Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>Date: Wed, 28 Oct 98 16:11:34 -0500 >From: Mary & Stan Kephart <kephartol@att.net> >Subject: Re: [Leica] darkroom update... > >Hi francesco, > >Yes. I found that the 15-watt put out too much light, and was happy to >find a 7 1/2-watt at my local hardware store. I don't know if they're >availabe everywher > >Bought some dark (very) grey paint for my darkroom today. DON'T USE IT!! except behind the enlarger to prevent stray light near the print. A darkroom should be white to bounce around as much safelighting as possible. A black darkroom is fine technically but psychologically it's not conducive to a happy life. You'll spend long hours in there, so it's got to be as pleasant and light as possible, or else you will emerge a bigger loony than when you went in. My darkroom has the lot - white walls, music, comfortable stool, even beer, and I still emerge withdrawn and crazed! The college darkroom I work in is all black, gloomy and horrible - it's a completely different working environment. By the way, Francesco, Bravo! For your enthusiasm and persistence. As has already been said, you're nearly there. I think you should buy the cheapest enlarger you can find that doesn't wobble when you tap it, and put a decent Nikon or Rodenstock lens on it (really not expensive, so many are made). Enjoy the simplicity, yet endless possibilities of the printing ritual. I hope you produce personal and surprising work in there which will extend your way of seeing more than you can at first realise. Once you know what you are doing you can know what you want and so upgrade the enlarger to exactly what suits you - it might not make a huge difference to your results, more a difference in the pleasure of using a good machine well, but it's pointless chucking lots of money at it initially (aprt from the lens). Alex