PHOTOGRAPHY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 72, 23 March 1912, Page 15

PHOTOGRAPHY.

ARRANGING A DARKROOM. One often hears the conp.a nt from would-be amateur photographers that they are debarred lrom obtaining as mu.b enjoyment from their hoboy as they would do if there was not the "eternal vexatious matter of a darkroom. 11 is not enough to tell them tluit they may get over this difli.ulty io some extent— practically to tbe full ex.out—by the [adoption of film photography on the roll- [ holder principle, or another method by | means of which even pUies can be [changed ami developed without the aid of a dark-room. This may s.it.sfv a few, possibly a good many, who can afford to buy the necessary' apparatus, which is not very cheap. But there is a large number who cither give up photography or practice it very intermittently, because they cannot lay aside a room specially for photographic purposes. To these we would say that while there is a bathroom available there is no re.is.in why a very serviceable dark room should not be rigged up at very short notice by anyone, and made as efficient, in a modest way, as the most elaborately-fitted room set rigidly apart for the purpose. Almost every kind of work requiring darkness can be carried out in a bathroom without any structural alterations whatever. The existence of a wash hand-basin does away with the necessity of a sink being fitted, and is much better •than the alternative which many amateurs who could not -command the use of a sink used to fall back upon, namely, two full pails of cold water. The window may be temporarily covered with a thick tablecloth, or some such material. if the room is mainly used at night, and not very- frequently. But if it is often so requisitioned, then it will be worth while to get a joiner to make a wooden frame, which will fit into the window and leave no space at the edges. Over this frame may be nailed a screen of a double thickness of red twill, ''"his can be fitted into the window-frame almost at a moment's notice, and the room, provided white light is not admitted through chinks in the door or elsewhere, will be quite efficient for use in the daytime or at night, just as may be required.! The use of a tank for developing will simplify matters very much, because all that will be necessary to be done in .the dark room will be to take the plates out of their slides and load the tank, and subsequently remove them from the tank and place them in the fixing bath. But for those Who prefer the dish method of development the room will bp equally useful, only the darkening will be a matter of greater concern. A shelf or t'.\o should be erected if possible on which to keep bottles and the dishes and other apparatus commonly needed in a darkroom. A small cabinet with lock and key, designed to hold most of the material in general use, including chanrcals, is, of course, better, for besides keeping the contents in better order, a cabinet j has the additional advantage, especially,! in a household where there are children, that dangerous chemicals can be stored without any risk of serious accident. The bath naturally occupies a good | deal of floor space in a bathroom, but. this need not be wasted. A board maybe fitted on to the top of it, and thus a ' very good work table made which can ! be used for a variety of purposes. If i one has an enlarger it may stand on this board at one end with an easel at the other, and the focus will be readily obtained by moving the easel backwards ! and forwards, preferably on grooves made in the surface of the board or; table. Such a simple arrangement as here indicated will not -cost mora than a few shillings, but it will get rid of the cry about the difficulty of getting an, efficient dark-room ait hongft. j