Film and Dark Room Photography (Spring 2025)

Film photography and darkroom development are making a comeback! 

Are you looking for an activity to help you slow down and cut back on the fast-paced speed we are moving at? This art form could be the answer for you! 

With each frame you shoot, you will practice being intentional in the moment. You will learn how to properly expose your film and process your own negatives. We will work in the darkroom and make black & white silver gelatin prints. 

Salem State has one of the only darkrooms in service, and it is one of the largest. 

Course Outline: 

You will learn how to correctly expose film. This will include the exposure triangle, film speed, film iso, aperture and how to use a manual camera.  

After students learn to expose film properly, they will learn to process film themselves using the correct technique for loading onto reels and the chemicals needed to turn from film into negatives.  

Then they will take the negatives and learn how to use an enlarger in the darkroom to make silver gelatin prints.  

In the classroom they will learn about past successful black and white film photographers and learn about styles they can try to replicate themselves. 

There will be classroom instruction for one hour and two hours in the film and darkroom area each night.  

Instructor:  

Jess Martineau is a black and white film photographer, darkroom printer and part-time teacher who lives in Salem, Massachusetts. 

NOTE: Parking information will be emailed to all registered/paid participants shortly before the class date.