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  #1  
Old 18th December 2017, 06:28 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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Default new darkroom printers needed

reading what mike Opray said about photographic paper being sold in large enough numbers to keep it going ,and as said there are companies starting up making film only, is taking a bit of work from people like Ilford and others that make paper as well as film also I think that fibre paper is very hard to produce ,I think mike is right these new film shooters don't seem to want to print there film ,but they should try there is always lots of enlargers on fleabay cheap and trays and all the other bits and pieces and lets face it a small packet of paper and a couple of bottles of chemicals wont blow the bank ,I do try to tell these film and scan only shooters they are missing out on just as much fun by not printing ,I would love to know if analogue paper sales have gone up anywhere near film sales ,and maybe more effort should be made to encourage darkroom printing ...
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Old 18th December 2017, 09:14 PM
NJHrs NJHrs is offline
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I would go further, I didn't print until this year but now I can see that its really what B&W analog is all about. I ain't going back to hybrid only and will be trying colour as well in the next few weeks. Honestly I think if I couldn't have a darkroom I don't think I would bother with film.

You're definitely right, we need to talk about and convince as many as possible to have a go in the darkroom.
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Old 18th December 2017, 09:43 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJHrs View Post
Honestly I think if I couldn't have a darkroom I don't think I would bother with film.

You're definitely right, we need to talk about and convince as many as possible to have a go in the darkroom.
The real problem may be that many cannot have a darkroom. They just don't have facilities. I have a converted bedroom which is ideal but frankly the wife took a bit of persuading to lose a bedroom. Even if you have a room there is the issue of water etc

If I am being honest if my only choice was a temporary set-up under the stairs which had to be "taken down" afterwards and storage found I am not at all sure I'd continue to do home processing. I might stay with film but I'd use the local mini-lab which I can walk to.

The other worrying aspect is that, I suspect, that most of the film newcomers are young, which is good but maybe living at home or in limited accommodation which is bad and treat film as a novelty which like a lot of novelties has a limited life which is bad. Overriding all of the above is that film and scanning involves little extra expense, confined largely to a secondhand camera and ,if home processing, minimal extra equipment such as a tank and a few chemicals.

If the investment is small it is easier to "bale out" Not a bright outlook from my perspective, I appreciate, but I feel a realistic one. I hope I am completely wrong

Mike
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Old 18th December 2017, 11:00 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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mike in a lot of ways you are right ,but I think that if some had a chance to try it they may get hooked. I had a enlarger red light a film developing tank and 3 trays and my family all in one flat and I would move from room to room to make some prints so it can be done almost anywhere and I am sure there are some hard up youngsters, but there are some that could as we did save here and there to get the money together for our hobby .I think that there should be more ways to let people try or at lest know that its a good hobby and a great way keep your memories that you can pick up anytime you like to look at them or hang them on your wall and they will last ,hobby wise my son spends a fortune on carp fishing and he doesn't have any carp of his own Hee Hee ..another thing that worries me is when there is digital and nothing else we will be under the control of the computer programmers ..
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Old 19th December 2017, 08:04 AM
John King John King is offline
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Default Printing

I wholeheartedly agree about the continuation of darkroom printing but the lack of people engaged in the art will either continue at the present level or even decrease. (More likely).

Even those who used a darkroom regularly and liked doing so are finding it shall we shay tiresome to use a darkroom when the same results can be done so much easier when sat in front of a computer. It takes a dedicated person to lock him/herself away in a room with limited lighting, to print perhaps one or two per evening. Let us be realist about the 'art', because that is what it is. If people can get even mediocre results from using digital, that is what they will do. It is all part of the 'I want it and I want it now' mindset of many people. They have no interest in doing a bit of work to get what they want.

Then there is the problem of people who were and may still be, skilled at work in the darkroom are getting older and have less inclination to produce the work we all all like and will be doing so less and less. Include to that factor the miss-information spread in the media about film and paper being no longer available or in limited supply this will dissuade many people to take it up and learn how to do things properly.

That is another point. Learning how to do it. I don't know about you but where did you learn, I started out teaching myself but very soon went and joined a club where I was given help and sometimes demonstrations of how to go about making a print, or even developing a film properly to get the best out of it.

I used to belong to a very large club in the NE of England with perhaps 150 members. I know the hall was always full on meeting nights, but there were only two members who used film and one of those only developed the film and scanned the negatives and I was the other who went the whole hog and printed them as well. The VAST majority had only taken up photography when it became easier via the digital route. They simply had no inclination to do so before hand. The standard has really improved either so I think it is a product of today's life and thinking. This has had the knock on effect that even quite experienced members simply have no idea of darkroom work and what it entails. This has the effect of not passing on information to newer members who may be a little interested.

So, we who still use a darkroom are in a very small minority and I am sorry to say, it is my opinion will continue to decline because there is less people taking it up, there are now a tiny number who are there to teach people how to do it and not many people have to room in a house where they can set aside a room to make a darkroom - even a temporary one.

So there we have it folks. Not a pretty picture but being a realist have to accept that it would take a whole mindset of change to alter what is no entrenched in the way of doing things today

Last edited by John King; 19th December 2017 at 08:11 AM.
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Old 19th December 2017, 08:39 AM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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IMHO, analog photography now takes its rightful place along side other outdated and long forgotten technology.
For the time being at least; we are retro, we are vintage, we are alternative. The very best we can hope for is that it remains a niche while there is some sort of business case. But rest assured, it will as good as disappear and probably within our lifetimes. Sad but true.
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Old 19th December 2017, 10:21 AM
Martin Rick Martin Rick is offline
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I sometimes regret that my children aren't interested; it would have been nice to pass my limited knowledge of printing on
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Old 19th December 2017, 01:10 PM
Terry S Terry S is online now
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I can see everyone's points but we have to spread the word when ever possible.

As for me, I belong to an average photo group, who meet on a Friday night and as far as I know, out of about the 40 members, I am the only one that still does darkroom work. I know this having mentioned it to various members and the reply has always been the same... 'I used to do it but digital is easier and all of my gear is in the loft / shed and I don't want to sell it as I'll get nothing much for it.' I just don't get it.

I wonder how many peoples grandchildren would be interested just to see a photogram made in front of their eyes. It could be the start of a new interest / hobby and the gear tucked away could be gladly given.

Terry S
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Old 19th December 2017, 02:08 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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I think that more young people would print if they could see the process demonstrated. There is an understandable reluctance to invest in equipment that, on the face of it, requires knowledge, experience and space to use. If newcomers actually see what is required to get started, I think they could be persuaded to have a go. I have said to several people in the past that, if they want to set up a Darkroom, I can help choose suitable equipment. I think that is all we can do, and hope they are tempted to take the plunge.
Alex


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Old 19th December 2017, 06:52 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default It is sad.

In the discussion it is obvious that 'the other medium' has taken over photography. I have just been given a copy of Landscape Photographer of the Year Collection 11 as a Birthday present. In 214 pages of photographs only one was taken with a non digital camera - a Hasselblad 500CM and Kodak Portra Film. I think that says it all.
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