Evening star., 1951-02-04

kitchen are 1aVorlte choices. The
basement Of almost all homes will
have running water available.
The running water is handy to
wash films and prints. But if you
don't have running water in the
room, you can always carry the
materials to a bathtub or kitchen
sink or you can wash the items
in trays with several changes of
water.
1t is also desirable that the
room can be kept at an even tenn
perature of between SO and 70
degrees F. Processing solutions
for both films and prints have to
remain at this level and if your
room temperature should be
higher or lower you will have to
compensate for this by raising or
lowering the solution tempera-
lures with ice or hot water treat
ment which is a nuisance to say
the least. Since the temperature
of most modern homes is con-
trolled by thermostat, you will
have little trouble on this score.
Electric Outlets Necessary.
You should also have one or
more electrical outlets for plug
ging in the safelight, contact
printer, enlarger. print dryer, etc
If no such outlet is available you
can always bring in the electricity
with length of cable and null
tiple plug receiver. And you
needn't be concerned by the fact
that the walls of the room are
painted white or some other light
color because any light that is re-
flected from them will be from
your safelight and the reflections
from this are no more dangerous
to Photographic paper than the
original light source.
If you decide to use the kitchen
or bath for your processing plant
you will not want to load it up
with heavy items that will be a
nuisance to move when your work
is finished. Therefore, select an
enlarger that is no larger than
you actually require for your work
Many photo-enlargers are small
to begin with and have the added
advantage of being fold-Way types
that CAL, be placed in a carrying
case. Contact printers and print
ing frames are small and the
other items such as trays, tanks,
film clips, thermometers, safe
light, timer, tongs, etc. all can be
bundled up and stored without
fuss or bother.
Processing Is Easy.
There need be no concern on
your part as to how to 60 about
processing your films and prints
Libraries are full of good books.
written by competent authors.
which outline step by step the
methods to be employed. These
are not formidable tones but are
easy to read and easy to under
stand by the layman for whom
they are intended. To mix the
chemicals is no greater problem
than to mix ingredients listed in a
cOokbook-you simply do as dl-
rected. The same applies to the
developing and printing; there is
nothing difficult about film and
print processing at all.
You will save a lot of money by
doing your own processing. You
will learn that by buying your pa
per and chemicals in quantity you
can make your pictures at a frac-
ton of the cost that you now pay
the photoflnisher. After a short
while you will find that you have
saved enough money to cover the
cost of your darkroom furnish
ings, paper, chemicals, ETC.. and
future savings will provide you
with money to invest in d better
camera, more film and other
photo accessories that you have
always wanted.
Then. too, you will have the OPP
portunity to see the results of
your camera work Immediately
instead of waiting for days to get
it back. Seeing your work shortly
after exposing the film will help
you realize and correct mistakes
of exposure while the facts are
fresh in your mind. The very
process of learning negative
development will teach you to rec
ognize under and over exposure
and other camera operating faults
that have been spelling many of
your pictures.
In making your own prints you
will be able to correct mistakes by
selecting the correct grade of
printing paper; you will be able