Beginners Darkroom Photography

Essential materials you will need to bring to the first class:

• A manual 35mm SLR (Single Lens Reflex) analogue film camera.
• Black and white 35mm film (ILFORD HP5 400)

And subsequent classes:

• Box of 50 Sheets Ilford Multi-grade Resin coated paper- 10x8inches, glossy 
• 5-10 rolls of exposed 35mm black and white film (Ilford HP5 or Ilfiord FP4 for hand processing)
• 35mm negative storage sleeves 

Materials and equipment provided for students as part of the course and included in the course fee:

• Access to the photographic workshop with processing, developing and printing facilities

• Darkroom chemistry

Over the weeks the course will cover:

1. Introduction to SLR Camera Controls; SLR Camera Check, a presentation of contemporary photographers and their work. Shoot a roll of film for week 2.
2. Group Film Processing Session of black-and-white 35mm film.
3. Introduction to working in the darkroom. Learn how to print contact sheet.
4. Demonstration of a photographic enlargement.  Gain an appreciation of general darkroom procedures. Select an image to enlarge to 10”x 8”.
5. Continue darkroom printing. Refining printing techniques. Introducing filters and the ‘dodging’ and ‘burning’ techniques.
6. Individual tutorials. Opportunity to process more film and continued printing. Continue darkroom printing.
7-8. Opportunity to process more film and continued printing. Continue darkroom printing.
9. Final printing session. Mounting demonstration.
10. Class pin-up.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Use and handle a 35mm camera to deploy a range of picture taking techniques and genres within an art context and considering the work of professional photographers;

• Understand the fundamentals of light and time in balancing an accurate exposure and show competence in processing and printing black and white photographic images;

• Show competence and selection skills in print presentation.