In the days of the darkroom....
The paper we used (for black and white) is "orthochromatic" or not sensitive to red wavelengths (of light). So we could turn on a red light and were able to see what we were doing without fogging the paper.
Matthew
Matthew L Kees
MLK Studios Photography School
www.MLKstudios.com
[email protected]
"Every artist, was once an amateur"
Once I was locked in my darkroom with my hands full of sheets of 4x5 film I was tray developing. It was pitch black. Something began chewing loudly behind me. I just had to sit in the dark shuffling the film, and hoping it wasn't coming for me next. I never could figure out what it was or what it was eating when the lights came on. It happened several times over the course of a week, and then whatever it was moved on.
Matthew L Kees
MLK Studios Photography School
www.MLKstudios.com
[email protected]
"Every artist, was once an amateur"
goli wrote: I understand the reason for no lights.. but what was the reason for having a red light? Was it only to see? or did it help develop the film?
Hell, I know I had a red light, but that was a long time ago....
The above are correct, only B&W printing, everything else in the complete dark.......
Why so serious?
great story , Matt. 
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