--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find the single most valuable tool in…" description: "\"I find the single most valuable tool in my darkroom is my trash can\" — John Sexton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png" --- # I find the single most valuable tool in my darkroom is my… ![“I find the single most valuable tool in my darkroom is my trash can” quote by John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png) > “I find the single most valuable tool in my darkroom is my trash can” [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values his trash can as the most useful darkroom tool. **In simple terms:** Trash can is surprisingly useful in darkroom. Key Takeaway Utilize unexpected tools for creative processes. Themes creativity photography resourcefulness innovation Mood playful inspired Type practical artistic When to use this quote - Repurposing everyday items - improving efficiency - reducing waste - experimenting with lighting - teaching students improvisation Key Concepts Darkroom workflow material reuse problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What other mundane objects can aid art? - How does resourcefulness affect artistic outcomes? A Different Perspective Reliance on trash can may limit precision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkroom/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Trash cans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trash-cans/) ## Related quotes > [A photographer needs to be a good editor of negatives and prints! In fact, most of the prints I make are for my eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/a-photographer-needs-to-be-a-good-editor-of-negatives-and-prints-in/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [“All my friends are bums. We all gather round our camp-fire (in a can) and sing songs of togetherness as we cuddle, to preserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/all-my-friends-are-bums-we-all-gather-round-our-camp-fire-in-a-can/) Will Advise > [I'd stand on the side of the road when I was just a little girl singing on trash cans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-elliott/i-d-stand-on-the-side-of-the-road-when-i-was-just-a-little-girl/) Missy Elliott > [Oh, it's just a trash can. Chill out." (Marco) BAM! BAM! BAM! "Okay, so it's four trash cans," (Marco) " BAM! BAM! BAM! "Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/oh-it-s-just-a-trash-can-chill-out-marco-bam-bam-bam-okay-so-it-s/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [Everything that touches YOUR life, must be an instrument of YOUR liberation or tossed into the trash cans of HISTORY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/everything-that-touches-your-life-must-be-an-instrument-of-your/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [My first modeling job in Paris, the photographer said, 'Tue es belle,' which means, 'you are pretty,' and I thought he said, 'Tu es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/my-first-modeling-job-in-paris-the-photographer-said-tue-es-belle/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I guess if your heart's in the right place, the trash can go anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-guess-if-your-heart-s-in-the-right-place-the-trash-can-go-anywhere/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [“A maid’s yard, house, wardrobe, fridge, etc. sometimes also serve as her master’s dustbin or dumpsite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-maid-s-yard-house-wardrobe-fridge-etc-sometimes-also-serve-as-her/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Writer's block — so what? Write something bad. Just throw it in the trash can when you're done, you're always improving. That kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/writer-s-block-so-what-write-something-bad-just-throw-it-in-the-trash/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [Our eyes met across the crowded room, like in the movies, except we didn't share a knowing smile and race into each other's arms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-peters/our-eyes-met-across-the-crowded-room-like-in-the-movies-except-we/) [Julie Anne Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-peters/) > [Before I forget, here's your homework. Where do you want me to put it?" She pointed at the trash can. "Right there would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/before-i-forget-here-s-your-homework-where-do-you-want-me-to-put-it/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [In almost every musical ever written, there's a place that's usually about the third song of the evening - sometimes it's the second, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-ashman/in-almost-every-musical-ever-written-there-s-a-place-that-s-usually/) Howard Ashman > [You write some material, go up on stage and try it out; go back home and throw it in the trash can. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-esparza/you-write-some-material-go-up-on-stage-and-try-it-out-go-back-home/) [Felipe Esparza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-esparza/) > [I was in love with Tina Goodman since I was three and her parents came popping out of the trash cans. I think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/i-was-in-love-with-tina-goodman-since-i-was-three-and-her-parents/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [Not being afraid to make changes is a valuable tool - knowing you can change back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/not-being-afraid-to-make-changes-is-a-valuable-tool-knowing-you-can/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) ## More by John Sexton > [I remember being shocked when I came out from under the focusing cloth after a minute or two being submerged within that, at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-remember-being-shocked-when-i-came-out-from-under-the-focusing/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [And then as I frequently do, some times I'll peek out from underneath the focusing cloth and just look around the edges of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/and-then-as-i-frequently-do-some-times-i-ll-peek-out-from-underneath/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I've never seen a surface that I think is more seductive in image making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-ve-never-seen-a-surface-that-i-think-is-more-seductive-in-image/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I think the greatest photographers are the amateur photographers who do it because they love it. Arnold Newman is a good example; he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-think-the-greatest-photographers-are-the-amateur-photographers-who/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [So when I became interested in photography and further being inspired by the work that I saw of Ansel and others, it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/so-when-i-became-interested-in-photography-and-further-being-inspired/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [Today my passion is still black and white. Today if I have an array of cameras in front of me the one I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/today-my-passion-is-still-black-and-white-today-if-i-have-an-array-of/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I remembered seeing it and it was this metallic turbine and I thought it was beautiful. I had never been in a power plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-remembered-seeing-it-and-it-was-this-metallic-turbine-and-i-thought/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [In my mind I needed a symbol of today's technology, and I realized that what I wanted to photograph was the Space Shuttle. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/in-my-mind-i-needed-a-symbol-of-today-s-technology-and-i-realized/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I've found even after nearly 30 years of doing this, there are all kinds of new surprises that rear their heads at various times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-ve-found-even-after-nearly-30-years-of-doing-this-there-are-all/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [When the object that is produced, the photographic image has the ability to make tears come to your eyes; to inspire you to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/when-the-object-that-is-produced-the-photographic-image-has-the/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I really don't have any secrets. I've never met a photographer whose work I respected that had a secret because the secret lies within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-really-don-t-have-any-secrets-i-ve-never-met-a-photographer-whose/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I think one of the aspects of photography that remains for me is I find the process still frustrating. The counter to that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-think-one-of-the-aspects-of-photography-that-remains-for-me-is-i/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [And as part of my activity there, he had indicated he wanted me to work with him on that and conduct the various technical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/and-as-part-of-my-activity-there-he-had-indicated-he-wanted-me-to/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [So to me it's very similar in terms of trying to distill within the image, those elements that are gonna form, hopefully, a compelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/so-to-me-it-s-very-similar-in-terms-of-trying-to-distill-within-the/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [One of the workshop participants had shown me a single 8 X 10 photograph of a power plant where he actually was the general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/one-of-the-workshop-participants-had-shown-me-a-single-8-x-10/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) [Explore all 48 John Sexton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) ## More Darkroom quotes > [Then I thought I was going to be a photographer. I tried a hand at darkroom technician. I played in a band. It took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-johnson/then-i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-a-photographer-i-tried-a-hand-at/) [Guy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-johnson/) > [I never stopped photographing. There were a couple of years when I didn't have a darkroom, but that didn't stop me from photographing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-cunningham/i-never-stopped-photographing-there-were-a-couple-of-years-when-i/) [Imogen Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-cunningham/) > [The darkroom is just the means to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-weston/the-darkroom-is-just-the-means-to-an-end/) [Kim Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-weston/) > [It's equally hard and labor intensive to create an image on the computer as it is in a darkroom. Believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-uelsmann/it-s-equally-hard-and-labor-intensive-to-create-an-image-on-the/) [Jerry Uelsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-uelsmann/) > [Cameras always were seductive. And then a darkroom became available, and that's when I stopped doing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/cameras-always-were-seductive-and-then-a-darkroom-became-available/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I'm not against digital photography. It's great for newspapers. And there are photographers doing great work digitally. When they use Photoshop as a darkroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-not-against-digital-photography-it-s-great-for-newspapers-and/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I believe Photoshop is in some way the contemporary darkroom, the creative area that all photographers have available today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kirkland/i-believe-photoshop-is-in-some-way-the-contemporary-darkroom-the/) [Douglas Kirkland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kirkland/) > [My father was a keen photographer; he had his own darkroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/my-father-was-a-keen-photographer-he-had-his-own-darkroom/) [Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/) > [It was soon evident in my lodgings that I had become a dangerous lunatic, and there would be nothing left to destroy if strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-peach-robinson/it-was-soon-evident-in-my-lodgings-that-i-had-become-a-dangerous/) [Henry Peach Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-peach-robinson/) > [The inner chambers of the soul are like the photographer's darkroom. Like a laboratory. One cannot stay there all the time or it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-inner-chambers-of-the-soul-are-like-the-photographer-s-darkroom/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White is remarkable for its truth-telling about two important issues concerning Alabama's past and present: the civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sena-jeter-naslund/darkroom-a-memoir-in-black-and-white-is-remarkable-for-its-truth/) [Sena Jeter Naslund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sena-jeter-naslund/) > [There's something magical still about it when I get in a darkroom, and you've shot a roll of film and you develop it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/there-s-something-magical-still-about-it-when-i-get-in-a-darkroom-and/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [I've always been interested in taking pictures. I've enjoyed taking classes in photography, and I'm building a darkroom in my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-chabert/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-taking-pictures-i-ve-enjoyed-taking/) [Lacey Chabert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-chabert/) > [I've found even after nearly 30 years of doing this, there are all kinds of new surprises that rear their heads at various times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-ve-found-even-after-nearly-30-years-of-doing-this-there-are-all/) [John Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/) > [I still do all my developing and printing in my darkroom. Being in New York, you get tremendous exposure to great arts. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sung-jin-park/i-still-do-all-my-developing-and-printing-in-my-darkroom-being-in-new/) [Sung Jin Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sung-jin-park/) [Browse all 40 Darkroom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkroom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I find the single most valuable tool in my darkroom is my trash can", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Sexton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in-my-darkroom-is-my-trash-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkroom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in-my-darkroom-is-my-trash-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/john-sexton-14118_darkroom_i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in_2830795.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I find the single most valuable tool in my darkroom is my trash can” — John Sexton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Sexton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sexton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I find the single most valuable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in-my-darkroom-is-my-trash-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sexton/i-find-the-single-most-valuable-tool-in-my-darkroom-is-my-trash-can/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```