This two-day workshop is designed for photographers looking to refine their black and white darkroom printing skills. Whether newer to the darkroom or already experienced, this class will expand your understanding of the craft of the silver gelatin print. Through hands-on exploration of printing and editing techniques, participants will develop a sharper eye for translating negatives into expressive, high-quality archival prints.

Materials:

● Processed black and white 35mm or 120 negatives stored in negative page(s)
● Any contact sheets already made from the respective rolls of film
● 8 x 10” black and white darkroom paper

Session 1

● Holding an emphasis on the editing process, explore how to evaluate negatives, mark up contact sheets, and select images for printing.

● Learn how to create enlargements from already-processed black and white 35mm or 120 negatives.

● Demonstration of essential techniques such as burning, dodging and split grade filtering.

Session 2

● Deepening an understanding of contrast control, participants will refine tonal adjustments and print mark-up techniques.

● The workshop will conclude with a group critique, encouraging thoughtful discussion on both the technical and artistic aspects of the work created. This critique serves as an opportunity to foster reflection on the process, refine critical thinking skills, and deepen engagement with the silver gelatin print as an expressive medium.

Workshop Withdrawal Policy

We recommend choosing workshops with care after reading our withdrawal policy. If you have questions about any of our workshops, please contact dale@thehalideproject.org

Artist Bio

Shaina Nasrin Nyman is an Iranian-American photographer, filmmaker and visual artist working in Philadelphia, PA. Working from an autobiographical framework, their practice examines facets of identity through notions of ritual, grief and the complexities surrounding the meaning of home. By combining documentary storytelling, archival images, and staged compositions, they build layered narratives addressing the malleable and nonlinear nature of generational memory.

Nyman holds a BFA from The University of the Arts and will begin their MFA studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the summer of 2025. Their work has been funded by the Penn Treaty Special Services District, and included in exhibitions in Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C.; Houston, TX; and Atlanta, GA, among others. Recently, they were awarded a fellowship to attend Penland School of Craft’s Winter Residency Program in January 2025. Nyman is a member of Batikh Collective, a pop-up cinema and gallery in Philadelphia that centers SWANA (Southwest Asian North African) women and queer artists. They currently work as a Photo Lab Technician at Haverford College, where they manage the photography facilities and instruct workshops on the craft of digital and analog photography.

This workshop is generously sponsored by The Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation.