The Camera Club - Latest News by Paul SmithThe Camera Club - Latest News by Paul Smithhttps://www.thecameraclub.co.uk/blog/author/paul-smithWed, 15 Apr 2026 15:37:13 +0200http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Introductory Course on B&W Film Photography Autumn 2022]]>https://www.thecameraclub.co.uk/blog/post/introductory-course-on-b-w-film-photography-autumn-2022The course is organised as a collection of sessions and provides a solid ground of base darkroom techniques. It is oriented to club members who want t ]]>

Introduction

The course is organised as a collection of sessions and provides a solid ground of base darkroom techniques. It is oriented to club members who want to start processing and printing their own rolls or members keen to learn the process.

All sessions will take place in our darkrooms or our gallery and will be mostly practical, with the little needed theory “diluted” along the practice. The courses will be run by Marco Masetti.


If you have ANY QUESTIONS please use the comment box below.


Each session can be booked on its own and is self-consistent, a member can just book the sessions he wants to attend.

The first and last sessions will take place on a Saturday, all the others will take place on Wednesdays evening.


Session

Date and time

# Participants

Cost p.p.

0. Camera meter testing & Film Development 

24/09, 10am - 4pm

Max 3

£ 40

1. B&W Film development

28/09, 6pm - 10pm

Max 3

£ 25

2. B&W Film printing 

05/10, 6pm – 10pm

Max 3

£ 25

3. Exploring different types of printing paper

12/10, 6pm – 10pm

Max 3

£ 25

4. Print Spotting

15/10, 10am - 12am

Max 4

£ 30


All materials are provided by the club, what you need to bring to each session is detailed in the following paragraphs.

0. Camera meter testing and Film Development

This session is for those photographers who want to enhance their exposure skills or just check that their cameras are working correctly. Given the age of our beloved cameras, most often than not our meters are not accurate anymore and this could lead to frustrations and/or a waste of time/money.

This is quite a technical session and is only meaningful if you want to start shooting in manual mode and have a better control on your exposures. Those who shoots street photography in auto mode can skip this session.

The session will touch the following topics:
  •  A recap on the relationship between shutter speed/lens aperture/film sensitivity
  •  A very gentle introduction on film structure, sensitometry and the zone system
  •  Each participant will expose and develop a roll at nominal speed
  •  We will then see the effects of under/over development

This session hence includes the session #1 on Film Development.

Each participant needs to bring:
  • a 35mm film camera with manual exposure settings (shutter speed/lens aperture/ISO) with possibly a prime lens and a functioning meter (can be an handheld one)
  • a towel
  • a notebook to take notes

What the club provides:
  • films
  • chemicals
  • archival sheets

1. B&W Film Development

In this session we will go through all the phases of basic B&W film development.

Topics:

  • Introduction to B&W chemicals
  • Preparation of chemicals
  • The film development process
  • Film washing drying
  • Film storage

Each participant will bring:

  • an exposed B&W film
  • a towel

The club will provide:

  • all needed chemicals
  • archival film sheets

2. Basic B&W printing techniques

In this session we will go through the basic printing techniques.

Topics:
  • Structure and types of B&W papers
  • B&W printing chemicals
  • Darkroom layout
  • How to use the enlarger
  • Preparing your frame
  • How to make a test strip
  • How to make a contact print
  • Dodging & burning
  • Split grade printing
  • Print washing and drying
  • Prints conservation

Each participant will bring:
  • a set of B&W negatives
  • a towel
  • a box to store dried 8x10 inches prints

The club will provide:
  • all chemicals
  • B&W printing paper

3. Different paper types

In section 2 a brief overview of all different paper types and surfaces is provided but only 1 type of paper will be used.

This session is meant to explore a few different types of papers, printing the same frame and understanding the different visual characteristics of each one.

Each participant will bring:
  • a B&W negative
  • a towel
  • a box to store dried 8x10 inches prints

The club will provide:
  • all chemicals, B&W printing paper

4. Print spotting

In this session we will gather around a table in the gallery and we will see how to (try to) delete or make less visible all those marks on our prints due to dust/hairs/etc. This is quite important if you want to expose your prints in an exhibition. 

Each participant will bring:
  • a set of prints with some dust spots

The club will provide:
  • all needed tools and dyes

Please Note:

All sessions are open to club members only. 

Sessions 0, 1, 2 are also valid as darkroom accreditation sessions for members who are not yet accredited to the use of the club darkrooms.
]]>Sun, 04 Sep 2022 12:34:11 +0000<![CDATA[Gallery 1885: John Legate - Who Are You?]]>https://www.thecameraclub.co.uk/blog/post/gallery-1885-john-legate-who-are-you

05 - 28 September 2022

Gallery 1885 at the Camera Club is pleased to announce a new exhibition by John Legate. John will be exhibiting a collection of photographs that he created in the 70s in a style that has been labelled "anti-glamour."  He played a vital role in the survival of the Club in the 80s; he was also the President of the Camera Club for most of the 90s.  


The exhibition is being produced by Ian Greaves who is also creating a photo book of Legate's work in the very near future. The title of this exhibition will be 'Who Are You?'  


The show will run from the 5th to 28th September 2022. 


Everybody is welcome to the open view which will take place on 17th September from 2pm - 4pm.

]]>Sat, 03 Sep 2022 22:41:15 +0000<![CDATA[No Studio pod in September]]>https://www.thecameraclub.co.uk/blog/post/no-studio-pod-in-september

The next studio pod will be in October

In October there will be a new Street Photography Pod led by Frederique Bellec for those interested in this style and another one called "Can you Think Outside the Box?" Pod led by Phil Taylor. More information on these pods will be forthcoming soon. Watch this space.

]]>Sat, 03 Sep 2022 22:35:43 +0000<![CDATA[Pods: September Photography Walk]]>https://www.thecameraclub.co.uk/blog/post/october-photography-walks

Urban Portraits Pod led by Monica A. Walker

10th of September from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. This will be our first Urban Portraits Pod led by Monica A. Walker, which will take place outdoors (weather permitting), but we will meet at the Club first. Those who want to sign up, please contact the club, and ask to have you added to the participant's list (up to 10 participants). 

]]>Sat, 03 Sep 2022 22:22:45 +0000