Darkroom Workshops

Create handmade, monochrome prints in the darkroom from your own film negatives. In this workshop, I take you through the process of film developing and silver gelatin printing step-by-step. Ideally paired as a follow-up to my photography workshop, you can rest assured that you’ll leave the workshop armed with the knowledge and techniques to develop and print your own work with confidence.

“Nothing compares to the unforgettable experience of seeing your images miraculously appear in the paper tray for the very first time.”

I have over a decade of experience printing for artists and photographers worldwide including Robert Capa Gold Medal Award winning photojournalist Tim Page.

“There are many folk who claim to be photographers but there are very few who have ‘L’oiel’, the eye. Renato Repetto is a not only a brilliant photographer but also an excellent printer who grabs moments of light and life in ways that are hauntingly beautiful. His work is based in the photography of the 30’s & 40’s, the central discipline in stark and form. You can only admire a man who is a master of his craft; that of the darkroom and making a fine print coupled with the pointy end of making the image. You arrive at the perfect nexus, excellence.” - Tim Page

“The best prints are formed from a strong foundation of properly exposed and developed negatives. The creative process that follows in the darkroom can elevate the print to more than the sum of its parts.”

Example Itinerary

  • Once your workshop booking is confirmed, we will begin communications via email to discuss the details of the workshop. Some participants prefer to focus exclusively on film developing while others choose to explore the creative side of printing with techniques such as pre-flashing paper, split-grade printing and dodging / burning.

    Every workshop is unique and tailored to each individual’s goals and experience.

  • Before heading into the darkroom, we’ll spend a short time at a quiet café nearby discussing the following:

    • A brief overview of the theory of film developing

    • Touching on the different paper types, developers and chemicals

    • Things to be mindful of when developing film

    • Darkroom etiquette and safety

    • Addressing any questions you might have

    • Demonstration of loading film onto reels in both daylight and dark bag conditions

    • Tips to ensure even density across the entire exposure frame

    • Types of developer and how dilution effects film development

    • Understanding agitation and how it impacts film grain and density

    • How to best avoid water marks and dust on negatives

  • Over lunch, we recap the information and techniques covered during the film developing session.

    • General darkroom organisation and best practices for maintaining a sterile darkroom to avoid cross-contamination of chemicals

    • Analysing the physical negative so we know what to expect before putting light to paper

    • Creating a test strip to determine the ideal exposure and contrast grade for the image

    • Experimenting with creative techniques such as pre-flashing, dodging / burning and split-grade printing

    • Creating the final print

  • Full Day Darkroom Workshop:

    This workshop can be configured as either dev/print or print only, with the latter focusing more heavily on creative printing techniques. Please specify your preference when making a booking.

    • 785 USD

    2 Day ‘Shoot, Develop & Print’ Workshop Package:

    This intensive, 2 day workshop takes you through the complete photographic experience from understanding the theory behind exposure, framing & composition on the first day to developing film and creating a hand-made print in the darkroom on the second day.

    • 1,500 USD

    Attendees of the darkroom workshop are required to provide their own film for developing and negatives for printing. Prices exclude any darkroom hire fees, film, paper or chemicals associated with the workshop. A comprehensive quote will be issued upon receiving your booking enquiry.

Testimonials

“The workshop with Renato is undoubtedly the most productive and enjoyable hours I’ve had in photography. The street photography workshop was perfect for experiencing Renato’s perspective side-by-side and working on exposing by eye. The darkroom workshop helped me to bring out the most detail out of my negatives and achieve the best result possible.” - Kohki (Japan)

“My time in the darkroom with Renato was extremely educational, and I learned so much!” - Klio (Belgium)