Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Cheers, Hamish. If only some bright spark could come up with a technique of taking photos electronically, with digital output via a memory card into a computer...
Introduction to Black & White Photography - Stills Gallery
- Thread starter Rob MacKillop
- Start date
Pete Askew
Admin
Don't be daft Rob. That'd never catch on!
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
You're probably right... I'll bin the idea.
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Last night was the third evening of four, and was pretty much a disaster. 20 minutes in the darkroom and I started to feel ill (before we put the lights out) and ten minutes later I was feeling very ill and had to leave. I did manage to make a contact sheet, so I have something to show for my pains.
Then the teacher had the idea of packing me off to the top floor to scan my negs from last week using the Epson 10000 scanner. I got literally 2 minutes tuition, and left to it. Well, the results are below - notice I put some in the neg holders the wrong way round (the text being a clue!). She had set the scanner to 600dpi, so the quality is not what it could be. There was a very nice Hasselblad scanner in the corner of very high quality, but it only does one image at a time, and time was of the essence if I wanted to email them home.
It looks like my darkroom career is over before starting. Best I can do is send film off to get developed and either scan them myself at Stills, or get them scanned by the developer (currently www.wedevelopfilms.co.uk). At £12 to hire the equipment in Stills, it might be easier to get them done when developed. Which brings me right back to where I started before handing Stills £150 for the course! I'm thinking of asking for at least some of my money back. When I attended the first meeting we filled in a form with our details including whether we had asthma, to which I replied Yes. I told the teacher, who said it should be OK. Then the second teacher told me last night that a previous asthma sufferer had had a terrible attack while in the darkroom. I feel I should have been better informed.
We have one more evening, this one dedicated to dodging and burning, and other tweaks, presumably in the darkroom... I think I'll pull out, but I'll write to them first.
How do I feel? Well, my illness - difficulty breathing, massive headache, pains all over - lasted all night. I think I got about two hours sleep, and this morning I've lost more money by cancelling students. I don't feel great. Off to lie on the couch for a few hours...
Actually, I'm too exhausted to upload all the images here. You can find them HERE - the last 13 black and white shots. Most of them were just experiments in aperture and shutter speed control.
Here's one...
Then the teacher had the idea of packing me off to the top floor to scan my negs from last week using the Epson 10000 scanner. I got literally 2 minutes tuition, and left to it. Well, the results are below - notice I put some in the neg holders the wrong way round (the text being a clue!). She had set the scanner to 600dpi, so the quality is not what it could be. There was a very nice Hasselblad scanner in the corner of very high quality, but it only does one image at a time, and time was of the essence if I wanted to email them home.
It looks like my darkroom career is over before starting. Best I can do is send film off to get developed and either scan them myself at Stills, or get them scanned by the developer (currently www.wedevelopfilms.co.uk). At £12 to hire the equipment in Stills, it might be easier to get them done when developed. Which brings me right back to where I started before handing Stills £150 for the course! I'm thinking of asking for at least some of my money back. When I attended the first meeting we filled in a form with our details including whether we had asthma, to which I replied Yes. I told the teacher, who said it should be OK. Then the second teacher told me last night that a previous asthma sufferer had had a terrible attack while in the darkroom. I feel I should have been better informed.
We have one more evening, this one dedicated to dodging and burning, and other tweaks, presumably in the darkroom... I think I'll pull out, but I'll write to them first.
How do I feel? Well, my illness - difficulty breathing, massive headache, pains all over - lasted all night. I think I got about two hours sleep, and this morning I've lost more money by cancelling students. I don't feel great. Off to lie on the couch for a few hours...
Actually, I'm too exhausted to upload all the images here. You can find them HERE - the last 13 black and white shots. Most of them were just experiments in aperture and shutter speed control.
Here's one...
Chris Dodkin
West Coast Correspondent
Once you have yourself a good lab that does the dev and scan, you'll be golden Rob
I can't be doing with the darkroom stuff - so have all my film processed and scanned locally - very happy with the result and ease of process!
I can't be doing with the darkroom stuff - so have all my film processed and scanned locally - very happy with the result and ease of process!
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Yeah, it's a pity, but not a problem. Got some Mamiya and Holga shots back today. Will get around to editing them in a day or two.
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Just a footnote to this...
Stills Gallery have given me a full refund, and have said that my experience has prompted them to research possible side effects. They have been in touch with Ilford, who gave them a list of dangers. This is now on the Stills website: Black & White Photography 1 | Stills Gallery
I've found the whole experience a difficult one. The Stills Gallery is one of my favourite places in Edinburgh, and I suppose I have helped them give some focus to their health and safety protocols. I still recommend this particular course.
Stills Gallery have given me a full refund, and have said that my experience has prompted them to research possible side effects. They have been in touch with Ilford, who gave them a list of dangers. This is now on the Stills website: Black & White Photography 1 | Stills Gallery
I've found the whole experience a difficult one. The Stills Gallery is one of my favourite places in Edinburgh, and I suppose I have helped them give some focus to their health and safety protocols. I still recommend this particular course.
Pete Askew
Admin
That is good news Rob and I'm pleased to see that the gallery have looked into their safety and health policy. It is likely that you'd be fine working on your own and it was the increased volumes etc that were the trigger but it is clearly not worth the risk.
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
For the record, I've been ill with asthma since Tuesday. But things seem a little easier this morning. What a bizarre and surprising experience!
Pete Askew
Admin
As you say, an unexpected outcome. I'm sure that the extraction etc at the studio is adequate but, even so! I have worked in industry since the late 70s and, until I formed IMSL 16 years ago, worked mainly for large large multi-nationals who put great emphasis on safety in the workplace. Much of the chemistry I worked with was / is extremely hazardous and so good working practices are second (if not first) nature to me. The darkrooms I used were well designed and built with low particle counts in the air and very effective extraction systems. When I built my own darkrooms I followed the same design principles. Sadly, some practitioners seem to believe that heat, fumes and humidity are all part of the craft; they are not!
A sad outcome and a pity as I am sure you would have very much enjoyed the craft of printing. But not the end and the hybrid approach is highly satisfying too.
A sad outcome and a pity as I am sure you would have very much enjoyed the craft of printing. But not the end and the hybrid approach is highly satisfying too.
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Thanks, Pete.
Joan, thanks for the Hugo High Five! As you see, I tried to escape your clutches, but failed miserably [doh]
You'll still get my custom 
Joan, thanks for the Hugo High Five! As you see, I tried to escape your clutches, but failed miserably [doh]
You'll still get my custom
Chris Dodkin
West Coast Correspondent
Rob - look at it this way, you were clearly designed for the digital darkroom age, so the technology has progressed to the point where you are able to pursue your passion!
Hope you're feeling better as you get into the weekend
Hope you're feeling better as you get into the weekend
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Cheers, Chris.
