In the Darkroom

We've been working in the darkroom for a few weeks now and have all grown accustomed to the process of developing photographs. Below are some photos I took with the red lighting in the darkroom.

One fun fact about darkroom photography! Red light is the only light we can use to see in the developing process because it doesn't overexpose or ruin the light sensitive paper we develop our photos on. Without it, we'd be forced to work completely in the dark, which is how we have to prepare our rolls of film before developing. Also, it takes a minimum of fifteen minutes to develop a single sheet if you're not developing two or three simultaneously. Developing more than one sheet at a time can be tricky since the chemicals we use are extremely time-sensitive, and the paper is very expensive, so mistakes are costly. With only four prints on average per hour, it's hard to not have a deep respect for those who develop their photographs with a darkroom instead of more modern, digital processes, especially when you've experienced these processes firsthand.

*These photos were taken when no paper was developing. The paper we use to develop photographs in the darkroom is extremely light sensitive and the minimal light from my phone would have ruined the paper.

My eyes are still adjusting,

Eli Goodwin