Thinking about starting a darkroom coop...

[bvstaples]

All:

I was thinking, I really need a darkroom ready and available to me as I need it, and not on someone else’s schedule. I need to keep darkroom skills honed, but in order to do that, like I said, I need one available to me when I’m ready to use one.

I’m not in a position to build one at my house right now. In about 5-7 years the house will be ready to accommodate it (spare space is currently being taken up by pesky teenagers). Until then, then only darkrooms available to me are at the local colleges: but I need to take a class in order to sign up for darkroom time, and then I can only use the darkroom on the limited “open” schedule that it’s available, and I have to share it with 40 others.

There is one darkroom in the UC system school here that I can get into without having to attend, but you have to have an OK from the lab master, then pay up a handsome sum, and I’m not really sure if I want to go through the hassle and still have to deal with a large student body trying to use the space at the same time. Not that I’m stingy or a xenophobe or anything, but like I said above, 40 people in a community darkroom at a time can be frustrating at best.

So I was thinking, I probably know about half a dozen people who still shoot film and are in the same predicament I’m in: they’d like to have a darkroom at their disposal but don’t want the hassle of the community darkroom at the colleges. Maybe I should form a coop and build out a darkroom/lab to suit the needs of the limited partnership of the coop. I know of a space I can rent for about $200/month utilities included where we could set up a darkroom with a film processing room or two, an enlarger room with maybe three or four enlargers, and a finishing room. From there the coop would have to outfit it and supply it. So there would be some up front costs in gear and chemical acquisition, but the ongoing costs per person (let’s say based on ten people), would be in the $50/month range. To me it would be worth it if I could show up at 10:00 at night and work until 4:00 am. And if I didn’t have to bump butts with some student taking a photography course because she didn’t know what else to take, all the better.

Has anyone set up a coop like this? Did they work out or fall apart after a while? What are the realistic costs involved (my rent number is right on, but my monthly “others” costs may be way off). Any opinions to offer on this matter would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Brian


P.S. If anyone knows of such a coop in the San Diego County area of the country (very lower left on the USA map), and would be willing to let me join, please let me know.

[dsphotog]

When the landlord gets the water bill, the rent just might go up. Post an ad on Craigslist looking for darkroom gear. Depending on handyman skills, you could build your own sinks, counters etc.

[Brian C. Miller]

Just had a brainstorm and searched for it: Darkroom rentals, Darkroom Co-op, Austin, TX, Vancouver Darkroom Co-op, San Diego Photo Co-Op

Have you thought about how equipment will be shared? Or how things will be stored and organized? Member late payments? How many people can use the area can accomodate?

It is a nice idea, and there are a few around. One is even in San Diego.

[bvstaples]

Have you thought about how equipment will be shared? Or how things will be stored and organized? Member late payments? How many people can use the area can accomodate?

This is one of the reasons I posted, to hear experiences of those who may have started or are currently utilizing the coop method.

It is a nice idea, and there are a few around. One is even in San Diego.

I couldn't find a darkroom coop in San Diego. The link you submitted for San Diego Photo Coop is for photographers plying their skills, not for studio/darkroom rental.

The three San Diego darkrooms listed in www.darkroomresource.com are all defunct.

Thanks, though, I appreciate your efforts.

Brian

[Robert Oliver]

I would be so into that... my darkroom build got stuck at framing due to a lack of funds and time.

what part of san diego is your potential space in?

[bvstaples]

I would be so into that... my darkroom build got stuck at framing due to a lack of funds and time.

what part of san diego is your potential space in?

Robert:

The space I referenced is just off the I5 in Pacific Beach, but that doesn't mean that is actually where it would land. I was just seeing if a coop was a viable, doable thing. I think with six or so people we could keep our monthly costs down. I've seen other types of oddball coops work (like astronomical observatories), so I though I'd put this type of installation out there and see it it would fly.

Brian

[Don J]

Have you done anything about this since you posted this 5 years ago?
I would be interested in this. I live in OB, have been thinking of the same thing here, or a rental darkroom. Don't know how much traffic there would be or if it would stay afloat.

DonJ

I was thinking, I really need a darkroom ready and available to me as I need it, and not on someone else’s schedule. I need to keep darkroom skills honed, but in order to do that, like I said, I need one available to me when I’m ready to use one.

I’m not in a position to build one at my house right now. In about 5-7 years the house will be ready to accommodate it (spare space is currently being taken up by pesky teenagers). Until then, then only darkrooms available to me are at the local colleges: but I need to take a class in order to sign up for darkroom time, and then I can only use the darkroom on the limited “open” schedule that it’s available, and I have to share it with 40 others.

There is one darkroom in the UC system school here that I can get into without having to attend, but you have to have an OK from the lab master, then pay up a handsome sum, and I’m not really sure if I want to go through the hassle and still have to deal with a large student body trying to use the space at the same time. Not that I’m stingy or a xenophobe or anything, but like I said above, 40 people in a community darkroom at a time can be frustrating at best.

So I was thinking, I probably know about half a dozen people who still shoot film and are in the same predicament I’m in: they’d like to have a darkroom at their disposal but don’t want the hassle of the community darkroom at the colleges. Maybe I should form a coop and build out a darkroom/lab to suit the needs of the limited partnership of the coop. I know of a space I can rent for about $200/month utilities included where we could set up a darkroom with a film processing room or two, an enlarger room with maybe three or four enlargers, and a finishing room. From there the coop would have to outfit it and supply it. So there would be some up front costs in gear and chemical acquisition, but the ongoing costs per person (let’s say based on ten people), would be in the $50/month range. To me it would be worth it if I could show up at 10:00 at night and work until 4:00 am. And if I didn’t have to bump butts with some student taking a photography course because she didn’t know what else to take, all the better.

Has anyone set up a coop like this? Did they work out or fall apart after a while? What are the realistic costs involved (my rent number is right on, but my monthly “others” costs may be way off). Any opinions to offer on this matter would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Brian


P.S. If anyone knows of such a coop in the San Diego County area of the country (very lower left on the USA map), and would be willing to let me join, please let me know.
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[mdarnton]

This place has been functioning as you envision for a while: http://www.chicagocommunitydarkroom.org

[Jim Noel]

Over the years there have been several rental darkrooms in San Diego county. The ones I was most familiar with closed because of theft and burglary. This may or may not be such a problem now because the interest in analog photography is not what it used to be. I don't know of any which are currently in opeation.

[citychicago]

This might help anyone interested in locating a darkroom: http://www.localdarkroom.com

To piggyback on mdarnton, the Chicago Community Darkroom is great! I've been a member for years- 24-hour access, chemicals, flat 30-day use fee ($75).