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Thread: Alternative Process Darkroom

  1. #1
    Leonard Metcalf's Avatar
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    Alternative Process Darkroom

    What do you need in an alternative process darkroom? For printing Pt/Pd, Cyanotype, Vandyke Brown, etc. How dark? Exhaust fan? Ideal lighting? Suggestions as I build would be most welcome... No enlarged negatives, just contact prints. Develop my negs in my kitchen already, and not interested in setting up a full blown darkroom again at this moment in time...


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  2. #2
    C. D. Keth's Avatar
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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    You could do all of those things in your kitchen as well, actually. An exhaust fan isn't needed and the only lighting requirement is that it not have UV. Tungsten lighting on the dim side is about ideal and very easy to work in/with. That and some counterspace is all you really need.

    In Australia I assume your intent was to expose prints by sunlight, but some people like to use an artificial UV source to expose prints. It helps with consistency and some places just don't have enough sunlight to print by.
    -Chris

  3. #3

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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    Check out Mike Ware's ultimate guide and a great site for alt processes:

    http://www.mikeware.co.uk/mikeware/preparations.html

  4. #4

    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    Take basic precautions and you can do all of that in a bathroom or kitchen. I'd prefer a bathroom, unless you have a really organized kitchen where all foodstuff can be securely stored away. No need for ventilation for the processes you mention unless you plan to get into wet plate etc - knowing the risks associated with particular chemicals helps. Use goggles and a dust mask when mixing powdered chemicals. I switch between a three lights. A normal tungsten light, a very low power tungsten light and a red safelight for silver nitrate processes.

  5. #5

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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    I'm not generally finicky about darkroom chemicals, I think most of the risks are exagerated, but it just doesn't sound like good practice to me to coat paper on your kitchen counter.

    You'll obviously need a light source. You can try outdoor light of course but I didn't find that satisfactory for van dyke brown and gum. Too inconsistent. So I had a light "box" built (actually not a box, just a top and two ends with sides open for ventilation and to allow the printing frame to slide in and out). If you're at all handy you could do it yourself all you need is some plywood and some under-the-counter florescent light fixtures. You'll also need a contact printing frame, preferably one with a split back and good clamps so that for printing out processes you can check the exposure. I bought mine from Doug Kennedy, who's a little pricey but makes excellent frames. Some people hook a timer up to the light source similar to what's done with enlargers but I didn't. With exposures measuring in the minutes I didn't think timing down to the second was necessary, I just used an alarm clock. You'll also need a scale for weighing the powder. Other than the chemicals, paper, coating brush or roller, trays in which to process the prints, and the usual little accessories that's about it.

    I'd suggest starting with van dyke brown or maybe cyanotype so that you can learn to coat paper with those relatively inexpensive chemicals, then move on to the much more expensive pt/pd. I bought my chemicals from a guy in Canada, Johnny somebody, sorry I can't remember his name. But shop around, Photographer's Formulary is quite a bit more expensive than most places that I talked to though their packaging is nicer.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  6. #6

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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    Quote Originally Posted by Anupam View Post
    Take basic precautions and you can do all of that in a bathroom or kitchen. I'd prefer a bathroom, unless you have a really organized kitchen where all foodstuff can be securely stored away. No need for ventilation for the processes you mention unless you plan to get into wet plate etc - knowing the risks associated with particular chemicals helps. Use goggles and a dust mask when mixing powdered chemicals. I switch between a three lights. A normal tungsten light, a very low power tungsten light and a red safelight for silver nitrate processes.
    I think it is folly advice to suggest using ones kitchen or even the bath for coating alt. processes. I've been doing alt. process printing for a long time and sooner or later you will spill solutions (in large or small quantities) no matter how careful you are. Not to mention airborne contaminates from powders when mixing.

    Chemicals such as Ferric Oxalate and Ferric Ammonium Citrate, silver nitrate, bichromates and so own are poisonous and are quite difficult to clean up effectively.

    If you are planning to do alt. processes do it safely and conveniently where contamination doesn't endanger your health, your families health and even your pets health.

    Don Bryant

  7. #7

    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    In case the point was not clear enough in my post, I only mentioned kitchen because Leonard and Christopher brought it up in their posts and I advised against it. But I also realize that for someone that might be the only choice and extra caution the only solution. Having just had to give up and sell a 4x5 darkroom built over several years because I moved to a smaller apartment, I am very conscious how difficult space constraints can get. That said, once again just for the record, the kitchen is NOT an ideal place to do alt printing - but if that is the only place that you can manage then be very careful, lock everything away and clean up thoroughly.

  8. #8

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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    Quote Originally Posted by Anupam View Post
    In case the point was not clear enough in my post, I only mentioned kitchen because Leonard and Christopher brought it up in their posts and I advised against it. But I also realize that for someone that might be the only choice and extra caution the only solution. Having just had to give up and sell a 4x5 darkroom built over several years because I moved to a smaller apartment, I am very conscious how difficult space constraints can get. That said, once again just for the record, the kitchen is NOT an ideal place to do alt printing -
    Anupam,

    but if that is the only place that you can manage then be very careful, lock everything away and clean up thoroughly/
    I wasn't trying to finger you per se but rather that notion that one can adequately clean up an area used for food preparation. The fact is that you can't, there will always be a remnant of materials, though minuscule. Over time the contamination becomes cumulative.

    Again I think it is folly to think otherwise.

    Cheers,

    Don Bryant

  9. #9
    come to the dark s(l)ide..... Carsten Wolff's Avatar
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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    Have you visited the folks at http://www.blackmountainphoto.com.au/ ?
    http://www.jeffbridges.com/perception.html "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right."

  10. #10

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    Re: Alternative Process Darkroom

    I use curtained space (black-out clothe) in the garage with utility sink. It doesn't have to be light-tight, I coat and process under yellow bug-lites. Stains and odors (especially when mixing chemicals) are not a problem in the garage, whereas in a living space it would be an issue. For light, a homemade fixture of BLB bulbs works fine.
    van Huyck Photography
    "Searching for the moral justification for selfishness" JK Galbraith

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