Traditional black and white darkroom workshops and consultancy service – onsite
Many photographers feel that while their digital cameras produce amazing quality images when used correctly but believe the craft of the media has been taken from them and embedded in software applications. The darkroom is still a place where the true craft of photography can be found. Darkroom equipment which was once priced beyond the means of the typical enthusiast photographer can be picked up in online auctions for a tiny fraction of its original value. Sadly, courses on the subject are slowly disappearing as colleges convert their darkrooms into digital editing suites.
The day was jam packed and we both learnt a lot about various parts of traditional darkroom photography, the developing process, pin hole cameras, photograms and luminograms. Emma Hart, Sandy Secondary School, Bedfordshire
DeVere 504 large format enlarger
Traditional black and white photographic prints still have some significant advantages over their digital equivalents the most obvious being its archival quality. A properly processed and washed black and white print on fibre based photographic paper should still be around in a hundred years time. The digital equivalent would need regular conversion by the photographer and their progeny to be available for future generations.
Darkroom options
My permanent darkroom is just outside of Bath, it houses two enlargers, a Devere 504 covering a range of film formats including; 35mm, 6cm x 6cm, 6cm x 7cm, and 5″x4″ and an LPL C7700 enlarger for 35mm up to 6cmx7cm.
I also have a mobile darkroom to provide onsite training which can accommodate the smaller enlarger.
Due to the compact size of the portable darkroom it is normally suited to teaching smaller groups.
Nova Darkroom Tent, outside (left) inside (right)
Darkroom consultancy service
If you are planning to set up a darkroom or revive a darkroom which hasn’t been used for a while, I can provide onsite support to test equipment and materials, provide the guidance and training to get you up and running. If you do not have a darkroom, I can bring along a small portable darkroom, all I need is a nearby sink and electricity.
Nigel sparked not only confidence in us, in what we were going to teach the students but also newfound enthusiasm for the process. Whilst with us Nigel also spent time checking out, advising, and helping organise and clean our current darkroom that hasn’t seen much love. He advised us on best practice and items to purchase to make what we had already easier to use and more effective, he even brought along his own kit as examples and to demonstrate techniques to us. Emma Hart, Sandy Secondary School, Bedfordshire
Typical workshop content might include;
- an introduction to darkroom equipment,
- film processing demonstration,
- camera-less photography, photograms, cyanotypes, luminograms,
- contact printing, enlargement, use of multigrade paper,
- advanced darkroom technique, dodging and burning and split grade printing
- experimental darkroom techniques.
Preparing a darkroom
Guidance on teaching darkroom techniques on GCSE, A level and BTEC course at schools and colleges
Having taught film and darkroom photography for some time, I recognise the common pitfalls encountered by new users and have developed a range of strategies to simplify learning. If you are introducing traditional analogue photography and darkroom techniques into your curriculum, I can help you to structure your sessions to support learning. Sessions also include a range of experimental darkroom techniques
Film photography
In addition to darkroom workshops, I can also provide training on using black and white film, choosing a camera, loading film, unloading film, processing options and film processing.
Film (analogue) photography
Pinhole photography and camera-less photography workshop
Learn how to create photographic images without the need for a camera. In this practical workshop, attendees will learn how to create photographic images without the need for a camera. They will also learn about the camera obscura before making their own pinhole cameras and using them to take a range of different pictures. This workshop can also include preparation and simple contact printing using the cyanotype process. At the end of the session, they will be able to take their cameras home to take extreme pinhole exposures over several months in length.
6 month pinhole Cheney Court near Bath
Prices
Prices start at £380 for a day for up to 5 attendees (2 if using the portable darkroom)
If you would like me to deliver an analogue photography workshop at your school, home or workplace give me a call or drop me an email.
‘The Squeaky Wheel’ – stop motion animation
A recent show reel combining video and stop motion animation featuring Sylvanian Families characters.
Web video testimonial Hartley Farm
An internet testimonial video filmed at Hartley Farm in Somerset
Social Media advertising campaign for Sylvanian Families
As a photographer, I often have to climb a tree or hang out of a window to get an elevated viewpoint of my subject or get down on my hands and knees to capture a dramatic low level perspective. This however was nothing compared to the contortions I had to do while shooting a recent social media campaign for Sylvanian Families. The brief was developed by Highlight PR in Bath and the aim was to get pictures from a child’s (and Sylvanians) viewpoint and place the little characters in the ‘real world’.
Sylvanian Families enjoying the sights in Bath
The shots were taken in a variety of locations around the city of Bath with the tiny figures going about their everyday activities under the noses of the city’s human inhabitants. The shot of the car (above) driving around the city’s famous Royal Crescent required me to lie flat-out across the middle of the road. While I was trying to compose the picture and avoid being reflected in the car’s bodywork my assistant had to guide traffic and pedestrians around me. None of these images have been heavily manipulated, the lighting, colour and perspective were all captured ‘in camera’.
Sylvanian Families enjoying an ice cream on the beach
The characters are only a couple of inches high so casual observers couldn’t always understand why I was lying flat on the pavement or what my lights were pointing at.
The images have been widely used to promote Sylvanians both on Twitter and Facebook and other social media though they may also be used in traditional print media in the future.
It was great to work alongside Alison Vellacott from Highlight PR and I think we managed to get some entertaining images though I think I will need to limber up with a spot of yoga before I do it again.
Sylvanian Families visiting the dentist
