Homemade Dry Plates with Plant-Based Developers

Bookings being taken directly with Sustainable Darkroom- please follow the links and direct questions to them about the workshop week.

Join us for an intimate morning demonstration in the darkroom of how to prepare and coat dry plates for use in large/medium format cameras. In 2023, Eileen completed a residency at Chelsea Physic Garden. Her residency responded to the garden through the use of an antique medium format field camera. She made her own dry plates and developed them using a plant-developer sourced from Chelsea Garden.

During the session, Eileen will discuss the nuances of this slow photographic process and the ethical and caring framework that underpins much of her work. Participants will then learn how to expose the dry plates outside, before developing them in the darkroom using locally made plant-based developers.

By the end of this session, participants will have an understanding of how to prepare their own glass slides, and how to use this type of negative in a medium format camera. They will also gain a foundation in how to process the plates using their own plant-based developer.

Please bring a notebook and pen to the session, all other materials provided.

Experience level: No previous darkroom experience necessary.

When: Tuesday 2nd September, 2.30-6.30pm.

Where: Bristol Folk House Darkroom, 40a Park St, Bristol BS1 5JG.

Teachers: Eileen White

If you are student/unwaged, please contact us for a discount code.