It's been a very long time since I've worked in an actual darkroom and for the first time I've actually been missing the smell of fixer, while engulfed in darkness.
Though it's a long and agitating process, no pun intended, I miss developing my own film as well. I was pretty good with film, I don't think I messed up once while developing, changing bags were my cup of tea, but in the darkroom I made my share of mistakes ... which was ultimately my favorite part (the darkroom that is, not the mistakes).
I also miss successfully transferring undeveloped film into an empty film canister to be developed. I miss the feeling of accomplishment when I'd take out perfectly developed pieces of film from a canister I'd been agitating for at least ten mins. I miss calculating f-stops, and exposure time, plus or minus a filter or two. I miss the magic of photo paper, and when I say photo paper I mean light sensitive pieces of black and white photo paper preferably in a matte finish.
I miss watching my photos come to life as I transfer them from developer into fixer. I miss prints, and the entire print process. Digital just isn't the same. I miss mounting and matting my work (properly) with awesome cutting boards, and a huge hot press. I miss setting up the studio, and I miss using insanely expensive equipment that I can only dream of having, equipment that my teacher would so willing lend to a bunch of 16 year old kids, from a collection of his own personal property.
If you can't tell ... I miss it all. I can't wait to work in a darkroom again. Maybe when I have the means, and the time too I'll borrow my sister's ever so faithful FM10, buy a roll of 200 ASA B/W Film, buy a packet of photo paper in a matte finish, then find me a darkroom fully equipped with all my photo needs and spend reckless amounts of time developing and printing my work.
Me and my familia had a girls night in and watched Where the Heart is the other night, which perpetuated this whole thing about missing the dark room ... another movie, my all time favorite movie Funny Face, makes me crazy for the darkroom again ... every single time I watch it.
NOTE: I added this b&w digital photo I took sometime last summer as merely a visual aid ... I don't have any of my actual b&w prints scanned on to my computer, But once I do scan them I'll make sure to share them.
Though it's a long and agitating process, no pun intended, I miss developing my own film as well. I was pretty good with film, I don't think I messed up once while developing, changing bags were my cup of tea, but in the darkroom I made my share of mistakes ... which was ultimately my favorite part (the darkroom that is, not the mistakes).
I also miss successfully transferring undeveloped film into an empty film canister to be developed. I miss the feeling of accomplishment when I'd take out perfectly developed pieces of film from a canister I'd been agitating for at least ten mins. I miss calculating f-stops, and exposure time, plus or minus a filter or two. I miss the magic of photo paper, and when I say photo paper I mean light sensitive pieces of black and white photo paper preferably in a matte finish.
I miss watching my photos come to life as I transfer them from developer into fixer. I miss prints, and the entire print process. Digital just isn't the same. I miss mounting and matting my work (properly) with awesome cutting boards, and a huge hot press. I miss setting up the studio, and I miss using insanely expensive equipment that I can only dream of having, equipment that my teacher would so willing lend to a bunch of 16 year old kids, from a collection of his own personal property.
If you can't tell ... I miss it all. I can't wait to work in a darkroom again. Maybe when I have the means, and the time too I'll borrow my sister's ever so faithful FM10, buy a roll of 200 ASA B/W Film, buy a packet of photo paper in a matte finish, then find me a darkroom fully equipped with all my photo needs and spend reckless amounts of time developing and printing my work.
Me and my familia had a girls night in and watched Where the Heart is the other night, which perpetuated this whole thing about missing the dark room ... another movie, my all time favorite movie Funny Face, makes me crazy for the darkroom again ... every single time I watch it.
NOTE: I added this b&w digital photo I took sometime last summer as merely a visual aid ... I don't have any of my actual b&w prints scanned on to my computer, But once I do scan them I'll make sure to share them.
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