Analog Photography and the Darkroom
The complete film workflow: why analog today, how film works, formats and cameras, metering and exposing negative film, the zone system, developing and troubleshooting black-and-white film, the darkroom and enlarger, silver gelatin printing, fine printing and toning, colour film and hybrid scanning, and darkroom chemistry, safety and disposal.
PHOT-240 Year 2 3 credits 12 lessons · 5 h 8 min
Offered by HSM University · Photography
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Explain the history of photographic materials and why photographers choose analog processes today
- Describe how film works, including emulsions, latent images, density, film speed, grain and the characteristic curve
- Compare film formats and camera types, and choose, test and load film cameras
- Meter and expose negative film, using filters, reciprocity corrections, pushing and pulling appropriately
- Apply the zone system to previsualize, place exposures and control contrast through development
- Develop black-and-white film consistently, controlling dilution, time, temperature and agitation
- Evaluate negatives and diagnose exposure, development, camera and handling faults
- Set up and use a darkroom, safelights and enlarger, and make accurate contact sheets
- Make silver gelatin prints using test strips, variable-contrast filters and correct processing
- Refine prints with dodging, burning, split-grade printing, flashing, toning and archival finishing
- Explain colour film and its processes and scan and convert film for hybrid workflows
- Handle darkroom chemistry safely, recover silver and dispose of waste responsibly, and present an analog portfolio
Course content
12 lessons · 5 h 8 min total · final exam
- 1 Why analog photography today 25 min · quiz
- 2 How film works: emulsions, sensitivity and the characteristic curve 25 min · quiz
- 3 Film formats and cameras 24 min · quiz
- 4 Metering and exposing negative film 27 min · quiz
- 5 The zone system 27 min · quiz
- 6 Developing black-and-white film 27 min · quiz
- 7 Reading and troubleshooting negatives 26 min · quiz
- 8 The darkroom, the enlarger and contact sheets 25 min · quiz
- 9 Making silver gelatin prints 27 min · quiz
- 10 Fine printing: dodging, burning, split-grade and toning 25 min · quiz
- 11 Colour film, processing and hybrid workflows 25 min · quiz
- 12 Darkroom chemistry, safety, the environment and capstone 25 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
The complete film workflow: why analog today, how film works, formats and cameras, metering and exposing negative film, the zone system, developing and troubleshooting black-and-white film, the darkroom and enlarger, silver gelatin printing, fine printing and toning, colour film and hybrid scanning, and darkroom chemistry, safety and disposal.
Part of the Film & Photography stream, typically taken in year 2.