Darkroom vs Scanning

[Bill Poole]

Yikes! I take 10 days away from this very valuable online community and the longest thread on my return is about . . . digital v. analog. It's like I left in 2022 and returned on 2010. I suppose all image makers are preoccupied with technique and process, but photographers may lead that parade. Last week I found in my own collection a print I made as a newby in 1971 from a 6x7 negative printed with a Graphlarger back and processed (probably inferiorly) on Agfa Brovira photo paper in a tiny, blacked-out kitchen. And yes, the print did have a glow that I do not usually get in my digitally printed images--so much so that I immediately decided to cut off the paper's yellowing edges and stick the print in a matte. I am still without a real darkroom, but have recently been working in my blacked-out bathroom to contact print 4x5 and 5x7 negatives, the pull of analog being strong. That said, I can regularly turn out on my inkjet printer images that satisfy me greatly, using software from the printer's manufacturer. I get immense pleasure out of gifting these or pasting them only thank-you or greeting cards. It's all good. We should be thankful we have so many wonderful choices.

[Califmike33]

Yeah I'm guessing from reading this and following my thread it just basically comes down to what satisfies you one particularly isn't better than the other whatever is good to your I and if you can get acceptable prints out of an inkjet more power to you if you like the dark room process more power to you.

Been doing some more reading outside of this thread and there are definitely some damn good inkjet papers on the market Red River Epson ilford all make really good inkjet papers. I think after following this and reading most of the pages it seems like a coin flip one doesn't seem to be too preferred over the other. I've just been out of film photography too long and need to do my side by side comparison which I can't wait to do that between the inkjet print and a good dark room print.

[Pieter]

Yeah I'm guessing from reading this and following my thread it just basically comes down to what satisfies you one particularly isn't better than the other whatever is good to your I and if you can get acceptable prints out of an inkjet more power to you if you like the dark room process more power to you.

Been doing some more reading outside of this thread and there are definitely some damn good inkjet papers on the market Red River Epson ilford all make really good inkjet papers. I think after following this and reading most of the pages it seems like a coin flip one doesn't seem to be too preferred over the other. I've just been out of film photography too long and need to do my side by side comparison which I can't wait to do that between the inkjet print and a good dark room print.

Don't forget Canson and Hahnemuhle. Most papers can be purchased in small quantities and even sampler packs, so give them all a try with your preferred image. Remember, though that each manufacturer will have a specific printer profile that should be used to get the best print.

[jnantz]

Don't forget Canson and Hahnemuhle. Most papers can be purchased in small quantities and even sampler packs, so give them all a try with your preferred image. Remember, though that each manufacturer will have a specific printer profile that should be used to get the best print.

Hahnemule makes some absolutely beautiful ink jet papers. I was gifted some from a professor a few years ago and it was as beautiful as the papers they sell for alt process printing.

[Jim Noel]

Everything is done in the darkroom. The good ones all end up as real platinum/palladium prints.

[Califmike33]

I have to say i got a changing bag i have no darkroom. I can't stand working inside of a changing bag, loading film holders sucked, the top of the bag kept coming down and there is no room vertically in those bags. Changing bag at home is not going to work for me, i could get a changing tent, but for that price i could black out my windows in my bedroom and have a place to load and develop film. What do you guys do with no dark room ?

[Tin Can]

Real freaks like me

Cover all windows permanently

First blackout white so the neighbors don't notice, then tinfoil, then blackout black plastic

Then plywood or strips of wood

This was the second to last, that wall was all windows, no other windows

double steel door with black out seals

Darkroom 3 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[Bill Poole]

I have to say i got a changing bag i have no darkroom. I can't stand working inside of a changing bag, loading film holders sucked, the top of the bag kept coming down and there is no room vertically in those bags. Changing bag at home is not going to work for me, i could get a changing tent, but for that price i could black out my windows in my bedroom and have a place to load and develop film. What do you guys do with no dark room ?

I have blacked out the windows of our small bathroom (thank-you, patient wife) for loading holders and tanks and making small contact prints. I process tanks in daylight in my larger kitchen.

[Califmike33]

Thanks guys im going to do the bathroom and its got one window should be easy.

[jnantz]

be advised darkroom chemistry sometimes stains porcelain sinks, bathtubs &c, and in some places it is illegal to dump it down the drain.