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  #1  
Old 23rd April 2022, 06:09 PM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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Default Would you give up photography, if you didn't have a darkroom?

I know I could put this into a poll but to be honest, I find "hearing" members comments much more interesting.

Personally, I truly believe my photography would stop, if I couldn't have a darkroom.
Photography and darkroom processes, are for me, inseparable.
I find, the physical, tangible activity of print making, fundamental to my hobby and I'd be at a loss without it.

So, could your passion for photography survive without a darkroom?
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  #2  
Old 23rd April 2022, 07:01 PM
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Reginald S Reginald S is offline
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After a move years ago, and than not be willing anymore to live with an improvised darkroom in the new object, all my photographical activities did stopped for more than 3 years.
It has been the hell.

Since last autumn I can use a small but good enough to me room at work as a darkroom, but I have had with my enlarging light.
Since some days I am possible to print again, and this really is a lovely thing :-)

So here is my first try ( but not a final print) with my new LED enlarging bulbs which I did last week:
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  #3  
Old 23rd April 2022, 09:28 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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I would guess that Like me a lot of us started dev and printing without a proper darkroom just moving from room to room under stairs in the basement ,anyware that we could make dark ,Its only about 20 odd years that I have had a permanent darkroom ,and even without a permanent darkroom I would still dev and print ,I will only stop when I cannot buy paper and film or when I pop my clogs .Its a passion that I love doing .
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Old 23rd April 2022, 09:36 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Yes

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  #5  
Old 23rd April 2022, 09:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big paul View Post
I ... under stairs in the basement ,anyware that we could make dark ...
Sounds good, but I can't imagine installing my LF equipment like the Durst Laborator 138, many trays of 45x50cm each and some rolls of paper anyware in the dark.

What I would do next if coming in trouble is exclusively working with my 30x40cm paper negatives and trying to contact them anyware, which seems to be possible.
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  #6  
Old 23rd April 2022, 10:23 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Life without a darkroom

There have been times I have not had one and boy did I wish I did. There were some of these times when I was in the army when I was posted away sometimes at short notice when it was at the least impractical to have one even if there was the space.

Some places I was posted to had an Education centre which usually had an underused but very well equipped darkroom and they were usually available for use (The paper and chems were also provided!)

When my family were growing up was another occasion and I would find myself going almost 'cold turkey' because I could not get in there a stink the house out with the smell of fixer or stop bath. (Family harmony reigns) Now I have my own darkroom, I can use it whenever I want as often as I want and have all the kit I need but I find myself using it less than I should.

Yes I use digital but I am not that keen. I rarely print anything - except documents. I mainly use it for making images for digital projection, but they are no where near as good as slides (But a heck of a lot cheaper).

The top and bottom of it is I cannot imagine myself without one.
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Old 24th April 2022, 02:32 AM
Svend Svend is offline
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Looks like I might be the solo voice here who says I would absolutely not give up photography if I didn't have a darkroom. I love creating images, period. Both on film and digitally. For the latter I shoot only in colour, and for B&W it's film only. My main passion is B&W film, but I still find wonderful creative challenges in making colour digital images.

Above all, photography gives me a reason to get out and explore the world around me. Hiking, cycling, skiing, snowshoeing, world travel...wherever I am there's usually a camera with me. It's often the perfect motivation to get me out the door and seeking new adventures. It helps keep me fit and enjoying countless hours in the outdoors and the amazing Canadian wilderness, to see and do things most people never get a chance to experience.

Bottom line, photography to me is far more than a single focus (no pun intended) of darkroom work.
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Old 24th April 2022, 05:58 AM
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I need a darkroom. But I would not give up photography if I would not have a dedicated room anymore. I lived for decades with a flying darkroom.

But if this would not be possible, I would give up.
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Old 24th April 2022, 06:29 AM
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Yes

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  #10  
Old 24th April 2022, 06:47 AM
John King John King is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Svend View Post
Looks like I might be the solo voice here who says I would absolutely not give up photography if I didn't have a darkroom. I love creating images, period.

Bottom line, photography to me is far more than a single focus (no pun intended) of darkroom work.
I never said I would give up either, Like Svend it is a good excuse to get up and go out. I live in one of the most photographically blessed areas of England and there is always something to look at from a different angle. I don't have to go far either for my favourite subject - remnants of what used to be in the 19th C. For those it doesn't have to be sunny!

I may be giving up colour printing simply because a supply of reasonably priced colour negative film has all but dried up. The two manufacturers Kodak and Fuji seem to be challenging each other who can provide the worst supply - but there is always B&W.
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