This action-packed week will start students off with a 35mm camera and will teach the essentials of film exposure and development.  Then, we’ll head into the darkroom and learn how to make a traditional silver print.  Once these basics have been introduced, we’ll explore different ways of creating silver images, from building our own pinhole cameras and making paper negatives to working with photograms (creating images in the darkroom with objects rather than with negatives).  We will spend some time looking at images, discussing what makes a successful photograph and looking at the work created during class to help develop your critical eye.  By week’s end, each student will have his/her own pinhole camera to keep and all of the prints that s/he has created during the week.

Required:  Students should provide their own 35mm film camera for use during the course.  NESOP will provide access to 35mm film cameras during the course to students who cannot provide their own.  Also required:  Students will need to bring a light-tight container, or container that can be made light-tight (such as an original Quaker Oats oatmeal canister, a shoebox or a hatbox) to class early in the week for use in constructing their pinhole cameras.  Mid-week, students will be asked to bring in objects with which to make photograms.        

This workshop is all about pixels, the building block of the digital image – how we capture digital images, manipulate and edit images on the computer and translate those pixels into prints.  The class begins by offering basic instruction in operating your digital SLR camera.  You will practice shooting on location, then head into the digital imaging lab for basic instruction on editing your images in Adobe Lightroom and printing.  There will be some time spent looking at digital images and each other’s work to develop a critical eye.  We’ll also explore creative approaches to digital imaging, including printing on non-traditional media with inkjet printers.  By week’s end, each student will have a collection of prints to take away and the opportunity to make a large inkjet print.

Required:  Students must have their own digital SLR camera set-up (including lens, battery, manual and memory card).  The school will provide the ink, paper for printing and a small flash drive for each student to take home their images.  Familiarity with computers is assumed.  While not essential, some familiarity with Macs is helpful, as we will be working exclusively on Mac computers.