Photography Q&a: The Basics Of Developing Photographs

* Can I develop my own photographs?

Yes, you can. By having your own darkroom, it is possible that you can develop your own photos. You first need to set up your own darkroom and buy darkroom equipment.

* What equipment and supplies do I need in a darkroom?

A darkroom requires many kinds of equipment to get you started in developing your photos. It is expensive, so you should prepare a sufficient amount of money to get into this hobby.

The darkroom necessities are:

 Enlarger
 Negative carrier
 Lens Board
 Lens
 Safelight
 Print trays
 Timer
 Thermometer
 Funnel
 Chemical jugs
 Developer, stop, fixer
 Printing paper
 Mixing rod
 Print squeegee
 Dust brush
 Graduates
 Negative Storage
 Dark Bag/ Dark room
 Film tank
 Film reels
 Film

Above is the equipment you need for a darkroom. However, you still need additional equipment to set up a complete darkroom above and beyond the former, which includes:

 Paper cutter
 Color print drum
 Motor base for print drum or rotary processor
 Color head or filters
 Color printing paper
 Color chemicals
 Jugs and graduates for color chemistry
 Color print viewing filter kit
 Light table
 Dry mount press
 Mounting tissue
 Bulk film loader
 Film cassettes
 Darkroom sink
 Water board
 Film drier
 Print drier
 Toners
 Jugs for toners
 Exposure/color analyzer
 Repeating printing timer
 Photo Oils/pencils
 Print tongs
 Hypo clear, photo-flow
 Easel
 Polycontrast Filters
 Film clips
 Print washer
 Blotter book
 Projection scale
 Antistaticum
 Canned air
 Loupe
 Cropping guide
 Film washer
 Cotton gloves
 Spotting dyes
 Spotting brush
 Contact printer
 Grain focuser

* What makes a good darkroom?

A good darkroom should be light-proof, spacious, have dry and wet areas, have ventilation, have bench space, be organized, have a safe light, and be comfortable to work in. Since you will be working with chemicals, it is important that you have enough space to maneuver to avoid tripping over dangerous chemicals.