THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

The Darkroom
Light Baffles, top view
18
Every photographer dreams of the perfect darkroom, and most of us manage
to make do with a merely adequate substitute. The main reason for this
is that a first-rate darkroom is very expensive to build, equip and maintain.
Ultimately, however, there's only one thing that really matters: dust. If
you can't keep dust under control, it will consistently sabotage your ability
to teach good darkroom skills and undermine your students' efforts to produce
high-quality prints. Nothing is more frustrating (and more damaging
to a student's desire to learn) than spending hours in the darkroom laboring
with painstaking care over a single print, only to discover a motley collection
of white specks all over it once it's brought into the full light of day.
Knowing the importance of effective dust-control is one thing; achieving
it is another. Here again (unless you are very lucky or endowed with a luxurious
budget) you will probably have to accept some compromises. But you
will have a distinct advantage if you recognize dust as your sworn enemy
and vigilantly pursue it.
Begin by limiting the surfaces and nooks and crannies where dust can
collect. Install no more shelving than you actually need (or remove whatever
excess may already be in place). A good basic darkroom requires only
a single counter top to support the enlarger(s), a large sink and enough space
for processing trays (in the sink if it's big enough). Reduce clutter to a strict
minimum. Store papers and all non-essential equipment (extra enlarger
lenses, etc.) in file cabinets or any other available containers. Keep nothing
in the actual darkroom space that doesn't absolutely belong there; cram the
overflow into a closet somewhere else. It is perilously easy to let odds and
ends begin to collect in a darkroom, so a periodic "spring cleaning" is highly
recommended.
All surfaces should be non-porous, to ensure that chemicals — and dust
— can be wiped away. (Uncovered concrete and wood are especially undesirable.)
All cracks should be carefully caulked. This will also assist in controlling
culprit number two: light leaks.
Light and dust traps should be installed along the edges of all doors (insulation
kits available in any hardware store work fine). Any windows should
of course be thoroughly blacked out and sealed shut. Linoleum is probably
the best surface for the floor (again, avoid exposed concrete). Ideally, walls
will be painted white (enamel or other easily cleaned paint is best), as this
will make any residue more visible.
BLACK
VINYL-COATED If the size and layout of your darkroom space permit, it is a good idea to
construct a light baffle, so students can come and go without letting light
slip in (disastrous for prints in progress and opened boxes of photo-paper).
One reasonably simple procedure is to hang three or more floor-to-ceiling
strips of black, opaque fabric (coated with plastic if possible) in overlapping