Darkroom Work - Some background info...
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Dust is a really big problem
for photographers. It mucks up our slides and negatives.
In the darkroom, dust really does cause complete havoc. |
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Darkroom workers wage war against these annoying particles, because even the smallest bits of dust are enlarged into very visible white spots or hairs when negatives are blown up to make prints. If you get a chance to watch a discerning darkroom worker prepare a negative for enlarging is like observing a surgeon conduct an operation - all sorts of strange procedures are performed to rid the negative of the evil dust-spirits. |
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You'd be even more disturbed about dust if you knew where it comes from (that a typical household dust sample consists largely of your skin flakes and also dander from your pets – we all shed many of such flakes every hour). |
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To defend against dust on your film, you need to equip yourself with the appropriate weapon... |
Use the Brush?
The first weapon you could try is a good brush. This is a basic tool which you can use to clean cameras, lenses, filters, negatives, and slides. A good brush has soft, gentle hairs which don't fall out every time you clean something – but they do allow the dust to get back into your work area!
Canned Air Jet?
The next most common anti-dust weapon is the air blower. These emit a dry, very powerful blast of "air" and certainly shift the dust off the negatives - but where does it go? These metal cans come in different sizes and usually have small nozzles or plastic tubes capable of aiming the air at hard-to-reach places. Canned air is an extremely effective weapon against dust, but it has some drawbacks. For one thing, it's relatively expensive, although the time saved by not having to spot your prints almost always 'pays' for the air. A bigger shortcoming is that some individuals claim ‘canned air can do more harm than good’ if not used wisely - and where does the dust go?
The Perfect Vacuum?
Another alternative is a small vacuum cleaner - especially preferred by those who object to blowing dust deeper into the enlarger or the workplace.
We’ve still to find one that doesn’t expel the air (and some fine dust particles) back into your darkroom!
and finally there is our BOOFLET…collects the dust and allows disposal.
