So I disassembled my darkroom today...

[erikhaugsby]

It was pretty painful, but moving out to school necessitated it.

I'm still keeping all the equipment, and taking enough (one reel/tank, a dark bag, and chemical) to develop film, but there's gonna be no more late night sessions downstairs with my 23C.

At least my school (University of Missouri, in Columbia) still has a darkroom on campus (for the time being. I don't know how much longer it'll be there, and nobody in a place of power can tell me), but there is a $30/semester fee and it sure isn't open 24 hours.


On a happier note I picked up my first Olympus OM-1 with a 50/1.4 today, and both for under $100. The GAS had already started even before I left the store. 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Eric, I began my darkroom work at university. Why don't you try to start up a photo club there? You could be big man on campus. Think of all the lovely models you have access to.

 

[40oz]

$30 a semester is a bargain. My local photo organization offers it for $10 a day/$90 a month with membership, and it's only open 'til 5 PM most days, and only 5 days a week. Nicely, it's open on weekends, but no using it after work but for one day a week, sadly.

In other words, take what you can get, and use it. They will see no reason to keep a darkroom if nobody uses it.

 

[FrankS]

I'm serious about approaching the university, or student govenment, for funding for a student club. Don't be passive, be a doer, be a playa!

 

[RML]

I'm serious about approaching the university, or student govenment, for funding for a student club. Don't be passive, be a doer, be a playa!

Prez of a club would look good on his resume, for sure. As will the fact you "single-handedly" set up the club, lead it nad made it blossom. OK, that last part may be a tad difficult to achieve, but hey, as Frank says, "Don't be passive, be a doer, be a playa!". I'd even sat: be a winner!

 

[FrankS]

Think of the darkroom lessons you could give, Erik! 😉

 

[thomasw_]

yes and the ladies love a darkroom man; i met my wife through a photo club🙂 it is a good way to learn from others, exchange info.

 

[RML]

Just don't confuse dark room with "dark room". If you do, you may not find the kind of "ladies" your looking for. 😀

 

[tedwhite]

As one who taught photography for many years in colleges and one university, here's a thought. Find a faculty member who is a competent film photographer. Get him interested in spearheading a drive to offer black and white photography classes. Then YOU do the research about similar programs at colleges, universities, and community colleges. You will discover that these programs are "hot" right now and students are lined up trying to get into them.

Once you arm him with these data he's got talking points, and college administrators love numbers. Mostly, photography courses are in the Art Department, but recently some institutions have been giving Humanities credit for them. When students realize they can avoid the Greeks and take a photography course instead....

It's a dirty business, but it works.

Ted

 

[erikhaugsby]

Hey,
thanks all for the help.
It helps soothe an aching heart.
🙂

And a (B&W darkroom) photo club isn't a bad idea, if there isn't one already.

 

[troym]

Try looking for "hidden" darkrooms on campus that you might be able to access. Architecture and engineering programs often have once-heavily used darkrooms that may have fallen into disuse.

When I was in school, I found an unused darkroom deep in the bowels of my department (the engineering school). No one had touched it in a few years. I sweet talked the departmental secretary into giving me a key to the room. Because it had been neglected, I had to clean it, buy chemicals, fix up the enlarger, etc. -- all of which probably cost more than the fee I would have paid to use the student darkrooms in the creative arts department. But it was well worth the effort for, essentially, my own private darkroom. I've never had it so good!

 

[Ronald M]

I dragged an Omega B3 to school when I was a senior and set it up in my apartment.

The first session was a Sunday evening after dark with the trays and enlarger on the floor. I turned on the timer with the head off to check the bulb. Pop. Ok so there was a spare. POP too. There is no place to get an enlarging bulb in West, Lafayette, Indiana on a Sunday evening at 8 PM.

I have since learned the bulbs are made to work in one position only. One learns a lot in 45 years.

 

[Thardy]

A large college like U of Missouri might already have a photo club, but starting one would be cool.