First darkroom printing experience

[crispy12]

I just did the first few prints in my makeshift darkroom, an enlarger that I bought for $35 placed over a metal sink next to my washing machine :bsmilie:

It was so much fun! Seeing the print develop before my eyes was just magic. No photoshop, no tedious scanning, no adjusting for inkjet printer variations. No pixelised images here man... you can see I'm really excited haha. Prints also seem like a very nice present to give to friends and family.

For those who haven't tried yet... you owe it to yourself hehe

 

[Riotbmx]

Can't agree more. Once you step into the darkroom, you'll forget about time.

Spent a few hours to make this. First time printing on a 12x16" fiber base paper, it's so different from printing with RC paper. It's still not dried yet, so if it doesn't turned out the way I wanted I gotta do it again tomorrow.

 

[tonyep]

Just finished spending 8 hours in the darkroom, from developing to printing. Gonna do more in the next few days!

 

[crispy12]

First darkroom prints! by chrisongtj, on Flickr


First darkroom prints! by chrisongtj, on Flickr

Just a quick scan of a print I did. Paiseh paper not straight, i dont have an easel lol. Using black tape at the moment. Wish I bought some 8x10 size, I only both the postcard sized papers to practice. Just wondering, what's the best way to control contrast? I've read about buying different grade filters, where can I get these in Singapore? Also if say I wanted a black border around the photo, what's the best way to do this?

 

[Riotbmx]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisongtj/8095538986/
First darkroom prints! by chrisongtj, on Flickr

Just a quick scan of a print I did. Paiseh paper not straight, i dont have an easel lol. Using black tape at the moment. Wish I bought some 8x10 size, I only both the postcard sized papers to practice. Just wondering, what's the best way to control contrast? I've read about buying different grade filters, where can I get these in Singapore? Also if say I wanted a black border around the photo, what's the best way to do this?

Very nice!

You can buy these

http://www.khbphotografix.com/Images/eBay/ILMG_ULFilters.jpg

 

[crispy12]

Thanks for the kind words!!

My enlarger has a tray for drop in filters. Mine has a heat absorbing filter in there which is made a thin plastic material... Is there anything like that available? Seems like it would be cheaper to buy the filter material than those you've linked.

 

[Riotbmx]

Thanks for the kind words!!

My enlarger has a tray for drop in filters. Mine has a heat absorbing filter in there which is made a thin plastic material... Is there anything like that available? Seems like it would be cheaper to buy the filter material than those you've linked.

Care to post a photo of the tray for filters? I got 2 enlargers actually, one has a built in colour head and the other using the ilford filters in the link. BTW if anybody is looking for an enlarger I'm letting go one of mine.

The 12x16 I printed last night turned out pretty well, but the paper curled quite badly. I don't have a scanner big enough to scan it though

 

[zguy]

Just a quick scan of a print I did. Paiseh paper not straight, i dont have an easel lol. Using black tape at the moment. Wish I bought some 8x10 size, I only both the postcard sized papers to practice. Just wondering, what's the best way to control contrast? I've read about buying different grade filters, where can I get these in Singapore? Also if say I wanted a black border around the photo, what's the best way to do this?

great job for the first print! some enlargers has the variable contrast built in so u might want to just check does yr enlarger has this function. else u have to use those multigrade filters and to use that there should be away to mount them.

to have a black border, you need to prepare a heavy stock mounting board slightly smaller then your paper size. After exposing for your image, place the card over the image carefully ensuring you have equal sized border. then remove your negative and expose for a minute or so. The part of the paper not blocked by the card will become black.

 

[zguy]

Care to post a photo of the tray for filters? I got 2 enlargers actually, one has a built in colour head and the other using the ilford filters in the link. BTW if anybody is looking for an enlarger I'm letting go one of mine.

The 12x16 I printed last night turned out pretty well, but the paper curled quite badly. I don't have a scanner big enough to scan it though

FB paper has a better feel to it but you need to wash it longer and it curls. A few days of weighing it down with a few heavy books will flatten it.

Was it your intention to print the entire frame border and leaving the white space?

 

[Riotbmx]

Was it your intention to print the entire frame border and leaving the white space?

Yes, I wanted to get the sprocket holes in as well as the white borders. I don't have a glass carrier so I used a 5x5 holder, thankfully the neg was able to stay flat(I checked the focus from center to edge). This print is to part of a collaboration with an artist, thus the need to have it printed on FB paper.

 

[crispy12]

Ok a few more questions

I'm currently using Dektol powder because it's so cheap, I got 3.8L stock solution in powdered form for only $8. Apparently I'm supposed to mix the stock solution 1:3 into a working solution, which is approximately 11-12L. Am I reading this right?

What I did instead was to mix about 10% of the bag into a 1L jug, which worked fine. However the developer oxidizes really quickly, the 1L solution is now brown and getting harder to see my prints so I've tossed it and plan to make another batch later. I've also made about 15 prints if that matters. I can imagine mixing up 3.8 L of chemicals only to have them go bad quite quickly!! How do you guys approach this?

 

[oceanpriest]

Ok a few more questions

I'm currently using Dektol powder because it's so cheap, I got 3.8L stock solution in powdered form for only $8. Apparently I'm supposed to mix the stock solution 1:3 into a working solution, which is approximately 11-12L. Am I reading this right?

What I did instead was to mix about 10% of the bag into a 1L jug, which worked fine. However the developer oxidizes really quickly, the 1L solution is now brown and getting harder to see my prints so I've tossed it and plan to make another batch later. I've also made about 15 prints if that matters. I can imagine mixing up 3.8 L of chemicals only to have them go bad quite quickly!! How do you guys approach this?

I don't know about dektol, but yesterday I have just finished my 3.8L of D76 mixed in April this year. I kept D76 stock solution inside those 2 litre meiji milk bottle and put them inside fridge. If half bottle left, I moved them to smaller 830ml bottle. Work fine and give consistent result for my negatives till last drop.

 

[Riotbmx]

I don't know about dektol, but yesterday I have just finished my 3.8L of D76 mixed in April this year. I kept D76 stock solution inside those 2 litre meiji milk bottle and put them inside fridge. If half bottle left, I moved them to smaller 830ml bottle. Work fine and give consistent result for my negatives till last drop.

I think Meiji milk bottle is our best friend when it comes to developing film and photo paper

 

[crispy12]

I think Meiji milk bottle is our best friend when it comes to developing film and photo paper

Ok I think I'll have to start drinking Meiji milk, lol!

D76 can be be used for both film and paper right? How much is one packet?

 

[oceanpriest]

Ok I think I'll have to start drinking Meiji milk, lol!

D76 can be be used for both film and paper right? How much is one packet?

few months ago it was $10 at ruby, dunno if current price already increase or not.

 

[lualua]

I got a pack for $12 recently from ruby roughly when Kodak announced they will be discontinuing some products. To lower my reliance on them, I have chosen to mix my own paper and film developer...

 

[anerjee]

Can you post a picture of your makeshift darkroom set-up? I am interested, and want to know how much space it takes.

I just did the first few prints in my makeshift darkroom, an enlarger that I bought for $35 placed over a metal sink next to my washing machine :bsmilie:

It was so much fun! Seeing the print develop before my eyes was just magic. No photoshop, no tedious scanning, no adjusting for inkjet printer variations. No pixelised images here man... you can see I'm really excited haha. Prints also seem like a very nice present to give to friends and family.

For those who haven't tried yet... you owe it to yourself hehe

 

[crispy12]

Can you post a picture of your makeshift darkroom set-up? I am interested, and want to know how much space it takes.

I use my bathroom. I have a cloth snake like thing used to block out sound/cold air for the door, that keeps the light out. I used two large pieces of black construction paper and black taped it over the window in the corner, very light tight.

My enlarger fits over the wash basin sink. I put the trays on the floor, used to bring a small bench in but can't be bothered now. Trays are actually just flat tupperwares, I put the lid on so I don't even have to pour the chemicals away (except developer sometimes) after printing. Fill the sink with water, chuck my finished prints in there and hang them up on clothes line or stick on to mirror. I use red bicycle light bounced off the wall, usually a bit further away from the paper.

When I'm done, all the trays and tools go under the sink.


Makeshift darkroom by chrisongtj, on Flickr


Makeshift darkroom by chrisongtj, on Flickr


Makeshift darkroom by chrisongtj, on Flickr

 

[Riotbmx]

I use my bathroom. I have a cloth snake like thing used to block out sound/cold air for the door, that keeps the light out. I used two large pieces of black construction paper and black taped it over the window in the corner, very light tight.

My enlarger fits over the wash basin sink. I put the trays on the floor, used to bring a small bench in but can't be bothered now. Trays are actually just flat tupperwares, I put the lid on so I don't even have to pour the chemicals away (except developer sometimes) after printing. Fill the sink with water, chuck my finished prints in there and hang them up on clothes line or stick on to mirror. I use red bicycle light bounced off the wall, usually a bit further away from the paper.

When I'm done, all the trays and tools go under the sink.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisongtj/8160061688/
Makeshift darkroom by chrisongtj, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisongtj/8160027297/
Makeshift darkroom by chrisongtj, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisongtj/8160027179/
Makeshift darkroom by chrisongtj, on Flickr

Thanks for sharing your cool setup! I'll be moving to Punggol soon, it's only 92sqft. I will need a lot of creativity to fit my bicycles and darkroom in

 

[crispy12]

Haha as you can see from my setup, don't need much space at all! Make sure everyone has used the bathroom and happy lol, otherwise they will come a kacheow you halfway through your printing process!

I've read that some people dismantle their enlarger into the original packing styrofoam and put under the bed or in a suitcase to save space. Very troublesome if you print regularly though. I'm really happy I bought the tupperwares instead of proper darkroom tray, only cost $2 each from budget store and can set up very quick, able to unpack and print a single photo and pack it all up again in about 10-15 mins I do everything right.