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Safelights aren’t always safe. They are not safe for all materials, nor are they safe for unlimited time.

Safelight Safety Factor:

not closer than 4 feet.not longer than 4 minutes — 4×4 rule

The chart we use from a 1999 Kodak publication. We have the OA, OC, OO, 1A, 2, 3 10, 13 filters. They can be selected by switch, when needed. The approach we take to using safelights is to limit use. Our lights are located lower than most other darkrooms. The lghts are located lower than work tables, and are directed toward floors.

In addition, we have deep red flashlights for locating items just out of reach on work tables. Even our white lights are low power, or are very narrowly directed for their few purposes. The main use of white light is select, and clean, and make notes; even then, most of our notes are made on the back fo the print, or on recorder.

in the dark, you learn to grope your way, and talk to yourself

PranksterNotes safelights

Darkrooms have several, somewhat conflicted needs. They must be wet and dry, dark and light. In other words, you must have control of light and access to water. Many years ago, when I first entered commercial photography, I worked at a studio that had been designed by an industrial chemist. He had worked for several chemical companies designing emulsions and processing chemistry. As it goes, he became more interested in the application than the theory of his early years, so the opened a photography studio, one with a phenomenal lab.

[ I intend to update this post more; it is getting reads ]

He had many small enlarger rooms, attached to chemical rooms. We had specialty rooms, and general rooms. That first experience taught me that, when possible, build separation into the process. Each stage of work can then be monitored, perfected, and refined.

Those early times are with me, now, in my current darkrooms. The enlargers aren’t subjected to moisture, or chemicals, neither are the emulstions. It also means that more than one of us can work on a project.