Real prints are the way forward

RaglanSurf

RaglanSurf

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Nick
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Just wanted to post this up, a 12" x 12" proper old school print by @joxby. And a fantastic job he's done too. Not an easy frame to print as it's very contrasty (just the way I wanted it to be) but John has done a magnificent job.

Apologies for the shoddy reflection ridden iPhone shot.

image by Nick Watson, on Flickr

It really makes me want to have more of my stuff printed, it knocks spots of my inkjet printed efforts.

Thanks John (y)
 
Looks very good Nick. I really want to find somewhere to set up a print area, I'm just not getting the full film experience by scanning and printing. I have quite a few of my pictures up and some of them look good but I do feel there's something missing.... a bathroom conversion perhaps. :D
 
Andysnap said:
Looks very good Nick. I really want to find somewhere to set up a print area, I'm just not getting the full film experience by scanning and printing. I have quite a few of my pictures up and some of them look good but I do feel there's something missing.... a bathroom conversion perhaps. :D
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I went in the shed the other day. Closed the door after me, looked around a the few light leaks, and pondered . . .
 
abdoujaparov said:
I went in the shed the other day. Closed the door after me, looked around a the few light leaks, and pondered . . .
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Trouble is that even though I have 2 sheds, yes you heard correctly, 2 sheds, :banana: both of them are more light leak than shed. I really want to get one of the plastic sheds and get it plumbed in. Maybe next year.
 
Excellent Nick. I take it there's more to come in the near future...? You couldn't have enough prints from film hanging on your walls, excellent stuff. Keep em coming chum.

Regards;
Peter
 
abdoujaparov said:
I went in the shed the other day. Closed the door after me, looked around a the few light leaks, and pondered . . .
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I turned part of my dad's shed into a make shift dark room to print in, and it took a bit of work to make it light tight! Thick black bin bags stapled and taped permanently over the windows, a thick blanket hung over the gaps in the door, and several small bits of wood hammered and wedged into every little gap that I could find! It's still not perfectly light tight, but I haven't had any problems printing in there
 
Carl Hall said:
Thick black bin bags stapled and taped permanently over the windows
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Most bin bags are not very light tight. This is evident sometimes when there are roadworks and the workers cover over signs with bin bags. They go home, the illuminated signs light up when it gets dark and the bin bags might as well not be there!

Carl Hall said:
It's still not perfectly light tight, but I haven't had any problems printing in there
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It doesn't need to be 100% light tight for prints. A few years ago, Roger Hicks reported that he was at a trade show where Nova Darkroom Supplies had set up a light proof tent which actually wasn't very light tight but were still able to produce perfect prints in it all day long.


Steve.
 
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Steve Smith said:
Most bin bags are not very light tight. This is evident sometimes when there are roadworks and the workers cover over signs with bin bags. They go home, the illuminated signs light up when it gets dark and the bin bags might as well not be there!



It doesn't need to be 100% light tight for prints. A few years ago, Roger Hicks reported that he was at a trade show where Nova Darkroom Supplies had set up a light proof tent which actually wasn't very light tight but were still able to produce perfect prints in it all day long.


Steve.
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Yeah I ended up using three layers of bags in the end because the first didn't cut out much light. These bags are thicker than normal and with three layers no light at all gets in at all :D
 
I got a roll of light proof vinyl from Firstcall to block the windows. It works pretty well, but you still have to tape the edges and use two overlapping pieces to get it completely dark. Not cheap either. I'll be working with film as well as paper, so need it properly sealed. I bought blackout curtain material from Dunelm to cover the door frame. Much cheaper per square metre and works really well.
 
Glyn Carnell said:
NIcely done.... For wall hanging I presume?
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macvisual said:
Excellent Nick. I take it there's more to come in the near future...? You couldn't have enough prints from film hanging on your walls, excellent stuff. Keep em coming chum.

Regards;
Peter
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It's the first 'proper' print 'Ive had on the wall in 20 years, I know I don't have the space to set up a darkroom (and even when I did I wasn't any good at it) but @joxby 's print has blown me away I really need to get a whole series of big square prints done now. Now I've discovered that cheap Ikea frames come in decent sizes and all you need to do is get some decent mounts cut for them to bring them alive I'm going to do more. The only thing that's stopping me is having shots decent enough to enlarge and frame.
 
Looks spot on to me! Nicely done :)

I'd dearly love to get back into printing (Had some good practice during A levels a good while back) but finding the space for a 5x4 enlarger isn't going to happen for a good few years yet :(
 
Woodsy said:
Looks spot on to me! Nicely done :)

I'd dearly love to get back into printing (Had some good practice during A levels a good while back) but finding the space for a 5x4 enlarger isn't going to happen for a good few years yet :(
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Move oop north lad, you could by a mansion with 200 acres of land for what you can get down south..... You could have a developing wing. :D
 
Woodsy said:
but finding the space for a 5x4 enlarger isn't going to happen for a good few years yet
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Mine doesn't take up much room. It's the extra space you need for trays, etc. which needs it. Unfortunately, these get tidied away and other junk takes their place which has to be moved when I want to do some printing!


Steve.
 
Woodsy said:
I'd dearly love to get back into printing (Had some good practice during A levels a good while back) but finding the space for a 5x4 enlarger isn't going to happen for a good few years yet :(
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Public darkroom, perhaps?
 
Or step up to 10x8 and just make contact prints.


I was once asked if I had a darkroom. I stated "Well, I have a room which I can make dark" The response was "I have lots of those in my house. There is even a switch by the door to work it!".


Steve.
 
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skysh4rk said:
Public darkroom, perhaps?
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This is the only real choice tbh. I just need to find one.

Steve Smith said:
Mine doesn't take up much room. It's the extra space you need for trays, etc. which needs it. Unfortunately, these get tidied away and other junk takes their place which has to be moved when I want to do some printing!

Thing is, I current live in a rented house. When Nikki and I get our own place (touch wood, end of the month!) it'll only be a 2 bed flat, with the second bedroom off limits for darkroom purposes :/

Steve.
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Andysnap said:
Move oop north lad, you could by a mansion with 200 acres of land for what you can get down south..... You could have a developing wing. :D
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Haha, trust me matey, at my rate of thinking, I'll totally skip 'oop norf' and land directly in the highlands!
 
Steve Smith said:
Or step up to 10x8 and just make contact prints.
I was once asked if I had a darkroom. I stated "Well, I have a room which I can make dark" The response was "I have lots of those in my house. There is even a switch by the door to work it!".
Steve.
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Don't get me wrong, 10x8 is impressive, but for me the (few) advantages no where near outweight the size and weight dissadvantages where hill walking and mountaineering are concerned. For single days out, I'm sure it's much less of a concern, but my focus is trips over multiple days.

skysh4rk said:
Yeah, I use a public darkroom myself. Check out Harman's local darkroom website.
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Aye, will do :)
 
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Woodsy said:
Don't get me wrong, 10x8 is impressive, but for me the (few) advantages no where near outweight the size and weight dissadvantages
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Same here. I just wish 5x4 was a little bit bigger. However, I do have some 5x7 film holders so I could build a camera around them.


Steve.
 
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RaglanSurf said:
It's the first 'proper' print 'Ive had on the wall in 20 years, I know I don't have the space to set up a darkroom (and even when I did I wasn't any good at it) but @joxby 's print has blown me away I really need to get a whole series of big square prints done now. Now I've discovered that cheap Ikea frames come in decent sizes and all you need to do is get some decent mounts cut for them to bring them alive I'm going to do more. The only thing that's stopping me is having shots decent enough to enlarge and frame.
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Good on ya!
 
Lovely print! I've got a shed in my new place.... hrrrm! Might be time to finally get that enlarger and refresh my memory on printing...
 
Looks beautiful... inkjet cant compare to a wet print.
 
RaglanSurf said:
What a brilliant idea, the best reason I've heard so far for living oop north.
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We should club together and by a modest sized mansion and call it Togging Towers. Our weekend retreat with full developing and printing facilities, studios and living quarters. Of course the grounds will be full of wildlife and the walls will be high to keep out the riffraff. I'll get Roberts to contact the local estate agents forthwith. :D
 
Woodsy said:
Can it be a modest sized mansion in the middle of the lake district? :D
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In the Lake District it would have to be a small shed......:(

Steve Smith said:
Build it underground with a door on the side of a hill.


Steve.
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Do you secretly want to be a Teletubbie, Steve..... or a Hobbit. :)
 
Woodsy said:
I could happily settle for the mansion being outside the lakes, but only if it had a dedicated underground private rail link which emerged somewhere awesome...
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I'll see what I can do.....;)
 
Can it have its own distillery and brewery?
 
Yes, but you can only drink the produce on days with a Y in them.
 
I have some of this sheeting on order to convert my bathroom into a temporary darkroom. It's quite cheap, I'll report back on the quality once it arrives.

ps. nice picture Nick/Joxby.
 
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