COMPLETELY NEW and in need of mentorship

[sam_ross1]

Hello..im 16 and serious about photography..im building a darkroom and

need advice on equipment and chemicals and so forth..and any other advice i

would REALLY appreciate...

oh i have a Pentax ZX-10 35mm SLR..so any advice pertaining to that camera

is appreciated as well

 

XxXsamXxX

[evan_parker]

Hey, I don't mean to be a jerk, but you really need to read the text ABOVE the new thread text box.

[lex_jenkins]

Sam, online forums are good places to ask specific questions about one or two topics at a time, but not the best places to get tutoring in a widely diverse interest such as b&w darkroom work. The best place to start is with a good book in the fundamentals, of which there are several. I particularly like a couple of books by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz, tho' there are many, many others, including some of the older Kodak guide books.

 

There's no way any of us can answer all of your questions in a single thread. It'll take time. Many of us have been at it for years and are still learning.

 

You can start by reading the threads archived here that appeal to whatever interests you at the moment, but even that's a haphazard approach at best because the threads are so poorly organized and often stray from any focused subject matter.

 

Take your time, do a little research, ask specific questions as problems arise, don't try to absorb it all at once.

 

Questions about your Pentax or any other cameras, lenses, etc., should be directed to a more appropriate forum on photo.net.

[b30307]

I agree, there are no quick and easy instructions, which is part of what makes B+W

a lifetime vocation for many people. I'm guessing you're still in high school,(?) - if

so, see if your school offers a photo course. There are also many books on basic

darkroom work in both "new" and "used" bookstores. I work at a Mom & Pop

camera store in Atlanta, GA. and we offer used darkroom books @ $5 each. I'm

sure similar bargains can be found anywhere in America and Europe.

Take your time and expect to make mistakes at first; practice makes perfect.

[marc_leest1]

Hi Sam,

 

Try this link for starters. Good luck and enjoy !

 

 

<P><a href="http://ubmail.ubalt.edu/~dhaynes/photo/bwhite.htm">Guide to Black and White Photography

</a></P>

[chris_waller]

I suggest you get a copy of 'Basic Photography' by M J Langford (publ focal Press). This will give you all the basic grounding you need. After that, as specific problems arise, return to this forum.

[lachaine]

The quickest way there is to take a class with other people. I learned from books, but in hindsight, I think a class would have been better.

 

Also, if you're starting, don't let yourself get overwhelmed with different developers, etc. I like Ilford products myself, and I just stick with the same ones. Even now, restarting B&W after years of colours, I got the exact same chemicals I used before, and the same film. The more variables you eliminate, the better.