Workshop Archives - Nigel Goldsmith photography & film

Analogue film photography and darkroom workshops – in-person

Darkroom training workshop – film developing, printing and alternative processes

I am now offering onsite analogue and darkroom photography workshops and consultancy services to individuals, schools, colleges and organisations. If you want to create a darkroom from scratch or revive and old one, I can help you to get it up and running.

Workshop overview

If you do not have a darkroom but would like to learn the basics or introduce your students to analogue photography I can set up a small temporary darkroom in your home, classroom or office.

‘We had Nigel come into school for a day to train myself and another colleague in darkroom photography, to enable us to be confident enough in teaching both GCSE and A-level students the same skills after our photography specialist is no longer able to teach. 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

Workshop content

I can help you with;

Setting up a darkroom of your own or reviving an old darkroom that has been unused for a while.
If you do not have a darkroom or any of the equipment, I can bring a portable darkroom along with all of the equipment and materials to your home or workplace. All I will need is electricity and a sink.
Providing an introduction to cameraless photography, pinhole photography, photograms, water grams, cyanotypes and luminograms.
Introduction to black and white film photography, cyanotype printing, staining cyanotypes, film processing, printing and advanced and experimental printing techniques.
If you would like to introduce film (analogue photography) into your GCSE / A level / BTEC programme but do not have the knowledge or facilities, I can help you to address common problems encountered by students with film photography and help you to embed the media into a curriculum.

Prices start at £435 for a day of onsite training. Follow this link for more information about film (analogue) and darkroom workshops and consultancy services.

Film processing

Getting black and white film processed by an external company can be time consuming and very expensive considering the cost of the chemistry. Processing your own black and white film is quite easy, and can save a lot of money. I normally explain all of the stages from loading a film processing tank, testing chemicals, processing film, and highlight common pitfalls and explain how these can be avoided.

Learn how to develop your own black and white film negatives

Darkroom techniques

I cover a wide range of traditional darkroom techniques including; contact printing your negatives, test prints, making your first print, adjusting contrast, dodging and burning. During a darkroom training workshop, I can also introduce a variety of camera less photographic techniques such as’ photograms and cyanotypes.

Preparing to make a black and white print in a darkroom

Preparing to make a black and white print in the darkroom

Photograms and luminograms in wash

Photograms of ripples in water or ‘watergrams’

Photogram of objects using cyanotype process

Broken bones and brake lights – cyanotype

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, do let me know.

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, the ‘craft’ of the media has been taken from them and embedded in software applications or worse, replaced by emerging AI solutions. 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 fraction of its original price. Sadly, courses on the subject are slowly disappearing as colleges convert their darkrooms into digital editing suites. Recently, I have delivered training in a wide range of analogue photographic techniques to organisations, businesses and individuals across the UK.

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.

Training staff on using their darkroom in the art department at Chadwell Heath Academy, London

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 LPL enlarger.

Due to the compact size of my portable darkroom it is normally suited to teaching smaller groups.

If you have a darkroom at your business or organisation but need it checking, maintaining or you need to know how to sue it let me know and I can help you to get it up and running again.

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.

Equipment and materials to make a black and white print in 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 and minimise mistakes. 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

Processing and editing black and white film negatives

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 from £350 / day for 1:1 training or £435 / day for up to 5 attendees.

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.

Mobile pinhole photography workshops

A camera is one of the simplest creative tools there is. In this one day workshop you will learn the basic principles of photography, make your own camera, and take pictures with it. You will also see how a pinhole camera made from household rubbish can record images that a modern digital camera costing many thousands of pounds cannot.

The workshop can be delivered in any office or classroom, I bring my own simple darkroom which requires a 2m x 2m square area and all other equipment and materials required. At the end of the session attendees will have made their own camera and taken a few pictures with it.

This workshop has been succesfully delivered at Bath University, for the National Trust and for private individuals

Workshop pricing

For schools, colleges and not for profit organisations £250 for up to 10 attendees

Private individuals £40/person with a minimum of 7 attendees

There is a small charge for delivering the workshop more than 20 miles from Bath, email me for a quote.

Please contact me if you would like more information 07973 631185

1 minute exposure taken with a homemade pinhole camera

6 month pinhole photograph, Cheney Court

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