darkroom - who cares ?

[charlesphoto99]

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I love real prints made in the darkroom - I spent almost 30 years printing traditionally and am considered by my peers to be an amazing printer.

 

But this year I sold all of my darkroom equipment never to be replaced. Why? For health reasons. I'm now spending lots of time and $ trying to get the built up toxicity out of my system that has led to chromic headaches, fatigue, etc. I miss the hands on creation aspect to the darkroom, but not the ill health affects.

 

So caveat: enjoy the darkrooms, but please use ventialtion and even then consider wearing a respirator. Also, think about what you're dumping down the drain. I still think a fiber print trumps even the finest inkjet print, but I'll have somebody else do my printing for me from now on, and/or do my own inkjet prints. Just something to consider...

[Xavier Ray]

I love the darkroom and also feel there is no equal to a finely crafted wet print whether silver gelatin or platinum. As a young child i watched my father print as though he was performing magic. I picked up my first box camera and made images at the age of 5 and received my first camera at 7. By the age of 9 my dad took me to the darkroom and taught me to print. I've never stopped and have continued to get great satisfaction from the prints and process. The satiscaction and quality of digital printing just isn't the same. The atmosphere of the darkroom is comforting and in the near future I will have been printing for 50 years. Counting my professional work I can't even guess the hundred thousand plus prints that I've made.

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[cwf]

I have thought of working with wet b+w in part because of the apparent availability of inexpensive used equipment. Some investigation ran aground, and I am now stuck, on the question of disposing of the chemicals responsibly and legally.

[odd]

Charles

 

Sorry to hear about your health problems.

Hope I’m not getting the same problems. Spend some time in the darkroom, but I’m an amateur ands I suppose you as a professional spent a lot more time than I do.

 

But any way, I like your photographs on your home site a lot. They have a nerve and expression that are far away from many of the “snap shots” that often is presented in this forum.

 

Don’t know if they are original digitals or scanned from film or wet prints? The B&W work is pretty good. My dream as an amateur is to work a week or to in the darkroom with a pro as you…..

 

Regards

OM

[Canfred]

Hi Charles , I am sorry to hear about your health problems . While I was always under the impression most darkroom chemicals are not harmful , I make sure not to come in contact. Fixers as such are only vinegar type of chemicals but some developers like metol would certainly be harmful. One thing comes to mind is ,some older papers contain cadmium which is extremely toxic. I would think tests would make sure you are clear or not. Some heavy metals can be removed from your blood , a proper investigation will help. I whish you a speedy recovery.

Manfred

[haris]

About health issue,

 

Most chemicals are not harmfull, especially when dissolved in water for being "stock" solution. For example, developer is more dangerouns when in powder form than when powder is dissolved in water. I am talking about "regular" developer and fixer.

 

But then there are things like PMK developes or selenium toner or stablizers for colour (negative and slide) processes which have formaline and those stuff are which are highly toxic and even increase danger of getting cancer.

 

So, using regular developer and fixer (for example ID11, D76, "ordinary" fixer and like) is not that dangerous. Not 100% safe (nothing is), but not severe dangerous. But, if using PMK or selenium be sure to wear gloves, work in well ventilated room, or outside (for example for toning with selenium one doesn't have to be in darkrrom, so go out and work outside).

 

Rergarding disposal of chemicals. There are two cases: Well regulated countries (like EU members or USA, or others) which have regulations for disposal chemicals, and collecting places for chemicals. If that is case, simply use cannister(s) for dumping your chemicals, and when it is full, take it to disposal company or else.

 

Then again there are countries like mine which doesn't have regulations for disposal of chemicals NOR companies which do that. I asked industrial companies, pharmaceutical businesses, medical institutions, and there are no places for individual disposing of chemicals, and me, because I am individual and do not have registerd business, can not use disposal facilities which use before mentioned institutions. So, down to the drain, only option... Freedom and responsability is matter of choice, not a desire

[charlesphoto99]

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Hi Charles , I am sorry to hear about your health problems . While I was always under the impression most darkroom chemicals are not harmful , I make sure not to come in contact. Fixers as such are only vinegar type of chemicals but some developers like metol would certainly be harmful. One thing comes to mind is ,some older papers contain cadmium which is extremely toxic. I would think tests would make sure you are clear or not. Some heavy metals can be removed from your blood , a proper investigation will help. I whish you a speedy recovery.

Manfred

 

Thank you. I also think some people are more susceptible to toxins than others for many reasons (I know I am). I'm generally very healthy (hell, I ride a fixed gear bicycle) , it's just headaches and other misc ailments that have plagued me. Others may have no affects even with long term use. My problems probably have nothing to do initially with darkroom use, but I know that continuing use exacerbates the problems and with a weakened response I just couldn't risk it anymore.

 

Anyway, I think the photo industry would love for their customers to believe that the chemistry is perfectly harmless. Unlike other industries, many of which are more unionised or watched, there are no OSHA rules or regulations surrounding darkroom use, in either pro labs, radiography labs, or home use.

 

There is a "green" chemistry on the market(Silvergrain Chemicals - Digitaltruth Photo) that I will be ordering as I do have to use the darkroom on occasion to make batches of proof sheets (I borrow a friends).

[charlesphoto99]

Charles

 

Sorry to hear about your health problems.

Hope I’m not getting the same problems. Spend some time in the darkroom, but I’m an amateur ands I suppose you as a professional spent a lot more time than I do.

 

But any way, I like your photographs on your home site a lot. They have a nerve and expression that are far away from many of the “snap shots” that often is presented in this forum.

 

Don’t know if they are original digitals or scanned from film or wet prints? The B&W work is pretty good. My dream as an amateur is to work a week or to in the darkroom with a pro as you…..

 

Regards

OM

 

Thank you. Most everything on my site was shot with film and scanned with an Imacon film scanner. I am shooting more and more digital now (esp with the M8) so that'll slowly but surely make it's way into my portfolio and website. Take care, Charles

[AlanG]

Anyway, I think the photo industry would love for their customers to believe that the chemistry is perfectly harmless. Unlike other industries, many of which are more unionised or watched, there are no OSHA rules or regulations surrounding darkroom use, in either pro labs, radiography labs, or home use.

 

 

A long time ago, I had a color darkroom with a nitorogen burst basket processor for prints. (Kodak R and Cibachrome.) One day my cousin stopped by and said, "Be careful with those chemicals, nobody has any idea of the toxic or carcinogenic effects of them." I listened to him and installed a large exhaust fan over it. He has a doctorate in chemistry and was a researcher at Monsanto so I figured he should know. I was careful when mixing and tried to not get any chemicals on my skin too.

 

I think you can safely use a b/w darkroom if you wear a respirator (or at least a dusk mask) when mixing dry chemicals, have an exhaust fan over your sink, and keep your hands out of all chemicals by using gloves and print tongs.

[haris]

 

I think you can safely use a b/w darkroom if you wear a respirator (or at least a dusk mask) when mixing dry chemicals, have an exhaust fan over your sink, and keep your hands out of all chemicals by using gloves and print tongs.

 

That would be that