ABSTRACT
PREPARING THE ROOM The dry surface - A dry surface is needed where the enlargers have access to a power supply. In an ideal environment each enlarger has its own power supply just above the work surface. Each enlarger needs about one metre of available work surface and these can be partitioned off up to the height of the enlarger being used. Although this is useful to prevent the light from one student’s enlarger fogging the paper of another, it is by no means essential if students take care to switch off their enlarger whilst removing the negative carrier. The wet surface - A wet surface for the processing of printing paper is also required. If the money is available a flat bottomed PVC sink long enough to contain the four processing trays on a rack placed inside the sink is ideal but not essential. The first three trays can be placed directly onto a washable surface and the final wash tray can be placed in the adjacent sink where it can have access to running water via a flexible hose. The water is allowed to overflow this final tray in the washing process. Precautions can be taken to avoid flooding caused by small pieces of photographic paper or paper towels blocking the plug hole by inserting a small plastic tube into the plug hole thereby raising the water outlet to the sink. The entrance - The most convenient entrance to a darkroom is a light trap painted matt black. This allows people to enter and leave the darkroom without the need for others to put away light sensitive materials. The alternatives to a light trap are double doors or a revolving door which although less convenient will take up less space.
