The Smell of a Well-Equipped Darkroom - alluring, or no?
Mar 1, 2019 09:04:11 #
Love the memories, don't miss the stench and mess.
Mar 1, 2019 11:24:29 #
nison777 wrote:
I do not do it anymore...
But you have brought back the very first scents of creativity to me.
Thanks
But you have brought back the very first scents of creativity to me.
Thanks
Sure, Stephen … happy to oblige!!!!
Mar 1, 2019 11:26:04 #
Gene51 wrote:
Love the memories, don't miss the stench and mess.
Well, that's a great take, Gene … seems to me, though … the memories were worth the other …
Mar 1, 2019 11:29:57 #
Tomfl101 wrote:
I remember dipping my hands in all those chemicals while smoking cigarettes in the darkroom. Thank you digital for taking me away from that toxic environment. No I don’t miss it at all!
Ever heard of tongs, Tom? … and Rubber Gloves? …
I used the first. Didn't bother with the second, though - as they tend to give me a rash …
Toxic, huh? … Ah, but - it was an adventure - wasn't it, Tom?
Mar 1, 2019 11:33:51 #
Jerry G wrote:
Yes, I miss it.
So? … set it up again … allocate a room … tape the windows … get an enlarger off e-bay - cheap!
Then order some trays and tongs and chemicals and tanks and paper from Adorama … and off you go!!!!
Mar 1, 2019 11:39:00 #
Jerry G wrote:
Yes, I miss it.
Me too. I had an exhaust fan in my darkroom to lessen the smells. I rarely used it, too loud.
Mar 1, 2019 11:39:32 #
FiddleMaker wrote:
Me too. I clearly remember all those nice smells back in the 1960s when photography was done by wet chemistry. Love those smells. I still have all my dark room equipment here in the attic. I thot this was a lost art but I suspect that there are a limited number of folks out there still doing this - the "old fashioned way" - the way we did this back in the 1960s and earlier (think of Ansell Adams).
60s, huh, Fiddle? … I was still "rolling my own" into the 90s. Still have it all set up. So, anytime I want to go back to it, I can. Have three enlargers in there - a 45MX, a 23C, and an old Vivitar I use for proofs. Lost art?
Oh, go on!!! … It's a method to work on photos - which required more than a few taps on a keyboard. Many still feel it's a better way to get exactly what you want for your final image. They may well be right!!!
Mar 1, 2019 11:44:11 #
Largobob wrote:
Been there....done that! Yes, it was exhilaratin... (show quote)
Well, Bob … so glad you've found a scent to cover the smell of the non-chemicals used in your Digital DR!
Mar 1, 2019 11:47:56 #
rcolmansr60 wrote:
Brings back memories of being in the dark room with my Dad in the early 50's. The developer, the hypo, the red light. Damn I miss those days
RED light, huh, R? … I have one of those - but I hung it OUTSIDE the darkroom - to warn everyone when I was dark. INSIDE - all my safelights are either green or amber. Former for B/W … latter for color ….
Mar 1, 2019 11:55:45 #
tommy2 wrote:
In the beginning of my hobby my mother hated the s... (show quote)
Well, Tommy - I can see why that was a hassle for your Mum. Not familiar with the smell of a feed pen when it's wet … never lived on a farm … but I worked on one as a teen, and I do remember the smell of newly-mowed hay - quite exhilarating, too … funny you should mention money - that smells, too!!!!
Mar 1, 2019 12:01:35 #
spaceylb wrote:
Ahhh, I love the smell of DEKTOL in the morning...
Seems to me I remember that applying to Napalm - during the Viet-Nam war …
I'd rather smell Dektol - quite frankly, Spacey …
Mar 1, 2019 12:05:55 #
Pablo8 wrote:
Don't miss it, cos I still have the darkroom, as well as my modern digital set-up. Best of both worlds.
Me, too, Pablo … about 60-40 for me … DR to DD … what is it, for you?
Mar 1, 2019 12:09:40 #
boberic wrote:
Me too. I had an exhaust fan in my darkroom to lessen the smells. I rarely used it, too loud.
Never went that route, Bob … it's a 12x15 room - I think the sheer size of it - lessens accumulation …
Besides - I enjoy the smells … I find it a bit of a turn-on … and it prompts me to do better work!!!!
Mar 1, 2019 12:14:49 #
Morning Star wrote:
AND I miss my Dad....
Yes, as children, one of us (taking turns) was allowed to sit on a stool beside Dad, watching him project the negative from the enlarger, first on white paper, then on thin white card, both in the negative. Then he put the white card into this tray of "water" and we were fascinated by the image appearing on that white card as a "real picture".
I'm glad to have these memories, as well as many others with my parents and siblings...
Yes, as children, one of us (taking turns) was allowed to sit on a stool beside Dad, watching him project the negative from the enlarger, first on white paper, then on thin white card, both in the negative. Then he put the white card into this tray of "water" and we were fascinated by the image appearing on that white card as a "real picture".
I'm glad to have these memories, as well as many others with my parents and siblings...
Well, I'm glad to've brought back some memories for you, Star …
It was like "magic" - wasn't it? … When that image started to appear? … Guess what? … It STILL is!!
Mar 1, 2019 12:40:05 #
jaymatt wrote:
Breathing potentially poisonous chemical fumes? Nope, I don’t miss it at all.
"Potentially poisonous" eh, John? …
The fumes are exciting to the senses, that's for sure!!!!
But - "potentially poisonous" … is an overstatement!
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