Re: [Leica] Would you start a wet darkroom today?

[Curt Miller <cmiller@berkshire.net>]

Great question.  I have worked in a wet darkroom for over 40 years now and
while digital is making (and will continue to make) great strides, quality
is still behind silver and, from a visceral perspective (highly debatable,
of course), nothing can beat the tranquility of the darkroom.  No
environment is more conducive to creativity.  I sit at a computer,
constructing complex mathematical models all day long.  Last thing I want
to do is spend my nights in front of a CRT, constructing images of
inferior quality.  On another front, consider any investment you make in
good used wet darkroom enlarging equipment: a Leica enlarger will likely
appreciate.  computer stuff will not.

For the moment, computer photography seems best limited to those who make
their living in photography, particularly wedding, sports and newspaper
shooters, who can drastically cut their film/processing costs and
turnaround times as well as write the costs off against taxes.  The
amateur can't benefit from any of these items.  Another point is that
because of the frenzy for computer photography, people are dumping very
expensive chemical darkroom equipment at ridiculous prices, sometimes
yours for the asking.  Two years ago I bought a like-new Omega D4 with
Schneider Componons, Chromega head and a slew of also like-new accessories
for $400!  It's really a no-brainer for the amateur/part-time pro.

Curt 

On Thu, 26 Oct 2000, John Gong wrote:

> Photography is becoming a mutual interest for my 10 year old son and I. He's
> using my Nikon gear while I hoard the Leicas :-).  At the moment, we're
> still exploring picture taking technique, but I am starting to think of what
> I want to do next with improving the final result.
> 
> As a child, I was lucky enough to walk over to a public darkroom at the
> Police Athletic League in Chinatown. I had a wonderful coach in a volunteer
> professional photographer. Nowadays, darkroom facilities are an endangered
> species, especially out in suburbia land.
> 
> We have the space for a wet darkroom now. I've been thinking of acquiring a
> V.35 and building a complete setup.  On the other hand, we also have at our
> disposal no shortage of Macs and PCs with Photoshop or Photodeluxe and a
> good photo printer. I'm a total novice at this software programs, and
> haven't invested the time to get the results I truly want yet. As a result,
> I am more comfortable being a coach in a wet darkroom than a modern digital
> one.
> 
> What would you do ?
> 
> 
> John Gong
> 
> 
>