The dying art of the photographic darkroom

The dying art of the photographic darkroom

Mysterious, even magical -- there are few spaces quite like the photographer's darkroom, not least because, with the march of digital technology, it is rapidly becoming part of photographic history. Artist Richard Nicholson has set out to capture these fast-disappearing spaces, photographing darkrooms -- and the memories they hold -- across London.

[dennyrulos]

I'm 19 years old and I'm picking up my first darkroom enlarger on monday, I'm building a darkroom with my grandfather. The art might've risen from the dead

[erichartke]

I have a darkroom in the basement. When I want to print I set it up for hours at night then put it all away. I thoroughly enjoy the whole process of shooting, processing and printing! I am 31.

[GreatGizmo]

I'm 15 and to my Dad's annoyance our utility room is now a Darkroom. Yes, I grew up in the digital age but there is something about the analogue ways that is so much more satisfying to me!

[RCAvhstape]

Film won't die completely; it's transitioned from a mass production pro photo medium to an art medium with a smaller market. Some of the bigger companies like Kodak have had a rough time making that switch but other companies, including some new ones, are coming in to fill the demand. Once it stabilizes it'll be a bit more expensive but steadier.

[neilpiper]

Just an update from 2020.
The darkroom is still going strong. Possible because of covid.
There is a commercial place in Cheltenham called The Darkroom which can print from up to 10x8 inch negatives. They still teach darkroom working at Stroud college where I live. I still have a home darkroom and use film from Kodak, mainly tri x
Ilford Hp5 and Foma, Rollei and am using Ilford papers and Foma for old style papers.
Alas, Kodak stopped making my favourite paper, Bromesko way back, and of course Kodachrome slide film went. Just thought you might like a state of play comment.
I am 75 now and have been darkroom printing since I was 11,
10 years professionally.
Long live this wonderful art of taking pictures and making negatives and prints

[davecarrera]

2023 update: Been enjoying learning the craft of print making using my Meopta 4 with color 3 head in my shed for the last 24 months. Develop my own 120 rolls using home made developers. Enjoying the journey.

[aloyyyys]

And we're back baby! Film is here to stay!

[edwardbick]

traditional film isn't going to die. painting didn't die following photography. books haven't died following the kindle. vinyl hasn't died with mp3s. cooking hasn't died with microwave

[matthew.maduli]

Being born into the generation of everything digital, I still think film is still here to stay. Not much teens my age know what a dark room is, or use 35mm or medium format or anything like that. But film has been making a comeback. Instant film photography has actual gotten bigger, with Fujifilm instax cameras and Impossible Project bringing back film for Polaroid 600, sx70, spectra, and 8x10 photos film. I'm not sure how darkroom developing/printing will go in the next 5 years but there are still tons of people shooting film. I wouldn't fully understand how I guess "magical" or cool it was to work in a darkroom and make prints, but I hope there still be there when Im older.

[ryanstix]

2022, and I'm turning a closet into a darkroom, going with an intrepid setup.. 2022 and you can buy new/modern darkroom setups.. what a time to be alive

[esanford]

I just took down my darkroom 4 years ago. Just watching this brought back the smell of fixer. There is nothing like touching each print as you move from developer to stop bath to fixer. And yes, it required about 2 hours to make a finished print. It was a solitary spiritual experience. Thanks for posting.

[Notimportant]

It's funny to watch this as I've just completed the setup of my own colour darkroom for hand printing and processing and it's only gaining popularity and becoming more accessible than ever with the growth of the resources on the internet which were previously closely guarded secrets of master printers.

[GoldenLamb]

I hope not. I'm a relatively new photographer, but I've fallen in love with the darkroom  too. As a teenager in the digital age, I think film has a beauty different from digital, and it worth keeping alive. I really like photoshop, but the darkroom is different, and very special. 

[DANVIIL]

Since this was made, film has had a big comeback. I can buy medium format cameras whose negatives are more than 5 times larger than any "full frame" digital camera and the images are just better in my opinion. Each type of film has its own inherent color palette which gives an image a unique look. B&W is also very distinct and its so simple to process my own B&W & color at home that it's not an issue. I prefer medium format optics over 35mm, so film will never die..

[josephawatson]

man this hasnt aged well, now more people are building darkrooms than they were when this was recorded. I am working towards it as well.

[Cowmageddon]

This makes me want to study film photography more

[MUSKLR]

When I got my first DSLR (Canon Digital Rebel) close to 10 years ago, I felt convinced that film was dead... That there was no longer any need for it. A few years ago I enrolled in the photography program at my local college and was required to take B&W film photography. I am happy to say that I was completely wrong about my belief that film was dead and not needed. I love film photography and the whole developing/printing process, perhaps even more so than digital. So, no, film is absolutely not dead!

[dreaddennis]

i am 27 and spend 3 days in the darkroom every week, enlarging up to 4x5 and 8x10 contacts. i like this clip but its full of bs and way to melancholic about film dying... i found that enlarging from film en especially making chemical print, still and will have a quality that inktjet can't reproduce. 

[nateo]

Great video...it was oddly relaxing to watch the process of enlarging, manipulating the print while it was still wet, etc. I could almost feel it in my hands.

[jamesdunlop]

Film is real photorgraphy .It is a real skill. I am always happy to see young people taking to film photography. Your photos of darkrooms remind me of some I have been in. When at school I was told of a darkroom where the enlarger head ran across the floor. I had never seen one until your video. Thankfully film photography is remerging.