Introductory Hands-On Workshop: Developing Black and White Film - Saturday Afternoon Session

Introductory Hands-On Workshop: Developing Black and White Film is a three-hour immersive experience designed for individuals interested in learning how to develop black and white film. In this workshop, participants will receive hands-on instruction and guidance to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to develop their own film. From loading the film onto reels to processing it using the proper techniques, this workshop will provide a solid foundation for participants keen on developing their own film.

Workshop Outline

1. Introduction to Black and White Film Photography 

•  Overview of black and white film photography and its unique characteristics

•  Discussion on the enduring appeal of shooting film

2. Film Development Equipment and Chemicals

• Overview of equipment required for film development (development tanks, reels, etc.)

•  Introduction to film development chemicals and their roles

•  Recommendations for sourcing equipment and chemicals

3. Hands-On Film Development Process

•  Step-by-step instruction on loading film onto reels

• Guided practice in the film development process, including agitation and development times

•  Troubleshooting common issues during film development

4. Scanning and archiving film

•  Overview of options available

•  Demonstration of DSLR scanning. 

•  DSLR scans of film processed in the workshop will be available from a 

Dropbox or for collection on a  provided USB drive a couple of days after the workshop.

Materials Provided

•  Film development tanks and reels

•  Development chemicals (developer, stop bath, fixer, etc.)

•  Protective gear (gloves, aprons, etc.)

Requirements

•  No prior experience in film photography or film development is required.

•   Participants are required to bring 1 roll of exposed 35mm, or 1 roll of 120 film, or up to 4 sheets of the same film stock of 4x5 inch Black and White film.

Availability

•  3 attendees per workshop, total of 12 attendees. See other listed events for further sessions.

Financial Accessibility

The core mission of Photosynthesis is to make fine art accessible. To bring down one financial barrier, people who can otherwise not afford to attend this workshop can use the code “SUBSIDY50” to get 50% off the ticket price. All revenue from ticket sales goes to supporting our mission.