How do you set up your own darkroom?

Question

i want to be a photographer and develop my own film but i do not know how to set up my own darkroom. I was wondering if anyone can tell me how to set up a darkroom? thanks!

Answer 1

That's great!  I've been developing my own black and white film and pictures since about March, and it is a lot of fun.  It's not nearly as hard as you might think.  There are several steps, and it just takes a little bit of patience...but it really isn't that hard.

I'm not going to tell you to "just take a class" because the truth is that you can learn it on your own if you really want.  You should do more research online and read as much as can about photography and film development.  There is more to traditional photography (REAL photography) than just developing the film.  You'll need to learn and practice getting the right exposure and composition.  But you can do it on your own.  I got advice, but then I just learned it on my own.  So here are the actual steps:

After you take the pictures with the camera, the first step is obviously to develop the film.  You don't even need a dark room to develop the film.  You can use what's called a "changing bag."  It's a zippered, lightproof bag with holes for your arms.  It kind of looks like a duffel bag.    The first step is to load the film onto a reel and put it in a small developing tank.  You have to do it in complete darkness, but you can use the changing bag.  It feels a little weird working with your hands in the bag at first, but you'll get used to it.  Once you load the film on the reel and put it in the tank, you can do the rest in normal light.

The next step is to pour the developing chemical into the tank.  You'll leave it in the tank for a certain time, depending on what kind of developer and film you're using.  Usually it's between 6-10 minutes.  Also, you'll agitate the developer by gently inverting the tank every minute or so.  That helps to develop the film evenly.  Look up the developing time for your film.

When the development time is up, you'll empty the tank and then rinse it.  Don't open the tank, just run water through the lightproof spout.  Then, the next step is the "fixer."  The fixer is another chemical that stabalizes the film and makes the images permanent so that they aren't light sensitive anymore.  Pour in the fixer and leave it the tank for several minutes.  I usually leave the fixer in for 9 minutes.  Again, agitate the tank by gently inverting every minute or so.  

Empty the tank, and then rinse it thouroughly.  After the fixer, the film isn't light sensitive anymore, so you could actually open the tank and look at the images if you wanted.  Be sure you rinse the tank and film well.  Also, you should wash the film one last time in distilled water just to help prevent water spots from forming when the film dries.  Then, just hang up the film to dry.  I just hang up mine in the bathroom.  It will be completely dry in about an hour to 90 minutes.

When the film is dry, you will see images formed on the film.  Those are your negatives.  To get the actual pictures, you would need to use an enlarger and develop pictures.  That's the next step.

To get pictures ("prints"), you would put the negative on a tray on the enlarger, called the "negative carrier."  The enlarger has a lamp and lens which projects the image from the negative onto photographic paper.  Photo paper is light sensitive, so after you expose it on the enlarger, you develop it, kind of like film.  You just turn on the lamp on the enlarger and expose the paper the several seconds.  Usually about 10 seconds, but it depends on the negative.

Then you just develop the paper.  You put in a tray with developer.  I usually develop it for 1 minute and 25 seconds.  But definitely no less then 1 minute.  Then you put it in a tray with water.  The next step is to put it in a tray with fixer, and then another tray with water.  Thoroughly wash off the paper one last time...and then you're finished.  Leave the paper somewhere to dry, and don't touch the emulsion side (front) while it's drying because otherwise you will leave marks.  When the paper dries, you'll have a finished picture.  

Photo paper isn't sensitive to red light, so you can use a red light in your darkroom or what's called a "safe light."  I just made a darkroom in my garage.  Also, photo paper isn't as sensitive as film, so honestly if a tiny bit of white light leaks into your dark room, it's not the end of the world.  I've had times where enough light leaked in that I could see my hands after a while, but it didn't affect the pictures at all.  You should try to make it as dark as you can, but if a tiny bit of white light leaks in, it's not that big of a deal.  

I remember the very first time I ever developed my own film.  I was so amazed when I opened the tank and saw real images on the film!  The other cool thing is that if you have a red light or safelight in your darkroom, you can actually watch the image form on the paper when you develop the picture!  The picture forms right in front of your eyes!

You can get the film and chemicals at any decent camera shop, or you can also order them online.  One place I would recommend is Freestyle Photo Supplies.  They have a website, just look it up on Google.  You can get the enlarger on eBay for fairly cheap.  I got mine for about $40.

I don't know why people are saying it costs so much to get started...seriously, it only cost me maybe $100 at most.  If you take a LOT of pictures, then the film, paper, and chemicals can start to add up.  But to just get started, it really isn't that expensive and it's not that hard to do at all.  You can even get "student packs" where they give you a pack of photographic paper and two rolls of film...for about $25.  Also, some camera shops will give discounts to students or new customers.  

Go for it!  You'll have a lot of fun!

Answer 2

put curtains paint the walls a dark color red or black

Answer 3

Actually you paint the walls white, you need make as much as you can from the meager light from your safelight.

The requirements of a darkroom mix two opposing things, you have the plumbing on the one hand and the electrics on the other, the two don't easily mix without competent people to install it. Its dangerous, for obvious reasons, to just put an extension lead into the bathroom, but a lot of people do just that, but it really isn't recommended.

Chris

Answer 4

First you may want to take a class in photography at your local community college ... while it will enhance all your photographic skills, more importantly for you, it will give you some first hand knowledge of what it takes to set up your own darkroom and what you really need, but more importantly what you don't need.

Before spending nearly $1000 on an enlarger, lenses, film carriers, easel, safelights, timers, trays, drying screens, chemistry (and find a place to dispose of them properly), grain focuser, contrast filters, light table, loupe ... well you get the idea ... you may want to experience the whole enterprise of using a well built, fully equipped darkroom

For instance, darkrooms are painted white to help the low wattage safe lights perform better.

Answer 5

Hi Hailey

First, you need the room to be pitch black . I had a dark room and you DO NOT PAINT THE WALLS WHITE. I think they made a mistake. You paint them black and install a red light.

Making a room temporarily light tight is not as easy as you might think. You can cover the windows with aluminum foil or other light proof material. (no light leakage, from under the door to whatever)

To test if the room will work or is dark enough, if you cannot see your hand after 5 minutes in total darkness, it should be safe.

Films are not senstivie to red light and won't affect the processing. You will need the chemicals, and a clothes line to hang them up to dry which only takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Here is a good link:

http://www3.telus.net/drkrm/index.html

Answer 6

Much too vague of a question. Do you want to do color negatives, color slides, or black and white? Do you want to just develop negatives or actually do your own printing?

You can just buy a changing bag to develop black and white negatives at minimal cost. Printing is a whole other story.

Do yourself a favor and head to your local library. They have a tendency to have "older" books. WWW.APUG.ORG is a very good resource as is the photo.net developing forums.

Developing your own prints does not a photographer make. Henri Cartier Bresson did not print his own work. It did not make him any less of a "photographer". Ansel Adams stated "the negative is the score, the print is the performance". Taking pictures daily and judging them ruthlessly will make you a better photographer than developing them yourself. There is a certain magic, akin to alchemy, though when you witness the magic of photography through development and printing. You maintain ultimate responsibility and control of the end product.

An excellent reference is "Into Your Darkroom Step by Step" by Dennis P. Curtin. He gives good tips for home darkroom setup. I picked up a copy on a sale table at Borders Books for $6 bucks.