Amherst Media Book: Into Your Darkroom Step by Step

Into Your Darkroom Step by Step is the complete guide to doing your own b&w darkroom work. Info on: equipment, setting up, developing negatives, making proof sheets and enlarged prints, techniques for fine prints, advice from professionals, and more.

From The Book:

Getting Ready: "Processing your own film and making your own prints gives you much better results than commercial services do, and it's much less expensive. To cut set-up expenses, buy only what you really need, substitute common household items here possible, and buy used equipment, which is widely available."

Developing Negatives: "Loading film onto the developing reel is quite easy once you get the hang of it. But if you have persistent trouble, you may wish to experiment with an automatic film loader. There devices come in a variety of models from mechanical winders to simple plastic guides."

Making Enlarged Prints: "Making enlargements is one of the most exciting aspects of photography. The images are no longer negatives in a lightproof tank into which you can't see. For the first time, the image is blown up large enough to see even the finest details and expressions. Choosing a good negative to print is one of the first steps to making good prints, but even a bad negative can be improved."

Making Better Prints: "Many photographers make the best print they can, then tack it up on the wall where they can look at it over a period of days and weeks. During this period they ask themselves if it can be improved. Will cropping help, or perhaps lightening the dark areas or darkening the light ones? Can it be printed with more contrast?"

About the Author: Dennis P. Curtin is a photographer and professional writer with his own home darkroom. He has written and edited numerous photography and professional books.