New Darkroom - Moving Ahead or Back?

[montaggio]

Recently built a new house and had the contractor rough in a darkroom in the basement. He did a great job, including full ventillation and rough in wiring to ensure that I don't have any cords running to power bars, etc.

Moving to a new house being what it is, I am just starting this weekend to finish off this space (6 months later!). As I work away and feel like I'm moving ahead on this, I can't help but think that I'm falling back ingood terms of going back to the traditional wet darkroom.

So, as much as I like it and as much as I don't really care if it is costing me way more than a new digital SLR and even a scanner, I have to ask - is the conventional darkroom a dinosaur, or is does it have a plece in today's world as something more than a curiosity?

 

[tripod]

People still paint. And write letters by hand with fountain pens.

 

[cmedin]

If you like it, why not?

I have a darkroom setup too, though it's been quite some time since I printed anything in there. It's a hobby, and a fun one, and compared to what some people spend on their hobbies (motorcycles, race cars, collecting rare stuff, sailing...) it really isn't that expensive either. 🙂

 

[bsdunek]

I am currently doing a complete make-over of my darkroom. It took me a while to decide to do this as I wondered if it was worth it. My conclusion has several points, some mentioned above:
1. If I want it, why not?
2. I think film/wet processing will continue to be an artists medium, like painting, charcoal, pen and ink, etc. That's the kind of work I want to do, not just put pictures up on the net.
4. I like to work with my hands rather than sit in front of a computer. I get much more satisfaction out of sloshing a print in the tray than fiddling with PhotoShop.
5. When I sell a print, I call the medium 'silver halide on fiber', sounds good to people not familiar with old fashioned silver prints.
There's probably more, but that's enough to keep me happy. I'll put up some photos when I'm done. 😎

 

[montaggio]

OOH, BSDUNEK - Sounds like you have the marketing machine moving for you with the silver halide on fibre thing!

I'm not second guessing my decision to do this - I enjoy it. That's enough for me. And, at the end of the day, I have some nice photos that I often mount and display. How many of the digital images ever get more than a cursory dump to the hard drive?

Saw an article in a relatively recent copy of B+W Photography, which pondered whether the family photo album was a thing of the past - possibly true - definitely very sad!

 

[Bryce]

I still print and agree with cmedin completely. If you like it then by all means do it.
Print quality is as high as it ever was assuming you do your part, and that is still the best money can buy.
The only thing I would personally think of is how elaborate your setup is. If you only use it a little bit, does it really make sense to plumb it?
Mine is very simple, basically a bedroom with the window frame filled with a board that can be removed with one little tug. And of course the equipment.
The simple little setup serves my purposes beautifully.

 

[montaggio]

Funny you should mention that - I prepped a completely dedicated space. Now my wife is looking at it, wondering if the dry side would work well for her scrap booking! I'm going to have to add some more shelves and storage!

BTW - I like plumbed in - can't stand makeshift areas if I can help it. Just my own qwirk.

 

[sepiareverb]

Go all out. Sounds like this might be the last darkroom you get to build? I took the approach that since this was likely my last darkroom I was going to make it as nice as can be, and I love working in there. Few things as fine as a perfect darkroom.

 

[Roger Hicks]

No more backward-looking than barbecuing rather than microwaving.

In fact, I'd say the parallel is exact. No-one enjoys using a microwave, and I'd rather eat a butterflied leg of lamb or a barbecued veal chp than a TV dinner.

For pics of my own current darkroom, plus some of my previous ones, with what I've learned from building/bodging darkrooms for 40 years:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/darkroom.html

Cheers,

R.

 

[bsdunek]

No more backward-looking than barbecuing rather than microwaving.

In fact, I'd say the parallel is exact. No-one enjoys using a microwave, and I'd rather eat a butterflied leg of lamb or a barbecued veal chp than a TV dinner.

For pics of my own current darkroom, plus some of my previous ones, with what I've learned from building/bodging darkrooms for 40 years:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/darkroom.html

Cheers,

R.

I love the barbecue vs. microwave parellel! Hope I have your permission to use it. 😎

 

[jaap]

I like to print in the darkroom for (30 years) The more dslr are sold the more I like my darkroom FB prints !

 

[Roger Hicks]

I love the barbecue vs. microwave parellel! Hope I have your permission to use it. 😎

Feel free to steal it wholesale.

Remember the saying: talent borrows, genius steals.

Cheers,

R.

 

[ruben]

...........So, as much as I like it and as much as I don't really care if it is costing me way more than a new digital SLR and even a scanner, I have to ask - is the conventional darkroom a dinosaur, or is does it have a plece in today's world as something more than a curiosity?

It is both a dynosaur and does have a place in today's world.

Otherwise, who is going to process your BW fillm ? Who is going to print your stuff ?

Does anyone in the world enjoy the gone luxury of high quality processing and high quality printing at cheap prices ?

Ok I am going too far in practical terms. I should ask instead, does anyone in the world enjoy the luxury that both his/her films and prints will not be trashed in next corner labs ?

The tragedy is that the same goes for digital. Labs continue to trash digital prints as they did with film prints. Instead of using better technologies to improve the service and end result, labs, like anyone else, abuses new technology to increase profits at the expense of quality. Have a marriage, contract a photogrpher and it will jump to your eyes.

Darkroom is creativity. I have spent much of my happiest moments there, and will continue. Go all the way without doubts and install the highest quality musical equipment. A darkroom without music is just a dark room.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Roger Hicks]

Labs continue to trash digital prints as they did with film prints. Instead of using better technologies to improve the service and end result, labs, like anyone else, abuses new technology to increase profits at the expense of quality.

Dear Ruben,

And I'll steal that one!

Cheers,

R.