How to Create a Dark Room for Film Developing ~ Enhance Photography Skill

It's essential to have a darkroom when developing film, because the process involves the use of light-sensitive materials. If the photographer exposes the film to light at the wrong point, the film will go black. Also, the photographer must develop film, and fix it by applying a series of chemicals, before she can expose the film to light or use it to create photographic prints.

Instructions

Find a room with few or no windows. Large closets can work, but a windowless, otherwise unused bathroom or laundry room is ideal, since these rooms provide running water. However, do not use a bathroom as a temporary or dual-use darkroom; that is, don't start using the area as a bathroom after making it a darkroom. Developing chemicals often have an unpleasant odor, and they can also stain surfaces and fixtures.

Clean the room. Remove all extraneous material and dust by scrubbing the walls with a brush and sandpaper. Paint the room white and apply a coat of sealant (pick a type of sealant that you can wipe clean easily).

Look for openings where light can enter the room, like around the door frame or windows. Block these openings. For large gaps, nail a wooden plank over the opening. Cover smaller gaps with black garbage bags or heavy black fabric. For tiny cracks, use felt weatherstripping.

Install an extraction fan on an external wall to ensure adequate ventilation and comfortable working conditions. Some developing chemicals may be unhealthy, particularly when concentrated in a small space.

Organize the room into wet and dry areas, and keep the two areas as separate as possible. Designate wet areas for chemical storage and mixing, washing equipment, and tank and tray processing. Use the dry area for storing your equipment and anything electrical. If you use your darkroom to process photographic prints, keep your enlarger and photographic paper in the dry area as well.

You'll be working in low light, so your storage areas should be uncluttered and your containers clearly marked.

Provide darkroom-safe illumination. Red 15-watt lightbulbs have little effect on unprocessed film if used in moderation. However, no type of darkroom light is completely safe for film.

One useful trick is to direct the lights towards the ceiling, so that the light bounces off the ceiling before hitting any light-sensitive materials. This will also reduce shadows, and make it easier for you to see what you're doing.

If you intend to use the room for photograph printing, check what type of light your photographic paper requires (the package should have bulb and filter specifications).

Stretch a clothesline along one side of the room. Put metal clips up on the clothesline to hold film while it's drying after the developing and fixer baths.

It's best to keep dust and other particles away from drying film, so place the clothesline in a small closet in the darkroom, if possible.

Place a timer in a highly visible location on the wall, so that you can easily follow developing time requirements. Most photographers use Gralab timers, which show up well in dark spaces.