WORKSHOPS, TUITION, AND HANDS ON.

 

After well over 25 years of photographic experience as a working photographer, and time spent as an adult education tutor, I'm now offering involving, inspiring and informal workshops based around the use of film, the darkroom and the workroom. These relaxed yet productive workshops are intended to be equally open to the individual photographer as they are to a small group.

A workshop can be an entirely flexible event, devised around the specific requirements, ability levels, timing and interests of the visiting photographer. A workshop may cover just the day, or extend in length to form a true photographic holiday, enjoying all areas of what may be described as traditional film based photography.

Apart from the hopeful good company, the following are brief outlines of areas that can be covered as workshops, and can be booked as specific individual workshops, or a combination of any or all, and at all times throughout the year, including weekends.

THE LARGE FORMAT CAMERA AND THE LANDSCAPE - The South Pennine area of England is not as well known as other national parklands, but is full of wide open hilly spaces, rock outcrops, waterways, and very visible traces of the past, ranging from abandoned farms, quarries, and the timeless dry stone walls. Down from the hills there are the former mill towns, that have retained much of their original character and bustle, but can now provide decent insights in to a more industrious past. Through time I've got to know this large area very well, and it has a lot to offer for the photographer. Not far from the South Pennine area is an alternative landscape that has a more rural existance of gentle rolling hills, woodland, and villages. This landscape offers a real contrast to the open moorland areas, and is more typically the English rural landscape.

EXPOSING AND DEVELOPING FILM - Black and white film (naturally!) taken through the stages that make for good printing. I've found this is part of the process of making photographs that needs a more scientific approach, although as with most chemical based photographic processes it is open to manipulation in many ways. All types of film can be processed, and there is always the possibility to use some more unconventional film, such as ortho or lith film that can open new doors to print making.

DARKROOM PRINTING - There is a spacious, well planned and comfortable darkroom and workroom available where all the post exposure processes are done - from film developing, printing, to cutting mounts and dry mounting prints. The darkroom is fully equiped to process film in a variety of ways using a range of developers, and in printing it has been designed to accomodate a range of print sizes right up to 40"x30". There is always a range of chemicals and printing papers of various surface finishes to compliment any subsequent toning processes, and this is also an ideal opportunity to make traditional darkroom prints that satisfy a more personal approach, or as some would say, to exhibition standard.

PRINT FINISHING AND MOUNTING - This covers the point from the print leaving the final wash, to the final stage of dry mounting and matting. Inbetween these points is drying the print, flattening, and spotting out, and then finally dry mounting, or lose matting if needed. No matter what size the finished print, or how many, the final stages of print finishing make a good print superb. My way of working takes the print right up to the framing stage, and this includes cutting the window mount and assembling to make a print ready to hang on a wall.

THE URBAN LANDSCAPE AND SMALLER FORMATS - The West Riding is an interesting area, where the old and new rub together, and where there is an interesting mix of peoples. Using fast medium format film, or 35mm film, and taking to the streets can haul in some interesting images without having to travel far, and in relative safety. This is one subject area that is ideal for smaller, faster cameras, and there is a range of 35mm gear for use, plus the 6x9cm cameras that couple well with Delta 3200. This sort of photography can be challenging and rewarding, and a real contrast for the large format landscape user.

 

Accomodation can be provided locally throughout the year in a range of B+B's, all close by, and with a range of prices, or a stay in my family house is not out of the question if need be!

If you are interested in talking over the possibilities of a workshop at any point in the future, please contact me, and we can take it from there.

Richard Littlewood 2009

 

'Many thanks for such a useful and productive darkroom workshop. I really appreciate how you tailored the work to my particular requirements. I'm now much better acquainted with the subleties of printing and toning with fibre papers, as well as the final finishing stages. I'll be putting this into practice in my own darkroom straight away. Using your reccomendations will save me time and money and help me get more satisfaction from the process of printing'

Mike Wilkinson. Essex. November 2009

'I hugely enjoyed my day in the Pennines with Richard. His knowledge of the area as well as the field of photography are second to none, and I learnt an awful lot about both. His teaching style is relaxed but extremely effective. I would highly recommend the experience to anyone with even a passing interest in taking photographs'.

Paul Humphries. Manchester. January 2010