A darkroom is what any photographer would dream of having. Some think it is difficult to construct. But actually, it is not as hard as it looks like. All you need is some large space in your house. Like the garage or a spare room.

Darkroom basics

As long as you are knowledgeable of the basics on how to darken a room, it will pose no problem at all. Use black masking tape, aluminum foil and a blackout shade. Make sure the room is totally lightproof.

Additionally, be sure that there is running water present in the room as you will be needing it. Also, a dry portion in your room where you can dry out your photos will prove useful as well. And divide the room into two portions: the dry side where you can print photos and the wet side when processing them.

Dry side equipments

• reels and film tanks
• safe light
• light-tight paper safe
• enlarger and a safelight near it
• easel
• timer
• paper cutter
• grain magnifier
• kit for darkening and lightening a picture like a dodger or burner
• print dryer
• enough space storage
• area for hanging the photos dry

Wet side equipments

• sink that is at least 5 feet long
• print tongs
• running water
• a deep tray with a hole on one side
• four smaller trays with a 11"x14" size as well as safelight
• hose attached to the faucet to the tray
• film clips to hang pictures dry
• graduates of varying sizes for mixing chemicals
• ten bottles for storing chemicals
• face masks and surgical gloves

Photo enlarger

Make sure that the enlarger you have has a standard lens mount as well as a glass-less negative carrier. In addition, ensure that the bulbs are cost-efficient and can be easily bought in your area.

If you are planning buy your own photo enlarger, you can purchase it for as little as $200. You can also check for auction sites if you want to go cheap. But remember the cost itself may reflect its quality.

Chemical handling and safety

Be sure to provide enough ventilation for your darkroom. You may opt on having a ventilation fan on the wet side of your darkroom. However, this may be costly an option. A conventional ventilation fan may be more efficient as well as a range hood.

Moreover, tightly seal the bottles that contain chemicals in it. Be sure to put them in an area out of reach of children and pets.