Our darkroom is one of the few open darkrooms in the city where anyone, after completing an orientation, can drop in and use our facilities for their work.

Effective June 28, 2021.

FACILITIES OPEN:

Monday-Thursday: 5:30pm – 8:30pm

FACILITIES CLOSED:

Friday – Sunday

*NOTE THAT DUE TO COVID WE ARE LIMITING USE OF PHOTO FACILITIES TO THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME. MASKS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES IN THE BUILDING AND SIGN UP IS REQUIRED BEFOREHAND.

Orientation ($45) | Individual session ($20) | Current Photo Students (Free) | Darkroom Storage ($10/mo)

For more information or to schedule an orientation please contact:

Olivia Weise at photography@chaw.org | 202-547-6839

CHAW’s Photography Facilities require an initial orientation to cover general information and policies about space use and equipment. This is not an instructional orientation, users must be familiar with general darkroom workflow and digital processes. Each visit to the photography facilities is a flat fee of $20 (with additional costs for digital printing).

Patrons must provide their own darkroom paper and paper developer for darkroom use. All other equipment and chemistry are available and the facilities support formats from 16mm up to 4×5. The facilities do not support color printing or processing.

Patrons may bring their own paper to use in the digital printers, or use paper provided. There is an additional per-square-inch fee for using the digital printers, starting at 3¢ per inch for the Canon and 8¢ per inch for the Epson.

If you have no prior knowledge, we regularly offer an introduction to the darkroom class.

DARKROOM EQUIPMENT

6 Besler enlargers

B&W Film Chemistry – All provided (D-76 1:1 for processing)

B&W Paper Chemistry – Stop Bath and Fix (Paper Dev and Permafix not provided)

UV exposure box, 20”x24” capacity

Two double sinks

Trays, tongs, measuring cups, thermometers

Negative carriers, contrast filters, easels, contact printers

Patterson and metal film canisters for processing film

Paper drying rack screens

Film drying cabinet

Heat press