How to start a Darkroom

For now on, the core of the posts are going to be oriented on things that really more into Darkroom things, and with time I will start to teach some photo technics.

But first things first, what is a Darkroom? Do I need one? The first answer may seem obvious, but it has to requiere certain elements. While on the second tough, it will depend highly on if you want to just develop film and scan it, or if you want to do the whole process, make prints.

In the first option, there is no need to have a room solely to photography, or adapted to it. You will be able to do fine with a film changing bag. This bags are sold, or can be DIY.

As a disclaimer, I have never used one, but the concept its easy. As you can see on the image above, the bag has a zipper and a pair of sleeves (may not seem quite sleeves, but they are) with gloves at the end. This bags were made to manipulate film or plates, so you will be able to transfer it to the developing tank, they are also great for landscape pinhole photographers, as they try to change their stuff light safe. So how you use them, well you just open the zipper and put the film (still with its can or wrapped within its paper, in case of a 120, or the plate holder), the tank to develop (with all the parts, as mention on the video in the last entry), a pair of scissors (if a 135). When all that stuff is inside the bag, close the zipper and then via the sleeves, you insert your hands. And start manipulating the film and the tanks, until the film is safe inside the tank, so in that moment you can take that out and start processing your film.

The other way involves to adapt an existing room in your house, but not any room, it has to meet at least two things. That it can become dark at will, meaning that any light can enter into the room, second and also very important, access to tap water. While with the changing bag you do not need to darken any room in your house, you are able to work in the kitchen or in the bathroom. With that in mind the place you are going to be able to adapt narrows your choose. It will lead you to use a bathroom, a kitchen or in special situations, the laundry room. Before taking any step further be sure that you have the permission of your family members, specially if you still live with your parents.

Undoubtedly, the best option is to use a room that is in the basement, these rooms, most of the times have small windows or any. But if you do not have a basement with a laundry room or bathroom (I heavily think any would have a kitchen in the basement) you will have to be able to tape black paper in the windows, this material is not expensive as it can be found where arts or office materials are supplied, and the best material to paste it is duct tape, you know that black one that is not very sticky, and do not left many marks.

Black paper

You have to measure your windows, so you buy the right amount of paper. The first time when you are assembling the papers, try to do it when the most intense light is going to be entering to that room, so you can easy find any light that could slip in, and find that little hole and block it with the duct tape. If you are only able to work at night, it is more easy to achieve total darkness inside.

As far as we have gone, this is to set up the space just to manipulate film, and start a developing process. This time I will not take too much time to write about developing chemicals. If you intend to build the whole darkroom, it is because you are also wanting to do some enlargements. In that case you will have to considerate space to accommodate an enlarger and at least five photographic trays. The size of the enlarger will depend on what you find, there are different type and sizes of enlargers, and the size of the trays can be determined by the size of the enlarger, bigger machines are able to project bigger images, or the space you still have. The most common household printing size is 8x10 inches, so you can go a photographic supply store and ask if they still sell trays, in that case they will ask you the bigger size photo you intend to enlarge. Most common tray sizes are for 5x7, 8x10, 11x16 and 12x18 in. Bigger sizes are hard to achieve in house darkrooms, the solution for bigger enlargements is to use a print developing tank, hard to find nowadays. So for this time see you soon!

I leave you with a photo when I started my own Darkroom, it was and unused bathroom in the basement of my house. (The extra lighting was just for the photo)