MICHAEL CROUSER is one of our favorite photographers. Read about him, and see his work, here and here.

He makes his traditional B&W prints, up to 30 x 40 inches in size (that’s Crouser, at right, with one of his huge prints), in an amazing darkroom that takes up about half his studio space. Crouser recently let us tour his darkroom and give our readers a glimpse inside.

Crouser takes an unconventional approach to variable-contrast printing. He uses non-optical-grade Ilford gel multicontrast filters (designed for use between the light source and the lens) right under his enlargers’ lenses. That these filters are not optical grade just doesn’t concern him, as he also uses several thicknesses of clear poly 4 x 5” negative sleeves, briefly moved around under his enlarger’s lens, to soften and diffuse his prints.

And he also doesn’t get hung up about using multicontrast filters with his cold light sources (conventional wisdom says cold light sources need to be altered with filtration, to modify their color temperature, prior to use in variable contrast printing). He just uses whatever filters work for his contrast adjustments.

He’s devised  his own special home-brew system for processing his 30 X 40” prints, a system of plastic processing tubes similar to those used for processes such as Cibachrome. One of his two Beseler 45 enlargers is set up to project all the way onto the floor, to get the big throw needed for these huge prints (photo, below).