Could I Build a Darkroom in a Storage Shed?

[Gary A.]

Yes, it can be done. Matter of fact I have a 10 gallon and 15 gallon plastic tanks with spigots that I used for my water when I had a portable darkroom. I used a large fish tank heater to heat the water to proper temp (100) for initial rinses, 2nd tank was back up and not heated, for additional washes if I wanted. I had a 25 gallon grey water rolling tank for the drain fluids (made for RV and campers). There are purpose made immersion water heaters but I found a fish tank heater turned to max heated the water to proper temp, and much less expensive by a large margin.

Most storage units don’t have electrical ... so a battery operated heater.

If it's a drive up storage unit / shed. Can use an inverter connected to a car.

Then it become a matter of how many prints to a gallon.

 

[mvocouch]

Thanks for all the replies, I never imagined so many people would put so much thought into this and I really appreciate it!

Regarding some of the questions/concerns the photographer is a hobbyist that likes to do scenery photos and candid shots of people around town, I don't imagine him as someone that would have studio equipment. This character first got into developing photos because he didn't want people at a lab seeing the pictures he was taking because they were kind of creepy/stalkery and he lives in a smallish town. The girl he was stalking was dating his brother but then moved away for a couple years and he got more interested in photography in general. But when the girl moves back in town he offers to let her move in to his spare bedroom that he uses as his dark room. She doesn't know he is obsessed with her, she just thinks of him as her ex's innocent little brother and she agrees to move in with him.

So, even though he doesn't need much space he gets a storage unit because he doesn't want her to see all the pictures he has of her from years and years ago. While his dark room supplies are in the unit, that's not really why he got it, he got it so she didn't find his secret stash of creepy pictures.

Uh, sorry if this story kind of paints photographers in a negative light.

 

[benhasajeep46 44]

Thanks for all the replies, I never imagined so many people would put so much thought into this and I really appreciate it!

Regarding some of the questions/concerns the photographer is a hobbyist that likes to do scenery photos and candid shots of people around town, I don't imagine him as someone that would have studio equipment. This character first got into developing photos because he didn't want people at a lab seeing the pictures he was taking because they were kind of creepy/stalkery and he lives in a smallish town. The girl he was stalking was dating his brother but then moved away for a couple years and he got more interested in photography in general. But when the girl moves back in town he offers to let her move in to his spare bedroom that he uses as his dark room. She doesn't know he is obsessed with her, she just thinks of him as her ex's innocent little brother and she agrees to move in with him.

So, even though he doesn't need much space he gets a storage unit because he doesn't want her to see all the pictures he has of her from years and years ago. While his dark room supplies are in the unit, that's not really why he got it, he got it so she didn't find his secret stash of creepy pictures.

Uh, sorry if this story kind of paints photographers in a negative light.

Yea, with a drive up storage bin (more privacy). Definately can. Show's like NCIS has even had scenes where the baddy had so much going on inside a storage locker that he would have needed a 200amp electrical service. So, I think for a story a remote darkroom is quite feasable. As fluids. He can bring in water with him. And say there is a floor drain, or a drain by the door that he just dumps his used fluids in. Or he could pack it out as well.

 

[Dave442]

Uh, sorry if this story kind of paints photographers in a negative light.

As photographers we are all for lighting up The Negative.

 

[Gary A.]

Thanks for all the replies, I never imagined so many people would put so much thought into this and I really appreciate it!

Regarding some of the questions/concerns the photographer is a hobbyist that likes to do scenery photos and candid shots of people around town, I don't imagine him as someone that would have studio equipment. This character first got into developing photos because he didn't want people at a lab seeing the pictures he was taking because they were kind of creepy/stalkery and he lives in a smallish town. The girl he was stalking was dating his brother but then moved away for a couple years and he got more interested in photography in general. But when the girl moves back in town he offers to let her move in to his spare bedroom that he uses as his dark room. She doesn't know he is obsessed with her, she just thinks of him as her ex's innocent little brother and she agrees to move in with him.

So, even though he doesn't need much space he gets a storage unit because he doesn't want her to see all the pictures he has of her from years and years ago. While his dark room supplies are in the unit, that's not really why he got it, he got it so she didn't find his secret stash of creepy pictures.

Uh, sorry if this story kind of paints photographers in a negative light.

I think the story line illuminates photographers quite well.

 

[Gary A.]

Make sure one wall is covered with photos and red circles and string lines and neat psycho stuff like that ... which creeps you out ... (and duct tape, a new shovel, plastic ties and rope). When he writes stuff on the photo wall he uses his left hand and for all else he writes with his right hand.

 

[benhasajeep46 44]

Make sure one wall is covered with photos and red circles and string lines and neat psycho stuff like that ... which creeps you out ... (and duct tape, a new shovel, plastic ties and rope). When he writes stuff on the photo wall he uses his left hand and for all else he writes with his right hand.

From first hand experience??

 

[vintagesnaps]

Gary has quite an imagination. I hope.

I'm not sure what era this is set in. A storage unit sounds more current; a darkroom sounds like an earlier era. I would think a stalkerish type would just shoot digitally and store on a computer or external hard drive, probably do what's easy. If this was set some time in the past, I'm not sure when storage units were commonplace to fit into the darkroom storyline.

I'd think people with adjoining units might start wondering why he keeps popping in and out of there, probably think he's living in it or he's got stolen goodies in there. Of course if it's a backyard shed the stalkery guy could keep all kinds of handy dandy stuff in there. Then maybe the neighbors would wonder...

Kind of like the Seinfeld episode where crazy Joe Davola comes out of his darkroom/closet and there are pictures of Elaine all over the living room wall and he thinks he's the Pagliacci clown. We all know how scary they are.

 

[Gary A.]

Make sure one wall is covered with photos and red circles and string lines and neat psycho stuff like that ... which creeps you out ... (and duct tape, a new shovel, plastic ties and rope). When he writes stuff on the photo wall he uses his left hand and for all else he writes with his right hand.

From first hand experience??

Kept me out of the draft ...

 

[benhasajeep46 44]

Make sure one wall is covered with photos and red circles and string lines and neat psycho stuff like that ... which creeps you out ... (and duct tape, a new shovel, plastic ties and rope). When he writes stuff on the photo wall he uses his left hand and for all else he writes with his right hand.

From first hand experience??

Kept me out of the draft ...

The imagination, or reality . . .

 

[480sparky39 38]

..............I'd think people with adjoining units might start wondering why he keeps popping in and out of there, ...............

If said storage neighbor notices you that much, it means they're at their units more than you are.