CappuccinoandArtJournal

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Sunday, June 15, 2014

Tooling Around the Studio.....





Love that old school black & white.






SUNDAY -- Zine making

Sundays are my favorite days for hanging out in my new and improved studio.
I am sharing a few photos with you today. I sure have fun playing with the combinations of lenses and film using my photo apps. I remember years of working in the darkroom -- standing for hours, smelling chemicals -- to print photos. 
How it is all with my phone -- amazing. I am trying to decide what to do with my darkroom. I need the space for other things and I really didn't enjoy the darkroom work -- BUT -- it is a skill I learned in art school and practiced many years and part of me feels terrible about giving it up forever.
                       
                                           What do you think???? Should I pack it all up and give it away?

Hope you enjoy some studio views and a little visit with me. Now I've got to get back to making those zines.
                                                          Happy Sunday everybody.

34 comments:

  1. Ummm, love your studio and those pics! Yes, pack up all that darkroom stuff and give it away...preferably to a school where they still teach that stuff, if possibly. Let it go! xo

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    1. Connie -- I like your style! But there are still negatives I haven't even printed yet.....

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  2. I'm so jealous that you have space for a darkroom that I say you should never give it up! I have all the equipment for a darkroom but never had the proper space for one :(

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    1. TARAdactyl--I know -- it is a wonderful thing to have a darkroom set-up. Photography is my profession but now all the world I do is digital. But i have so many wonderful old negatives....(thanks for commenting).

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  3. Oh, oh, oh! Everything is so neat and orderly, unlike my creative space. Our tastes are similar. Will show you some day, when my studio is in working order again. You're my Sunday inspiration. :)

    No-o-oo! Keep the darkroom!!! I have rolls and rolls of film that need developing and I would give anything to have such a place. I read about photographers who still prefer film. Hold onto your good thing. Who knows? Someday you might teach the craft.

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    1. Limner -- my studio is neat NOW.....you didn't see it "before". I was thinking the whole darkroom thing might come back into vogue....thanks for the vote.

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  4. I gave my darkroom and 4x5 capacity enlarger to the N.C. School of the Arts. I hated to part with it but I decided that it would get more use at an art school and I can get my negatives printed professionally if I want... They make a scanner for negs. you could scan your negs into the computer and work with them in Adobe :) Love your studio!

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    1. My art school - the SF Art Institute (where I earned a degree in fine art photo) doesn't even have a darkroom anymore -- can you believe it? I know you can scan the negs but it is pretty tedious from what I hear.....
      Glad you like the studio and nice to see you pop up in the comments after so long -- hello and thanks for stopping by.....

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  5. OK, so far we have a tie -- who is going to break it?

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  6. Keep your darkroom. After 32 years as a freelance photographer I cannot making a living anymore. But I disposed of my chemicals, still have my darkroom fridge (though my husband would like me to donate it) with film and paper. My daughter is stating to show and interest in it now…hmmm For now mine doubles as a long closet but it is ready when I am..to return. Six years under wraps. Sad but I now teach repurposed art/craft classes. I am lucky like you to have the space but it is getting crowded.

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    1. Monica -- I know-- my whole career was as a photographer too but for the most part I am on to other things. My husband suggested storing the enlarger, trays etc etc too.......

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  7. Love your studio! I would keep the darkroom stuff but get rid of the darkroom. Maybe one day you will find the time and urge to develop some old school photo's, you can always try a temporary setting in the bathroom them. I kept my darkroom stuff for ages, but in the end I never really had the time to develop old school style. I say life is a lot easier since digital was discovered.

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    1. Another vote for storing the darkroom stuff....I just feel, if I store it and don't have a darkroom all set up, I won't print....you know? I do love digital and work with it a lot but there was magic seeing those images come up in a tray of developer.....no magic with the digital.

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  8. I knew there was someone I knew that was in love with typewriters...check out this flickr group, you may never leave there.

    https://www.flickr.com/groups/27475260@N00/

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    1. Linda -- oh! Thank you. I do indeed love typewriters and have four of my own to love and type on! thanks for the link -- and for commenting.

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  9. I think the key comment for me is that you say you didn't enjoy the darkroom work. Maybe it would be ok to let it go.

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    1. Carter....i know...I WANT to let it go but I just haven't been able to do so....

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  10. Love looking around your studio!
    Yes, give up the darkroom, technology is going to push on past it. (sorry)

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    1. Nancy -- you know, what goes around comes around -- or some saying like that. TinTypes are very IN now with modern images....and all the hipsters are loving making jam and pickles and krauts......so i figure the darkroom and beautiful prints will come back too....

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  11. Love the set up at your studio!

    I think if you don't like doing it and you would like the space for something else, it's OK to let it go. Maybe you can give the materials to an art space that lets people rent a darkroom in exchange for being able to use theirs if the mood strikes? We have Pyramid Atlantic here near DC that lets people work for studio time. I assume SF has something similar with all your cool art-related places. :)

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  12. I think you should do a big project in your darkroom. If you have a good time watching magic appear-keep the room. If it is annoying and too much work-get rid of everything and keep the memory. I used to love to watch images appear too but am glad I can take more pictures now and that they are a lot cheaper.

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    1. I think this might be the best idea yet -- that is a great idea. Thank you! And I agree -- digital is a whole lot cheaper. I love it when traveling. Thanks for the great idea and comment.

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  13. Looks like a perfect space Pamela and just adore your tiny postal mailboxes and trucks. xox

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    1. Thanks, Corrine -- it is a fun place to work and spend my time. I love the tiny PO boxes and trucks too. i am always on the look out. Someone just gave me a tiny little Lego mailman -- so cute.

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  14. The studio looks great! It probably feels great to have it all put back together too.

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    1. Thanks, Cindy -- it does feel good to get back settled in there -- and I can actually find things now (well, most of the the time, anyway...)

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  15. Thanks for sharing the photos of your creative space. As one who used to have his own darkroom and worked in printing trade darkrooms in a previous life, I can relate to the magic of developing prints. I also stayed with my Minolta 35mm film camera and lenses for a long time. However, I have no regrets leaving the chemicals and darkrooms behind, and transferring my photography skills to the digital realm. If you no longer are making prints, and anyway aren't sure you enjoy that process, I would recommend repurposing your darkroom space.

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    1. Thanks for your thoughts, Jack! And I happen to know you are a real whiz with the digital.

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  16. Love the updated studio and especially admire the rubber stamp caddy! What a find!

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    1. Thanks, Pam -- I have seen that stamp caddy around here and there for various prices. I got a good deal on mine on eBay. I am loving my cleaned up studio too -- thanks!

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  17. So you are saying that these are made with app lenses and filters? :-o Wow!! I have always been admirative of your photos, I find them beautiful, darkroom or digital. I would say keep doing what you love doing and whichever process is more rewarding to you.

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    1. Hi Marie W!!! I've done it ALL -- photographically speaking. And yes, these photos are using an app on the iPhone -- pretty amazing, don't you think? To think of the hours I spend taping up Diana cameras with black duct tape and developing the film....Thanks for your kind words about my photos -- much appreciated. By the way, I have heard thru the mail art grapevine that you do cyanotype printing -- true?

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    2. Oh, if I had an iPhone I would try that NOW! Yes I really like that look of them, Pamela. I have a Holga camera an a Rolleicord and I love them, but I have never developed my own films.
      Cyanotypes, yes! Love doing that! I want to do more, like printing cyanotypes on printed text? Something like that….. as soon as it stops raining!

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