Darkroom

[kenneth_guarino]

I want to set up a darkroom and learn how to process my negatives. Who's got an idea of the equipments I will

need? Please post a helpful site if you know one. Thanks.:)

[sattler123]

Kenneth,

 

you should probably buy a few books on how to set up a darkroom - there is just too much to consider. Just go to Amazon and search for darkroom - there will be plenty of books.

[j_leonardo_smith]

http://www.photo.net/learn/darkroom/

[arjun_mehra]

Black-and-white or color? If color, I wouldn't go beyond making prints, continuing to let a lab. develop my negatives. The real essentials for a darkroom (to make prints) are an enlarger and a light-free space. You'll need much more, but there's more leniency in terms of what you get.

[stephen_taylor13]

There is a pretty gook book by Kodak, "The Darkroom Data Guide" that is pretty helpful. If you go onto B&H Photo, or

Calumet and search the books you will see a number of good books that will get you going. There is a book, "Building Your

Own Darkroom", that is also pretty good to help you get some ideas about where in your house you might want your

darkroom. You basically just need a room where there is good ventilation and no light. If you are going to be doing 35mm,

you will find that having some basic chemicals (developer, stop bath, fixer, etc..) and a developing tank of some kind will

pretty much get you started.

When I got back into photography, and before I found my enlarger, I was making contact prints with a Paterson contact

printer and a spot light I had stored in my garage that I put an old T shirt over to diffuse the light. I would clamp it to my

shower curtain rod in the bathroom, and put the contact printer on the floor. It actually worked pretty well for proof

printing. I would use my metronome as a timer. In short, be creative and have fun with it.

Stephen.