Rodolfo Michel’s Experience Working in a Darkroom

A darkroom is a room used by photographers to develop light sensitive images without damaging them. This room allows the photographer to have complete control over the images’ outcomes and extremely limit the amount of exposure along the way. Rodolfo Michel has spent thousands of hours in darkrooms both while learning the art of photography and while practicing it. During this time, Rodolfo Michel has learned the importance of patience in the execution of photography.

“If you rush an image even just 10 minutes too soon, you may cause the entire project to be in vain,” warns Rodolfo Michel. He has made this mistake a few times, as many beginner photographers do, and it is through this process he has established a method that works best for him:

1. Diligently make a timeline of your process, step-by-step.

2. Allow time for mistakes and interferences.

3. Open your schedule up enough that you are able to take your time in the process and carefully assess the images and their production.

4. Give yourself other work to do so you aren’t sitting on the edge of your seat as the images dry.

These simple four steps have proven successful for Rodolfo Michel’s career and he advises utilizing them in the same format he has if you are a beginner photographer. All good things take time and it is best to know this from the start rather than having to correct your mistakes later! But don’t worry if you do rush an image here or there, states Rodolfo Michel, because these can be used as either reminders of time sensitivity or as reminders of the beautiful process of learning and perfecting your craft. “Never be afraid to make a mistake, just be afraid of not learning from it,” advises Rodolfo Michel.