Thursday, August 7, 2014

Building a Mobile Darkroom – A New Chapter for 2014

I am super excited to start a new journey going into 2014. I just acquired a Sprinter 2500 Van to sculpt and shape into my mobile darkroom and all things analog photography. My initial plans are to just use the van on the road for a while and determine how I really want to customize it for my work. I initially plan to process large and medium format E-6 with my Jobo, do wetplate, as well as black and white positives and alt prints such as Van Dykes and Salt. Depending on where the journey takes me, I could do some enlargement work as well.

The inside is currently a blank slate and I plan to update the site here with new photos and info as I start designing and building things out. With the Sprinter being so tall I can nearly stand up inside the van. This is a huge advantage over normal cargo vans.

I am currently researching rooftop A/C-Heating options and roof rack systems so I can build a platform on the top. My plan is to leverage the rack for the height factor to get unique perspectives, otherwise not possible. I also found some very reasonable options to add solar power too. With it being a diesel turbo I have endless options for power inside the van. This is going to be an incredibly fun project and I look forward to sharing my new discoveries.

At this point I am currently thinking I will focus mostly on 4×5 and 8×10 in 2014 with a strong orientation on E-6 slides and for black and white, positive prints. As many of your know my focus areas are architecture, floral still life, and nature. I am in the process of outlining my projects for 2014 right now, so the tools and medium will be settled after I get the work confirmed.

If you have any questions or comments, I am always glad to help.

Tim Layton