Transform Your Home into a Dark Room for Photography

Creating a dark room in your home is a fantastic way to enhance your photography skills and process film. This environment will be essential for enlarging and printing your photographic prints. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced photographer, this guide will help you transform any room in your house into a functional dark room. Here are the steps and tips to achieve the ideal dark room for your photography needs.

Creating the Dark Room Environment

To make a room dark, you need to block out as much sunlight as possible. The following steps will guide you through the process:

Window Coverings: Install thick and bold color curtains that block the sun rays. You may also consider blinds or shades that effectively block out light when closed. Window Film or Tint: Apply a window film or tint to reduce the amount of natural light entering the room. Curtains and Shading: Use thick, opaque drapes or shades to block out light when needed. Additionally, consider using shutters at the windows to further darken the room. Seal Gaps: Ensure that windows and doors are properly sealed to prevent light from seeping through gaps. This will help maintain the darkness within the room. Light-emitting Devices: Turn off or cover devices that emit light, such as alarm clocks or LED indicators, to eliminate any light leaks. Light Mask: Use a sleep mask to block out any remaining light and create complete darkness.

Setting Up the Dark Room

Once you have the right setup, it’s time to organize the necessary equipment and materials for film processing and printing. Here are some suggestions:

Film Processing

For film processing, you can start with a simple setup. The easiest way to process film is by using a changing bag. Get the largest one you can, which will help protect the film from light while handling it. Load your processing reel and place it in a light-proof tank. The rest of the process can be done in normal room light.

Some film tanks come with a hose that can be placed in the center to wash the film. This can be quite helpful, especially if you have a significant amount of film to process.

Printing Process

When it comes to the printing process, a more extensive setup is necessary. The goal is to eliminate any light leaks that could affect your prints. You can use multiple layers of black felt, corduroy, or velvet and tape them with painter's tape over the windows and possibly the door, depending on the amount of light leakage.

To test the darkness of your room, sit in it for five minutes and then look through the position of your photo paper. Any light leaks will be clearly visible. You can also perform a fog test, although this is typically only necessary in a slightly leaking room.

Choosing the Right Location

For a darkroom, it is beneficial to select a room that contains water. Bathrooms and laundry rooms are excellent choices as they can be used to wash film and prints. I have known photographers who washed film in the toilet and printed in the bathtub, although this may not be the most comfortable or neat of solutions.

You can also create a temporary darkroom in a bathroom by covering the bathtub and sink with a plywood board and black plastic. This setup can be easily converted back to its original use.

Permanent Darkroom Solution

For a more permanent darkroom solution, ensure you are located in an area where you can supply hot and cold water and adequate drainage. A room measuring 6 feet by 8 feet is usually adequate for a wet and dry side. Make sure there is good ventilation, as some processes can be quite irritating over long periods of time.

To protect the walls and ceiling from light, paint them with the color of the safelight, which is typically red or orange. This color will appear to be grey or even white when you are printing and will help protect your eyes.

Conclusion

Transforming your home into a dark room is a great way to enhance your photography skills and process your film effectively. Follow these steps and tips to create the perfect environment for enlarging and printing your photographic prints. With a little effort, you can turn any room in your house into a functional and effective darkroom.