A weekend in the darkroom

A friend was clearing out her late uncle's darkroom equipment and I ended up with an enlarger, three trays, and a roll of Tri-X I'd been carrying around since October without a reason to shoot it. This is what came out of two days in a blacked-out bathroom, mostly guessing at exposure times.

The enlarger set up on a bathroom counter, lit from above. — The enlarger, set up on the bathroom counter, first night.01/12

Everything took three or four times longer than it would with a digital camera and I mean that as a compliment. There's a version of patience you only really relearn when a single frame costs you fifteen minutes of standing in the dark.

A test print drying on the line, cool tones. — Two exposures of the same negative, ninety seconds apart.04/12

A second test print drying on the line, warmer tones. — Two exposures of the same negative, ninety seconds apart.04/12

The one below is the frame I kept coming back to — not because it's technically the best print, but because it's the only one where the timing actually worked out the way I'd pictured it before I pressed the shutter.

A finished print, framed and lit from the side. — Sunday morning, the one that made the whole weekend worth it.09/12

I don't think I'll switch back for everything, but I understand now why people who shoot film talk about slowing down like it's a feature and not a limitation. It is, mostly, a limitation. It's also the best part.