Well this was another busy off week, I worked again on my secondary darkroom. After doing some light proofing of 3 doors and 3 windows in my new darkroom #2, it is now ready for use. I still need to put some kind of air exhaust system in place but the electrician has not gotten back to me on that just yet. Over the last several days I developed 15 rolls or so of 35mm and plan on doing my first roll of 120 film tonight.
This new darkroom is great to do film development in. The big deep metal sink works well for this purpose. Both mixing chemistry and developing film in tanks works much better if you can lower your stinky-messy chemistry down into a deep metal hole while developing. There is less splashing, less accidental spillage, less overall mess. Everything just flows smoother and is cleaner in a deeper sink. You can quickly wash up any accidents, quickly wash your tanks, bottles, graduates etc.
I made up a few contact prints and a few RC work prints a few days back as well. I prefer the big metal sinks I have in darkroom #1 for printing but these plastic sink jobs do the work adequately. They should be OK for platinum printing, wet plate stuff and teaching students. Having 5 different sinks with 5 different water sources and drains in darkroom #2 also helps things out quite a bit. It just cuts down the walking and allows you to multi task. It gives you the ability to do things in different and more efficient ways. For example yesterday I had 5 films washing in a washer in the big metal sink and then put a small 2-35mm tank into a separate smaller sink to wash at the same time. It saved me time, was faster and more efficient. I did it all at one time, using 1 timer.
Am still adjusting and modifying things in darkroom #2. Trying to figure how to do everything in this new space. What works best? What is most fluid? Trying to set up the best locations for things like towels, timers, pails, tongs, gloves, thermometers and all the other stuff you need in a darkroom space. I have scissors located in 3 different locations now (cutting chemistry packagers, cutting film strips, and a general area for other stuff).
One other thing I really love about darkroom #2 is the TV and music sections of the space. Two days ago I had "The Agony and the Ecstasy" playing (Charlton Heston as Michelangelo) and last night had some, Queen, new-used LP classical and Folk music (140 records bought Friday for $75) stuff playing. Working in a darkroom developing film is a rather, same-same, monotonous job. It is not exciting like printing is, so having some music or the sound track of a good movie going is always a welcome compliment as you work. Interesting sounds help divert the mind in a positive way. As long as you can keep focus on developing your film properly and not make mistakes, music and movies help me stay happy. They help keep me AWAKE! Plus they help me think of new photo ideas, new types of things I want to create and produce. Music, movies, books, camera gear are a wonderful enhancement in darkroom #2. Having all that stuff around me as I work helps INSPIRE ME to make new negatives, figure out new projects and think in new directions.
"Ain't Photography Grand!!"
Link to the film "The Agony and the Ecstasy"
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| Developing big metal sink area for film with chair. Interesting side note, the legs on this chair are from my baby high-chair. Dad made it up into a work chair for his kitchen space many years ago. So I am sitting on the same legs developing film now at 54 as I was eating baby food then when I was 2 years old. |
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| Reels drying in sink #3. The drying stand was made years ago when I was young before I had darkroom #1 |
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| Wide view of darkroom #2 |
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| Sink #3 on wet side of darkroom, with newish (bought used but was almost new-$50) humidifier |
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| 2 of the enlargers on dry side of darkroom with old style paper safe (never used it in darkroom #1 |
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| Dry enlarger side of darkroom with dads old large garbage can in place |
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| Second sink in darkroom #2 with Zone VI 11x14 washer |
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| Stereo cameras and new-used Leica R6.2 with 21mm F4 lens |
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| Dad (Blad ring flash) |
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| Part of wet side of darkroom #2 |
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| Bla Thai sex worker from 2009 (Blad and ring flash) as well as the 6x9 Fuji camera with flash and stereo viewer with temp prints |
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| Wider view of part of darkroom #2 wet side |
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| Drying sink for tanks etc. |
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| Old style medical film drying cabinet (second door glass still being repaired) |
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| Big film development, chemical mixing sink |
