I moved into my present house in 2000. When construction started, I was still doing some chemical photography, so I put in a darkroom and moved my 1980’s era Cal Stainless sink in. By the time I got settled — oh, that punch list — that phase of my photographic life was waning rapidly. I hardly used my sink.
I’ve been doing studio work in what was once my darkroom, using the sink as a table. Recently, I got a chance to donate the big sink to a good cause: Kim, Zach, and Gina Weston’s Weston Collective, where it will be used by future students of chemical photography. Kim, Zach, and two strong men came by today to perform the sink extraction.
Here’s the story in pictures:
I occasionally miss the smell of fixer.
Maybe someone could come up with an air freshener version.
I sure don’t miss the smell of Cibachrome Blix.
I felt an exciting sense of possibility in just the word “LIGHTroom”. Smartest, most meaning-loaded product name ever.
I don’t miss delaying the start of my printing sessions until everyone else in the household had gone to bed. I do miss the very cinematic experience of seeing the fade-in of a B&W print in the tray though.
About a decade ago I was thrilled to discover that the local university actually wanted my enlarger, color analyzer, mechanized print processor, etc. etc. etc., and would put it to good use. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve gotten rid of it all since then. Part of me doesn’t want to find out.
I retired from teaching in 2001 and donated my beautiful old Omega D2 (et al.) to the school’s darkroom. I found it a bittersweet experience and, given the proliferation of digital photography, I suspect the entirety of that wet lab equipment now resides in the local landfill. Like Tony, I really don’t want to know. Your darkroom sink has avoided that ignominious death and that makes me smile.