Monday, January 26, 2015

All Equipment In Play

Well I put in about 7 hours into the secondary printing. I am now into the final wash and drying faze of things. In my darkroom I have numerous archival washers (11x14, 16x20 and 20x24) and multiples sets of drying screens, everything is in play today. I have 2 washers going both the 16x20 and 20x24 as well as 3 sets of drying screens ready for use.  I have so many prints to wash I am not sure if I have enough screens to dry them on.

I do not like to leave my prints wet too long as it damages them. I have noticed damage happening to my photos (the emulsion lifts off) after little more than a day wet. I need to get these babies washed and in drying mode as soon as I can. Luckily I bought some drying screens a while back from Jon a older photo friend who quit darkroom work and also got a free drying rack and screens from another photo friend Court. I will need all that stuff today!

I am thinking I might be looking for another 20x24 washer in the future, one of higher quality and maybe even a larger 16x20 washer. The problem with these things id that they are so damn big and heavy they are very expensive to buy and ship. I will probably make do with what I got, they are good enough for my use. It is not like I am constantly selling prints and printing exhibitions. Over the last 4 years it has worked out to one majorish exhibition every 9 months or so. I have had 5 since July 2011.

I needed a good week of darkroom work and I got that done. As a bonus I also hung the majority of my "Families of the Dump" show at the Louie Photography Gallery on 124. Things are looking pretty good. Will finish the washing and the drying the prints, tomorrow after work I will start the flattening process.

Night folks I am exhausted.

Update* Even with all my screens I ran out of room to dry my prints. I had to hang 3 photos by clips in my negative drying cabinet. I managed to get the photos into drying mode in less than 12 hours, so they were not wet too long, no damage.