014: First Time in the Darkroom, Learning the Process and Falling in Love with Prints

First Time in the Darkroom, Learning the Process and Falling in Love with Prints

Today was different. I stepped into the darkroom for the first time, and everything changed. I have been photographing on film for years, developing at home, scanning my negatives, but actually printing That was new territory. And honestly, I get it now. The darkroom is where the real magic happens.

I had the opportunity to learn from Quon, who walked us through the process of making contact sheets and printing multiple versions of a photograph of his son. Watching him work, I saw just how much intentionality goes into every step, how the smallest adjustments can shift an image from good to perfect. It is a process, one that requires patience and precision, and I was locked in.

Test Prints, Timing and Ilford Paper

Quon started by showing us how to develop using test prints, small sections of the print that help you figure out the right exposure time before committing to a full print. It is a game of trial and error, but a necessary one. I watched as he dialed in the exposure, tweaking the time until the contrast and tones sat just right. Once that was locked in, he moved to Ilford paper, and immediately, the difference in quality was clear. The weight, the depth, the richness, it is something you do not fully grasp until you see it in person.

I have always appreciated a good film scan, but a darkroom print That is something else. It is tangible in a way that digital just is not. It carries weight, literally and figuratively.

Slowly Building My Darkroom

If today taught me anything, it is that I need to start building my own darkroom. Not in a rushed, throw it together kind of way, but the right way. Piece by piece, making sure everything is set up to produce the best prints possible. There is something about this process that feels like the natural next step in my photography journey. I have spent so much time perfecting my craft with the camera, but now it is time to take ownership of the final product, to print my own work, to see it through from start to finish.

I know it will not happen overnight. Darkroom printing takes patience, investment, and a lot of learning. But today gave me the push to get started.

Why Darkroom Printing Matters

In a world where images live on screens, holding a real print in your hands is different. It is archival, it is intentional, it lasts. Darkroom prints bring out textures, shadows, and depth in a way that digital just cannot replicate. Seeing Quon’s prints develop in the tray, watching the image come to life in real time, it hit different.

This is the next chapter. My photography is about storytelling, and I want to be in full control of that narrative, from the streets of Atlanta to the final print. So yeah, I am diving in.

I am excited to see where this goes. The process of printing feels like a whole new level of expression, and I am ready to take my time and do it right.