Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

cosmonaut

cosmonaut

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Well I work for the local school system and they were doing away with a darkroom. They haven't teached photography in many years. I was given some equipment a couple of weeks ago, basically everything I needed short of fixer and stop bath which I had. Most of the developer was way out of date as with the paper. But not having anything else to do I thought I would practice. At first I started with 5x7s which was a disaster from the start. After two days of growing pains in which I think I made every mistake imaginable. I give up in frustartion. I figured I was fighting old developer, paper, ignorance or all three. So today I thought I would try some 8x10s. After a couple of shots at some test strips I figured out exposure, then after a few more rookie mistakes I finally got some that resembled a picture. This wasn't the best of the lot the best one got a couple of water spots on it during clean up. More growing pains. But forward I go. I think as little B&W film as I shoot my film scanning days are over, also I am not a happy snapper. I am pretty selective with my stuff. But best of all I did it all without a computer mouse. If you have never printed in a darkroom you don't know what your missing.

phone_print_01.jpg
 
Fifth graders in a darkroom???
I had to be a Sophomore in High School to get a Photography class...

Make all your mistakes on the free stuff first...
 
Good for you, and I completely agree. Photography can be appreciated many ways, but I'm certainly glad I put forth the effort to make a darkroom. It's a lot of fun.
 
Well, there's always voice activated software. I just installed tazti software on mine, and have hopes of getting rid of not only the mouse, but the keyboard too! Now, if I could only get rid of the computer.
 
I got my start (photo start, as you will see later that there may be some confusion) in a rural grade school darkroom. I was sixth grade, but still we had an instructor. His words still ring in my ears, God bless him (not what you will think). I loved that darkroom, especially when they turned the red light on. You could really take a look at the upper grade girls.

Well, good memories, but where did you find a pay phone to take a picture of.
 
charjohncarter said:
I got my start (photo start, as you will see later that there may be some confusion) in a rural grade school darkroom. I was sixth grade, but still we had an instructor. His words still ring in my ears, God bless him (not what you will think). I loved that darkroom, especially when they turned the red light on. You could really take a look at the upper grade girls.

Well, good memories, but where did you find a pay phone to take a picture of.
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The pay phone is about a miles walk from the local jail and the first place most newly released inmates head when they are cut loose. When they turn them loose they have to leave in what ever they were arrested in. So you see them walking in all kinds of weather and clothes.lol
 
cosmonaut said:
The pay phone is about a miles walk from the local jail and the first place most newly released inmates head when they are cut loose. When they turn them loose they have to leave in what ever they were arrested in. So you see them walking in all kinds of weather and clothes.lol
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They should be in 70s clothes: bells, plaids, platforms and big lapels. But they probably are in last years fashions.
 
I like the phone booth photo. I, too, always take a photo of any plhone booth I run across. They are a vanishing breed.

Darkroom technique can be frustrating. But it's still magic, and highly addictive. Your technique looks fine to me.
 
Oh, I so miss the darkroom, even though it has been over 30 years since I made 8x10s., But, I am satisfied with Developing and Scanning right now.

It is a rewarding experience watching the image come up from nothing in the developer. Before you know it, you will have a set of dodge and burn tools.
 
Well the set up isn't that much of a hassle. I have the Enlarger, timer and light on a push cart. I roll it out plug it up. Fill my pans and get started. I knew if I ever got started it would be just like developing film. It would be. Why haven't I been doing this all along kinda thing.
Yes I am saying I am NOT as smart as a fifth grader. It is also very unfortunate that they no longer teach the class. But from what the teachers are telling me getting the supplies were just to much of a hassle. They never ordered supplies and the only local lab that sold chemicals slowly went under. What a shame. It's not that they didn't want to teach it or anything.
 
cosmonaut said:
Well the set up isn't that much of a hassle. I have the Enlarger, timer and light on a push cart. I roll it out plug it up. Fill my pans and get started. I knew if I ever got started it would be just like developing film. It would be. Why haven't I been doing this all along kinda thing.
Yes I am saying I am NOT as smart as a fifth grader. It is also very unfortunate that they no longer teach the class. But from what the teachers are telling me getting the supplies were just to much of a hassle. They never ordered supplies and the only local lab that sold chemicals slowly went under. What a shame. It's not that they didn't want to teach it or anything.
Click to expand...

It is a shame, at the very least (if they don't learn photography) the students learn chemistry, ratios, math, measuring, some cause and effect theory, how to time something, and above all else self discipline.
 
Cosmo, good for you!
Darkroom work should not be a hassle if you just follow a simple but consistent workflow.

I design software development and data analysis workflow at work and it's amazing how most of the principles can be applied in both areas.
 
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