What is black and white darkroom printing?
Making a print in the darkroom is pretty magical. It's the logical last step on a journey that starts with loading film into your camera. But for a first time printer, it can be pretty daunting!
Put simply, printing in the black and white darkroom is all about shining light through your negative onto a piece of light-sensitive paper and then putting that paper through a series of chemicals in order to make a positive print.
The end result is a print that has a depth and charm that's really hard to beat.
What are the advantages over digital printing?
We get asked this question a lot! Printing in the darkroom is a completely different beast to printing from a scan or from a digital camera, and there's really no right or wrong approach.
For some people, the ease of print digitally is appealing, but for us and loads of other photographers, the darkroom is a place where magic happens.
A good darkroom print will last decades without degrading and there's nothing quite like the satisfaction of knowing you made something so beautiful with your bare hands. The moment when you put your paper in the developing chemical tray and see your image appear really can't be matched.
There's a depth and richness to a black and white darkroom print that is hard to replicate digitally. And despite the extra editing powers you have when working digitally, it is possible to do certain 'edits' in the darkroom - for example, dodging (lightening) and burning (darkening).
It's also a great tool for improving your photography, as you spend time observing and understanding what makes a good negative. Once you try printing with under or overexposed negatives, it will make you appreciate the importance of exposing correctly!
How do I start printing?
Our black and white darkroom facilities are kitted out with top-level kit and we're always happy to welcome new members.
To get started, you'll need to book a session in the black and white darkroom. If you're a member, you'll get 50% off the price of a darkroom session, so it's a great idea to join as a member!
On your first session, you'll get a full induction by one of us. We'll show you how everything works and how to print safely and effectively.
Once you're happy with the process, we'll let you crack on and start printing solo. But don't worry, we'll never leave you to struggle alone! We're always around to help — teaching is what we do best and what we love doing the most.
Sound good? Become a member and book a session in the black and white darkroom today!