subject: Building A Darkroom At Home [print this page] Shooting and developing film photography is a lot of fun and can be a very rewarding process, but unfortunately, most people don't have access to a photo darkroom. Find out how you can create your own darkroom at home with a little extra space and a small budget.
Location, Location, Location
Garages, sheds, basements and extra rooms are all great places to have a darkroom. Just remember before choosing a location that you'll need access to running water and that the chemicals are hazardous and smelly. You also want to make sure that whatever area you choose, it's completely free of light and that you can only use the space as a dedicated darkroom. That's why sheds or basements are common darkroom locations because they can be used just for that purpose and have running water and electricity. If you have an extra bathroom that you don't need, these are good but you will be a little short on space.
Your Darkroom Supplies
Most of what you need for your own darkroom is pretty basic and won't cost you too much. Besides having to get material to light proof the room, you can make do with the following:
-Trays big enough for 8x10 paper
-3 Sets of tongs
-Chemicals (see below)
-Enlarger and timer (see below)
-Easel
-Darkroom light
The only expensive things you need are the enlarger, which you fortunately only need to purchase once, and the chemicals, which will need to be refreshed now and again. You can get an enlarger for around $200 and a basic timer for about $150, and they should last the life of your darkroom.
The chemicals are a bit more complicated. You can get most chemicals in either powder or liquid form. Powders are more convenient to store but do require mixing, while liquids are more expensive and take up a little more space but are very convenient to use.
At the very least, you'll need to invest in some sort of developer, fixer, and stop bath. It's a good idea to purchase or mix small quantities as these chemicals will go bad over time (developers go bad more rapidly than the others), and keep them in dark areas in plastic bottles (your hands are almost always wet in a darkroom and glass isn't a great idea). A darkroom light will help you see while working with your paper but please know that a darkroom light can still ruin undeveloped film so only develop your film in complete darkness.
The Darkroom Setup
Once you have the chemicals sorted and all of your supplies in order, you're good to go. The best darkroom layout will have a dry side and a wet side - do your cutting and enlarging on a workbench or table, then have another bench or table with your developer, stop bath, and fixer laid out and ready to go. If you have some extra money to spend on your darkroom, then you should consider getting a "always running, always full" darkroom sink so that your prints are always washed free of chemicals. I would also highly recommend a lock for the door to prevent friends and family from accidentally ruining your work, but be sure it is easy to open from the inside in case of a fire.
Darkroom developing and printing can be done in any room that is protected from light, so once you have all of the supplies you can really set it up however your space allows. Figure out what works for you and soon enough you'll be printing your own photos in no time.
