I recently posted a photo of my darkroom on social media. Friends have since asked about it. I love working in the darkroom. I don’t produce a lot of photos this way, but I find that it is therapeutic to work in the darkroom. It’s almost like a meditation. I have developed so many rolls of film, I can almost do it my sleep.
I first set up a darkroom when I was about 17. A teacher at Fries High School, Mr. Powell, had darkroom equipment he wasn’t using. He knew I was interested in photography, so he offered to let me use the equipment. I lived with my parents in a small 3-bedroom/1-bath house on a well and septic out in the country. I put the darkroom in the middle bedroom (the smallest bedroom). I took a piece of plywood and covered the only window in the bedroom. I put a curtain from floor to ceiling at the door.
I would go into the bathroom and mix the chemicals and then go back to the darkroom to work. Part of the process of developing film and prints is to wash them with running water at the end. So I would go back to the bathroom for this final step in the process. My Dad was very overprotective of the septic tank and the water supply, so I had to conserve water.
I can remember the first time I developed a roll of film. You put the roll in a light-proof tank and then pour chemicals into the tank through 4 to 6 steps. Once you start, you have to finish or you will ruin the roll. I didn’t have anyone helping me, so I had to learn the process from books. It was very intimidating starting that first roll. Actually it was a dozen or so rolls before I started to feel comfortable with it.
Printing is not as stressful. You can watch the process as it goes through the chemicals, using a safelight. If you mess up a print, you just start over and do it again. I am talking about the black and white process here, by the way. Color is more involved.
After a few months, Mr. Powell needed his equipment back. I am very much appreciative of him for getting my started in darkroom processing.