The Darkroom Handbook
by Michael Langford
from Knopf

Editorial Review:

The Darkroom Handbook is a complete illustrated manual of skills, equally useful to the beginner who has never processed film but wants to try and to the experienced amateur or professional who is already highly proficient in darkroom procedures. From the most basic techniques (setting up a darkroom, loading film in a developing tank, handling chemicals) to the most complicated (making dye transfer prints, solarization, pointillism effects), it explains everything, step by step, with an abundance of photographs, drawings, and charts that no other book can match. Written by one of the world's foremost photographic educators and produced by the editorial team responsible for such best-selling guides as The Photographer's Handbook and The Step-by-Step Guide to Photography, this book has been carefully organized to lead the novice readily into progressively more interesting and sophisticated procedures. For the first time in any darkroom book, a major emphasis has been placed on color -- not only basic processing and printing, but also advanced methods of handling color creatively.

Comprehensive, wonderfully clear, handsomely produced and printed, The Darkroom Handbook is an essential part of every photographer's library.

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

• Outstanding Guide to B&W and Color Dev & Printing
  Michael Langford's Darkroom Handbook has it all -- in clear, easy-to-read text and excellent photo examples. This is the book for someone serious about setting up a darkroom and starting to develop and print either B&W or color film, negative or transparency. In addition, a wide range of printing techniques and specialty methods are discussed and described, as well. Lots of good refresher information on techniques and methods for the experienced print-maker, too.

• Superb
  Quite simply the definitive darkroom handbook. You have to appreciate that some of the chemicals and products referred to are 20 years out of date, but the principles and basic techniques haven't changed one iota. If you're looking at processing your own films, transparancies and prints, both colour and black and white, you need this book.

• Techniques can be crossed over to Digital Photography
  I have found it practical to use older textbooks on analog photography techniques to sharpen skills and enhance creativity in the digital realm. While newer books are being written on such topics they tend to skip along and trivialize important concepts. Good pictures only enhances one's ability to approach such hybidization attempts. Digital photography has enhanced my appreciation of all forms of photography and this book, and others like it, further fuel this love. Read, reread, and refer to this book.

• One of my all-time favorite photo books
  I've had this book for 10 years and would be heart-broken if I ever lost it. It's a wonderful source for the photographer who is ready to go beyond the basics and try more adventerous and experimental techniques in the darkroom. It's the only book I've ever found that has so many ways to jazz up your photographs beyond the 'same old.' If you like having fun in the darkroom, this is the book for you.