Summary:
If you´re into film photography, you´ve probably considered trying to develop your film on your own. This 800-word article explains how to turn existing space in your home into a suitable darkroom area for film processing.

Details or Sample:

If you’re a die-hard film photography fan, you’ll appreciate the possibility of developing your negatives at home. This is cheaper than paying for a photo lab to do the job. You also have more control over how your film is handled.

You’ll have to invest only a few hundred dollars, or even less than that, in your home darkroom. If the space already exists, you can convert or alter that area to meet your needs. Even if you don’t have much money, or a room that you can convert, you can still develop film without leaving your home.

Note that this article covers developing the film. You will have negatives that are ready to turn into prints, but not the setup required to do this yourself.

Converting Your Closet into a Functional Darkroom
Clear out your closet, or whatever room you’re thinking of converting, and step inside. Close the door and check to see how much light comes through. Pay special attention to cracks and gaps in the doorway area: that’s where you’ll find most light.

When you’re satisfied that this room is worth converting, start covering up the places where light shines through. You can buy material at a photography-supply shop that will turn your closet into a pitch-black darkroom. You should be very picky about light, as even a small amount can wreck your film. When you’re certain that you’ve blocked even the faintest light, you’re ready to develop film in your new darkroom.

Since the developing process requires running water, make sure that you have access to a nearby sink. You don’t have to install anything in your new darkroom: being near the kitchen or bathroom will be enough. You don’t need access to the water until after your undeveloped film is already in its light-proof developing canister. So, don’t waste time planning to install a sink in your darkroom.

And if you live with other people, you might want to be sure that you can lock the darkroom’s door from the inside. You don’t want your work interrupted – and your precious shots destroyed – by a toddler, spouse or parent who doesn’t realize that you’re working.

One last thing to consider is a work area. Handling film is easier if there is a small bench, countertop or shelf at or near waist level. You can buy and install an inexpensive shelf if one does not already exist in your new darkroom. Some people also build simple work areas with plywood and inexpensive shelf brackets. Whatever you install should be very stable. You’ll be working in complete darkness, so you want to rely on the work bench or table to stay in place even if you inadvertently bump into it, lean on it, et cetera.

When You Don’t Have a Room to Convert
You might not have a closet that’s large enough to accommodate your darkroom. Maybe your bathroom has a giant window that lets in more light than you can ever hope to block out. Or maybe you just don’t care to convert an entire room into a darkroom.

Even so, you can still develop film at home. Remember: the only requirement is that your space is not exposed to light. Go to your photography supplier and ask for a changing bag. This inexpensive, light-proof bag is usually just large enough to hold your hands, the film and any other equipment that you need to wind your film onto the spool.

This option is wonderful for claustrophobics as well as for people who don’t have the time or money to convert a room. You can get the film into the developing canister anywhere in the house – even bright places like your kitchen or living room.

And because the changing bag is so much cheaper than setting up a closet for developing, you can invest the price difference in more film and chemicals. Another advantage is the fact that the changing bag is very small. You need only a tiny bit of storage space for this “darkroom in a bag” when you aren’t using it.

Once you’ve found the perfect place to prepare your film for the developing process, you can go to your favorite camera shop and stock up on all the essentials that you’ll need. The employees there can help you find everything from developing canisters to thermometers. You’ll have to invest a bit of money in these things, but the expense is worth it. Many film photographers love the fact that, when they process their own film, they have strict control over the entire process.

With practice and experience, you’ll learn how to turn your roll of exposed film into the perfect photographs. You’ll be amazed at how much more you enjoy photography when you add this hands-on approach to your skill set.

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