I thought and want this to be my last one.
As stated - this will be a long term project to say the least. I have a slightly strange work situation and live in a compact terraced house where every square inch of space is fought over.
However, my plan creeps forward. I aim to equip myself with the basics for developing film first. Once I have those in place it’s the exciting part - choosing a new camera. Years into the future I plan to redevelop our garage and create a sliver of a room where I can set up my room...negotiations are in a very early stage but I know it will cost me dearly.
Thinking about this brought it home to me just how many cameras I have owned in my life despite a general tendency towards minimalism and not really upgrading until vital to do so.
Started off with a Canon sure shot type 35mm point and shoot.
Think I smashed it mountain biking and was then donated a ridiculously cool Nikon underwater or waterproof camera. Bright yellow and grey and looked tough as.
Then a spell with my father’s Zenit SLR with the external light meter. Moved onto the APS system late 90s and had a lovely little Canon (ixus?) which was tiny but took amazing panoramic shots and the film was always perfect to deal with too- no mistakes.
Loved the APS photo albums too - always searching eBay for them even now as I prefer a print to yet more screen time. Zero interest in this current project having anything to do with digital or scanning etc - analogue all the way.
Next was a Nikon F35 I think - an SLR again with a beautiful 28mm to zoom lens with macro and auto focus- amazing bit of kit at the time and I loved it. Then an iPhone 3 for a few years until a digital SLR -again a Nikon. Could never quite put my finger on it but just never loved this as much as I should have.
It was then assassinated by my then girlfriend / now wife / who killed off two of them in quick succession
A couple more years in the phone wilderness and then this sudden and very decisive feeling that I need film back in my life.
TLDR - I have owned more cameras than I thought and want this to be my last one.
Edited by Stereolab on Monday 10th October 16:54
So here are the first recruits to my motley crew of eBay jokers.
Wanted the Paterson one of this era as that is what I was used to at school plus I like the look of them compared to the newer one with the big flat lid. One memory of these is that they always leak and you are then sat next to a lovely girl next lesson smelling something like a public lavatory and a supermarket loading bay combined in the back of a pub.
It has the capacity for two 35mm reels to go in simultaneously - stakes are so high! Love it!
When I picked it up the seller was a legend. Never met him before but told him how far I would be cycling over on my folding bike.
His opening gambit as I rolled up to buy antiquated kit that just adds hassle:
“You like inconvenience then” :-)
Wanted the Paterson one of this era as that is what I was used to at school plus I like the look of them compared to the newer one with the big flat lid. One memory of these is that they always leak and you are then sat next to a lovely girl next lesson smelling something like a public lavatory and a supermarket loading bay combined in the back of a pub.
It has the capacity for two 35mm reels to go in simultaneously - stakes are so high! Love it!
When I picked it up the seller was a legend. Never met him before but told him how far I would be cycling over on my folding bike.
His opening gambit as I rolled up to buy antiquated kit that just adds hassle:
“You like inconvenience then” :-)
Edited by Stereolab on Monday 10th October 16:50
I used to have bits and pieces left over from the B & W days, gave a Patterson tank away the other year, and somewhere is a timer for the enlarger, top notch as well, will have to have a look for it.
Some years ago I actually tried I think an E6 kit, for developing colour reversal films, about 13 processes, to I bought a bunch of bottles from the chemists, mixed up the chemicals, and put them all into a warm sink, as they cooled down to about 20 degrees, I started, got some lovely stains, but managed to process the film.
Never again, too time consuming, so I stayed with B & W. I remember processing my first B & W film when I was in Hong Kong in the navy in 1972. I had just purchased my Ashai Pentax SPII, which I still have, I was sort of gobsmacked when I took out the processed film.
I still have the negs somewhere and the measuring beaker I purchased to do it.
Good luck with your project, and keep us all informed of progress.
Some years ago I actually tried I think an E6 kit, for developing colour reversal films, about 13 processes, to I bought a bunch of bottles from the chemists, mixed up the chemicals, and put them all into a warm sink, as they cooled down to about 20 degrees, I started, got some lovely stains, but managed to process the film.
Never again, too time consuming, so I stayed with B & W. I remember processing my first B & W film when I was in Hong Kong in the navy in 1972. I had just purchased my Ashai Pentax SPII, which I still have, I was sort of gobsmacked when I took out the processed film.
I still have the negs somewhere and the measuring beaker I purchased to do it.
Good luck with your project, and keep us all informed of progress.
I also used to develop my own black and white film and prints, starting off in school but then getting my own enlarger and the same developing tank you have, though I never got the second spool for it. I did some 120 work with some cheap film, so I only used the extra capacity of the tank for that. I had a second enlarger that I gave to someone on here after never using it for 15+ years, but my Zenith foldable one is still in the back of a cupboard. I used to fold myself up into the side loft off my bedroom and the enlarger would just fit in the tall side.
My interest in cameras involved in collecting old cameras, from my box camera my dad got from a gypsie around 1930 to an MPP 5 x 4.
Bought it in a junk shop, it was really a junk shop, around 76 for £50.00
I contacted MPP in London, they dated it around 1950 by the serial number, a lot of records were lost during the war and buildings being destroyed.
I purchased some film, single plates, worked out to load them, and fired a few off, I managed to pick up an old enlarger on the cheap and processed some.
Well if I buy a new lense I literally have a new camera, the back angles up/down side/side, the lense angles back, up/down, and if you extend the bellows, your thumb just fits the screen. The lense has a leaf shutter, and built int the back of the camera is a long piece of black cloth, with various size bits cut out, you crank it up till for example 1/500 shows on the window, release it, and the black cloth cranks over the place exposing it to light from the size of cut out to equal a 500th second, much like modern focal plane cameras.
Some years ago I posted some pics of it on PH's. Its the sort of camera the press used in the 40's and what you used to see at wedings.
Still in my cuboard gathering dust now.
Bought it in a junk shop, it was really a junk shop, around 76 for £50.00
I contacted MPP in London, they dated it around 1950 by the serial number, a lot of records were lost during the war and buildings being destroyed.
I purchased some film, single plates, worked out to load them, and fired a few off, I managed to pick up an old enlarger on the cheap and processed some.
Well if I buy a new lense I literally have a new camera, the back angles up/down side/side, the lense angles back, up/down, and if you extend the bellows, your thumb just fits the screen. The lense has a leaf shutter, and built int the back of the camera is a long piece of black cloth, with various size bits cut out, you crank it up till for example 1/500 shows on the window, release it, and the black cloth cranks over the place exposing it to light from the size of cut out to equal a 500th second, much like modern focal plane cameras.
Some years ago I posted some pics of it on PH's. Its the sort of camera the press used in the 40's and what you used to see at wedings.
Still in my cuboard gathering dust now.
Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 11th October 10:49
My first job in the industry was in David Redfern’s darkroom.
After churning out 3000 identical black & white prints of Lulu
I’d had enough of the darkroom process and left to be a person taking photographs.
However I did have a dedicated b&w darkroom at home, and spent hours and hours making slight changes
to prints until I thought I’d achieved the result I’d desired; only to look at them the next day and see so little difference, that I wondered why I’d bothered.
I much preferred using, and the results from, a Cold Cathode enlarger
and would suggest that you find one of that type ….. but that’s personal.
I never want to see the inside of a darkroom again, but I will follow your journey
After churning out 3000 identical black & white prints of Lulu
I’d had enough of the darkroom process and left to be a person taking photographs.
However I did have a dedicated b&w darkroom at home, and spent hours and hours making slight changes
to prints until I thought I’d achieved the result I’d desired; only to look at them the next day and see so little difference, that I wondered why I’d bothered.
I much preferred using, and the results from, a Cold Cathode enlarger
and would suggest that you find one of that type ….. but that’s personal.
I never want to see the inside of a darkroom again, but I will follow your journey
Vipers said:
Well if I buy a new lense I literally have a new camera, the back angles up/down side/side, the lense angles back, up/down, and if you extend the bellows, your thumb just fits the screen. The lense has a leaf shutter, and built int the back of the camera is a long piece of black cloth, with various size bits cut out, you crank it up till for example 1/500 shows on the window, release it, and the black cloth cranks over the place exposing it to light from the size of cut out to equal a 500th second, much like modern focal plane cameras.
Erm... I'm familiar with old MPP cameras and leaf shutters, but you have lost me with a long piece of black cloth and windows... 
Elderly said:
I much preferred using, and the results from, a Cold Cathode enlarger
and would suggest that you find one of that type ….. but that’s personal.
I never want to see the inside of a darkroom again, but I will follow your journey
I did print with a Cold Cathode head on an enlarger my dad had back in the day. IIRC, it softened the grain structure in the print. Funny light, think I preferred the grain.and would suggest that you find one of that type ….. but that’s personal.
I never want to see the inside of a darkroom again, but I will follow your journey
I wouldn't mind getting into a darkroom to make prints (yep, understand not wanting to churn out x number mind numbing commercial prints).
I'm more Interested in older and more dangerous processes, more fun...
Bacardi said:
Erm... I'm familiar with old MPP cameras and leaf shutters, but you have lost me with a long piece of black cloth and windows...
Righty ho, as you know a focal plane is two shutters moving across the back of the camera at the same speed, but to obtain faster shutter speeds, the gap between the two shutters is altered, narrow gap, fast speed, wider gap slower speed.In the MPP they obtained this with a long piece of black material let’s say 40cm long for argument sake. Because it doesn’t have two shutters it has pieces cut out of the cloth of various heights.
Small gaps for faster speed and bigger gaps for slower speeds. You have a winder which you wind up, and in a little window it shows the shutter speed.
So if it’s reading 1/500 then the corresponding gap in the long piece of cloth is set to the width when it passes through the camera body (at the same speed as all the other settings), the light passing on to the film equals 1/500 of a second.
There is a piece of cloth which is not cut out to then block the light.
Does that make sense?
Edited it to read 40 cm LONG and made it not width, my mistake
Edited by Vipers on Wednesday 12th October 10:08
This may help to explain as well. A couple of photoes showing the piece of balck bit being wound into place, the first one being cranked up to the start time is 50th, (see bottom photo of S and L lever, this changes it to 30th in the S setting, presume means slow).
As you can see I have removed the piece of ground glass to see it. Hope this helps.
Second pic is setting it to 250th, and again S will set it to 125, how that works I have no idea.
Third pic shows the crank you turn to pull the pice of black cloth up to the correct setting.
And 4th shows the S and F setting which gives you two alternatives for the speed.
As you can see I have removed the piece of ground glass to see it. Hope this helps.
Second pic is setting it to 250th, and again S will set it to 125, how that works I have no idea.
Third pic shows the crank you turn to pull the pice of black cloth up to the correct setting.
And 4th shows the S and F setting which gives you two alternatives for the speed.
Interested in this
I used to have a darkroom at my ex inlaws really enjoyed the process
Sold it a long time ago and then turned to digital like the rest of the world
But then just over 2 years ago got a hasselblad and the entirely manual process made me remember why I love photography,
I really disliked the digital part including the lightroom, it it’s hard to deny the results
My next step might be darkroom , lots of skills to relearn and I know the end results will not be as ‘good ‘ as lightroom’, but the process will be more enjoyable and that for me is what a hobby is about
I used to have a darkroom at my ex inlaws really enjoyed the process
Sold it a long time ago and then turned to digital like the rest of the world
But then just over 2 years ago got a hasselblad and the entirely manual process made me remember why I love photography,
I really disliked the digital part including the lightroom, it it’s hard to deny the results
My next step might be darkroom , lots of skills to relearn and I know the end results will not be as ‘good ‘ as lightroom’, but the process will be more enjoyable and that for me is what a hobby is about
Brilliant, good luck! I'd love a darkroom again. My dad had a darkroom when I was growing up and some of my earliest memories are sitting on the high stool in there watching pictures appear on the paper in the dev tray like magic. Long story short I became photographer - no desire to shoot film for work but I'd love to get back in the dark and make proper silver prints again. When my parents sold the house 25 years later I did an all night session in the darkroom making some 20x30s to hang on the wall, knowing I had no idea when or if I'd be back in a darkroom again.
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