My "Darkroom"

By Doug Criner

OK, it's really not a darkroom–it's a dark basement, formed by draping heavy black vinyl over the basement windows.  Californians, and others without basements, eat your hearts out and enjoy your carports.

Wet Side

The wet side includes the following features, visible roughly from left to right in the above photo:  plastic print drying rack, ABS plastic sink, print washing tray (up on its side for draining), water filter (black component under the sink), plastic bottles for mixing chemicals (on backsplash of sink), dial thermometer (screwed into faucet), gooseneck faucet, and print trays (upside down at right end of sink).  Luxury items are telephone and radio.  (I'm waiting to find a source for OC film that I can cover a TV screen with, but until then I'll be content with the radio.)

The large clock is helpful, but the second hand is colored red, which barely shows up in OC safelight–I've been meaning to disassemble the clock and paint the second hand black.

My basic process flow for prints is from right to left in the sink:  developer, stop bath, fixer, hypo-clear, and washer.  The washed prints are then placed in the print dryer rack.

Dry Side

The dry side consists of an old hollow door supported by two old lamp tables/shelving units.  With the concrete floor, the table is very stable for supporting the enlarger.

© 2004 Doug Criner