Learn how to photograph, develop, and print black-and-white film with Dene! Become versed in using a film camera, a light meter, and various composition techniques. Dig into hands-on techniques for making photograms, small and large prints, and adjusting contrast and brightness. We will be learning the rules of the darkroom and then breaking them!
I’ve taken most of my photos out of inspiration from the surrounding nature of my recent weekend activities. Over the past year I’ve picked up mountain biking and through that I’ve grown a fondness for the forests around Seattle and the stories that lie within them. With my photography I try to capture action and motion within a singular frame, with this I strive to be able to tell a story through my photos. My final photo was taken in Port Angeles, at a place called dry hill. I’ve only visited dry hill a select few times but it holds a lot of value to me as one of my favorite places in Washington. Each time I visit it’s always a fun filled experience and a day I remember vividly. I wanted to capture part of the experience as best I could with this picture, this picture specifically showed me the importance of framing and lighting as I struggled to figure out which filters to use for contrast and which would be the best settings to use for prints. I took a lot of inspiration from a photographer I met while mountain biking, his work is stunning and it’s definitely a style that I took inspiration from as the picture he took of me really showed me an example of what I had wanted to capture through my months of very amateur phone photography. Youth in Focus has been a great experience and has brought me the opportunity to further pursue what I would like to capture with photography and although using and working with film can often be a frustrating process it’s all the more rewarding when you get that perfect effect you were looking for.
My name is Manaya, I am 13 years old, I’m an 8th grader at M.M. School, and this is my first time being in Youth In Focus. When I first joined the darkroom class, I was confused because I didn’t know anything about photography. I came here with an open mind, and now I understand how to shoot in different camera modes, develop film, use the tools in the darkroom, and make creative prints. My final print is this flower being focused on, and it reminds me of my favorite season, summer. My self portrait is a photo of a leaf also being focused on. This was the first photo I’ve ever shot in manual and it reminds me of halloween and fall. These photos have become my favorite prints and they represent me by showing my love for nature, plants, and all the different seasons of the year. Youth In Focus has been a great and fun experience for me. I’ve made great friends, learned new things, and I’m looking forward to continuing photography.
My name is Maria, I go to Cleveland high school and I'm a junior there.
This is my first time doing film photography and I love doing it. Film has really tested my patience and made me really try to focus on what I’m working on and not get frustrated when it doesn't turn out right.
I would take this class again and I can’t wait to take another yif class.
Hi my name is Mirabelle, I’m a junior in high school and I have been with Youth In Focus for 4 years. This is only my second darkroom class. In this class I have learned more on how to print and work in a dark room as well as different techniques.
As a teenage photographer, I'm constantly inspired by the world around me. While I’m still trying to find my favorite style I like photography because, with my photography I'm able to capture the fast-paced moments of life and freeze them in time, creating images that are both interesting to look at and remind me of moments from my life. Whether I am photographing nature, documenting my friends and family, or experimenting with new concepts, I'm always trying to push the boundaries of my photography. Through my photography, I hope to inspire others to see the little things about life, and to appreciate the beauty and complexity of life.
Photography has seen me through so many hardships. I document my life through a lens, whether that be digital or analog. I have, through this class, had the opportunity to learn so much more about my self expression. Although Darkroom is new to me, it has been such an incredibly rewarding experience. The beauty of hand crafting my hard work after agonizing days of not knowing exactly how my picture turned out is beautifully chaotic. I have chosen these two photos to represent my experience in this program because I feel as though they showcase my knowledge and my expression in one still image. The contrasting black and white have been emphasized by the filters I've chosen. The angles at which my photos have been taken give the photos a beautiful sense of asymmetry. It shows that our world needs chaos. That chaos is incredible.