darkroom workers?

[George Hart]

Yes, count me in! A makeshift bathroom darkroom, but with an adjacent shower room for washing prints, it works just fine! Only trouble is that I don't have time to use it as often as I would like.

[Tony Lovell]

I've had a darkroom for B&W work for about 20 years now..… and large format from the very start! I installed an MPP cold cathode enlarger (7" x 5") I later added a very modified Kodak 7x5 which is a condenser / diffuser, mostly for printing in sky’s etc and lastly I added a Durst medium format enlarger which I use for printing in small items like birds, usually from medium format negatives.

I’ve recently been shooting 10” x 8” B&W and I’m in the process of building a new darkroom to house the new enlarger, purchased earlier in the year. Can I ask are any other members regularly shooting this format? it's not an easy one to master!

[Apple]

Tony, two people spring to mind but there will be others - Paul O. and Chong but AFAIR Paul might not have his beasty now and Chong does / did contact prints on B&W but mainly chromes on his...

You must have a reinforced floor to take a 10x8 enlarger from when I've seen pictures of the DeVere versions... My 54 model DeVere is built like the proverbial outhouse and that's bench mounted - it won't blow over in a breeze...

Andrew

[Tony Lovell]

Apple, Yes, I do have a reinforced floor! I’m not sure what the whole thing weigh’s but two of us struggled to lift the column on its own. I recall my original 7x5 MPP weighs 7 stone but the 10x8 is a good deal heavier.

[CarlRadford]

all the way. Be it silver or alt process. Be nice to be able to make some digi negs for alt process work but will leave that for a little while yet!

[PAUL O]

I used to be a hardcore darkroom worker ... but I had to lose my darkroom when we moved house
I've been "darkroomless" for 18 months now and have decided (thanks Jo ) that I'm (finally after much complaining) going digital
I've just sourced good deals on an Epson V700/R2400 package with a Quill 9 ink continuous ink system ... oh and Photoshop CS2
Just have to learn to use the thing now
I do envy those still using traditional darkroom methods but (I never, ever thought I'd hear myself say this) I've been truly gobsmacked by the quality of black and white prints that Jo produced for me on her digital system.
IMHO Jo's versions were "better" than my versions - and I used some expensive enlarger lenses and a beast of a 5x4 enlarger (wall mounted too).
I certainly don't wish to start a traditional vs digital debate here but I for one am very excited about producing prints from the comfort of my desk ... and in daylight

[PAUL O]

Looked at my previous post and just realised ... I'm addicted to these "Emoticons"

[Apple]

I've been "darkroomless" for 18 months now and have decided (thanks Jo ) that I'm (finally after much complaining) going digital

That comment's nigh on High Treason coming from you of all people, the Master Of The Dark Arts (or should that be Chief Luddite?)

I know what you mean about the quality of digital stuff but at the moment I am still continuing with the fingers in the wet, smelly fluids as:

a) it lets me do 16x20 enlargements (sane limit of local exhibition sizes without needing big inkjet printers)

b) size-wise "if you've got it, flaunt it" as the "amateur" digital prints are generally only up to A3+ and quite often smaller - flush mounted 16x20s have more "presence" at times,

c) as a Yorkshireman, I need to get my moneys-worth out of the electronic exposure meter / enlarger timer I bought a year or so back

Andrew

PS when are you running the tutorials on CS?

[Joanna Carter]

That comment's nigh on High Treason coming from you of all people, the Master Of The Dark Arts (or should that be Chief Luddite?)

Come on Andrew, come over to the Light Side

a) it lets me do 16x20 enlargements (sane limit of local exhibition sizes without needing big inkjet printers)

For that size, I can get a fully retouched and adjusted scan of a neg printed on photographic paper at Pro2Col using their LightJet printer. No retouching required

b) size-wise "if you've got it, flaunt it" as the "amateur" digital prints are generally only up to A3+ and quite often smaller - flush mounted 16x20s have more "presence" at times,

Totally agreed with that one

c) as a Yorkshireman, I need to get my moneys-worth out of the electronic exposure meter / enlarger timer I bought a year or so back

There's always e-bay

PS when are you running the tutorials on CS?

I know you meant that for Paul but, if enough people are interested, I would gladly run such a day if we could arrange a venue/teashop

[alangolding]

I used to have a small darkroom for 35m about 30 years ago but for our size there is just no room. I have been giving serous thought to getting Photoshop CS2 and would be very interested in any tuiton. Please book me in!

[uraniumnitrate]

Periodically I'm practically living there! Ask my girlfriend why she left me! I'ts cozy loudspeakers nice music coffe and the smell. what more a man can ask for?
I allways try things, and to work with Gum it's takes a long long time! Now the other day I have decided to learn me Carbon and Albumen. How does that sound?

[Richard Kelham]

Apple, Yes, I do have a reinforced floor! I’m not sure what the whole thing weigh’s but two of us struggled to lift the column on its own. I recall my original 7x5 MPP weighs 7 stone but the 10x8 is a good deal heavier.

Back in the days when I earned my living taking snaps, we had a 10x8 Kamm enlarger. Didn't need to reinforce the floor as it was bolted onto the wall. Nowadays I doubt I could even lift the baseboard...

Still planning to shoot some more 10x8 – but this time I'll contact print.

As for darkroom work, yes please. Problem is I have to drive 25 miles to get to it. Even with that downside it's just so much better/easier than farting about with scanners and inkjet printers that will clog up as soon as you start printing...besides I already spend more than enough time staring at a blasted computer screen.


Richard

[Tony Lovell]

I thought you might be interested to see my 10 x 8 enlarger prior to dismantling and moving. it was made and built by photographer and engineer Brian Youngs of Peterborough.

Regards
Tony

[Keith Tapscott]

I still use my darkroom and love traditional B&W printing on silver gelatin papers. Some of the digital colour prints these days are absolutely superb and I never really got into printing on RA-4 type papers and I am more than happy to make colour inkjet prints instead.
I can only enlarge B&W negatives up to 6x7 MF negatives as I don`t yet have a 5x4 enlarger.

Cheers.

[Apple]

Tony,

Looks a decent enlarger with some nice design touches - the sensible handwheel for focusing and height adjustable base so that the head can be rigidly fixed...

They save you needing to be built like a gorilla to adjust anything

At first I thought you'd posted up a negative for a 'can you tell what it is yet?' moment as the walls are in black (generally assume white wallls in a room) and the enlarger / curtains have that negative pastel look about them...

Andrew