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Suitable for beginners, TAP’s New Year’s courses include an ‘addictive’ cyanotype class.Emma Emmerton teaches all the darkroom and beginners’ photography workshops, which are aimed at beginners, and one day workshops such as cyanotypes and pinhole camera-making:

Why would you recommend your workshops?
‘For those used to using an automatic digital camera the primary gain from a beginner’s film course is that
a) you learn the differences that aperture sizes, ISO rating & shutter speeds have on your images (as these also have equivalents within a digital camera), and
b) as film costs money, necessarily you have to slow down and consider how you use these elements effectively – and make a more considered composition.

The cyanotype courses are a great intruduction to printmaking using photographic images. I demonstrate how to prepare the light-sensitive solutions and get people coating paper and making prints soon afterwards, the contact printed images are exposed under UV light or in the sun during the summer. Large and medium format film negatives can be used, as can flat objects, fabrics and plants. People can also bring digital negatives on acetate – for the uninitiated I explain how to make these using online free imaging software during the workshops.’

Is any previous experience required?
‘No. Anyone can come along and I am always happy to answer any questions people have beforehald to ensure they get the most out of the day.

‘I’ve had lots of people return to do the workshops more than once. The cyanotype workshops are addictive and it’s a lovely feeling to be working with light in the winter.’

Forthcoming courses:

14 January 10.30am-2.30pm. – Cyanotype Workshops – £20 – Bring plants, fabrics, opaque and transparent materials, black & white film & digital negatives for a fun day of contact printing using the sun. There will also be a demonstration of how to produce your own digital negatives for this and other projects using free online software.  Tea and coffee is available (you may wish to bring a packed lunch).

Book here.

7-8 January & 4-5 February – 10am-4pm – 2-day Weekend Photography Course – £150 – Working in small groups (no larger than 3 per class), this intensive beginner’s course is designed to allow maximum tutor support for each person. The first day is spent onsite at TAP and the surrounding area shooting black & white film, exploring how different aperture settings, exposure lengths and film speed ratings affect image quality and how to improve your picture-taking with simple tweaks. We then move into the darkroom and develop the films using lightsafe tanks.

The second day is spent in the darkroom, producing contact sheets and final prints from your negatives and learning how to correctly make enlargements using test strips. If time allows the session will touch on image manipulation in the darkroom: making corrections, dodging & burning and solarisation.

This course is an introduction designed for those with no previous experience in a darkroom and all developing and printing materials needed are included in the course cost.

You will need to bring with you a roll of HP5 film and a 35mm film SLR camera.

Further information about this course can be obtained by emailing Emma at darkroom AT coexist.org.uk.

Tea and coffee is available (you also may wish to bring a packed lunch).