Developing contact prints without a Dark Room. Is that possible?

[pepeguitarra]

I am getting into 8x10 and want to do my own contact prints. The problem is that I do not have a dark room available for trays, etc. I could light proof a bathroom, but no trays. So, I have been thinking that I could use a desk lamp to provide the light source, then, after exposing the contact sheet and turning the light off, I would place the 8x10 paper inside a large Jobo tank, put the lid on it, and turn the lights on. Then, I would develop the paper by rotation (as I do with the 4x5), using the stop bath, and then the fixer. I will be able to see the picture only after it has been fixed. Any advice?

[John Kasaian]

My current dark room is a half bath. A wooden plank supported by what little counter space I've got supports the trays. You can also put a small plank over a closed toilet lid and either place a small enlarger on top of that, or use a desk lamp sitting on top of the tank for printing.

Another alternative is to built a rack for your trays to stack them three high, limiting the foot print.

If you have the floor space, a small folding table can provide plenty of real estate. Mine's a 2'x4' plastic Lifetime I bought from Costco

[Pieter]

You could use a vertical processor such as the Nova (not cheap, must order from England unless you can find a used one locally). Doesn't take up much room, but has 3 slots: develop, stop & fix. I use on with 2 trays for an initial rinse and hypo clear. You'll need a safelight to see what you are doing.

I am getting into 8x10 and want to do my own contact prints. The problem is that I do not have a dark room available for trays, etc. I could light proof a bathroom, but no trays. So, I have been thinking that I could use a desk lamp to provide the light source, then, after exposing the contact sheet and turning the light off, I would place the 8x10 paper inside a large Jobo tank, put the lid on it, and turn the lights on. Then, I would develop the paper by rotation (as I do with the 4x5), using the stop bath, and then the fixer. I will be able to see the picture only after it has been fixed. Any advice?

[Jac@stafford.net]

It would be wonderful if we could get Printing Out Paper (POP)!

[scm]

It would be wonderful if we could get Printing Out Paper (POP)!

PRINT-OUT PLATINUM-PALLADIUM PRINTING


InkjetMall
sells the premixed solutions.

[Michael Kadillak]

Stacking 8x10 trays takes up little space so figure out where to put them. A hanging low wattage light source would be optimal. Get those sticky tabs precluding drilling a hole that have a hook on them for hanging pictures and hang its off of the hook. Your next challenge is getting your printing dialed in. My personal recommendation would be to get some large sheets of colored Roscoe film and use Ilford multi grade printing paper and with a combination of exposures from the green filter and the blue filter you can get a full range of paper grades to match your 8x10 negatives and do it in a small area. As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. 8x10 is an absolutely incredible format as you already know. Kick it up and get printing.

[invisibleflash]

When I was a kid just starting out Freestyle had some printing out paper. No darkroom needed. It was expired, like most things Freestyle had in the 70's, but it worked OK.

[pepeguitarra]

You could use a vertical processor such as the Nova (not cheap, must order from England unless you can find a used one locally). Doesn't take up much room, but has 3 slots: develop, stop & fix. I use on with 2 trays for an initial rinse and hypo clear. You'll need a safelight to see what you are doing.

Pieter: I found the Nova, and I like. I think I will be buying one. It seems like it will fit on the counter. Thanks, Pepe.

P.S. Thank you everyone for the responses. I feel honored to receive so many responses.

[Andrew O'Neill]

If you're going to go to all the trouble of light proofing the bathroom, then work with trays. Actually, you could work with one tray, and three containers. I did it that way for years when I lived in Japan. I used the corner of my kitchen... and lots of blackout material. When working with paper, you want to see the image "emerge". Grab a safelight, too. A piece of 1/4 inch black foam, and 1/4 inch plate glass... or be like Edward Weston and use a printing frame.

[esearing]

Is there a tub in your bathroom? a sheet of plywood cut to fit over it provides a nice but low working surface for your 3 8x10 trays. And if you have a print washer or larger tray, you can run the water from the tub faucet. Otherwise stacking trays (plastic drawers from walmart) works ok too if you are not too sloppy.