Young Photographers in the Darkroom - Maine Media Workshops + College

Learn photography with a 35mm film camera, black & white film and silver prints.

There are no available registration dates at this time.

Image Credit: Lulu Mourning, Young Photographer 2014

The Young Photographers in the Darkroom Workshop helps talented high school students learn the craft of photography as they develop their skills and improve their ability to see and make images. This comprehensive 1-week photography course uses traditional film cameras, B&W film, and the darkroom to explore photographic vision. There is extensive darkroom training in film development and printmaking, lots of fieldwork, along with an introduction to the history of the medium to help each student form a personal photographic vision. The course includes work in the aesthetic aspects of composition, point-of-view, the moment and subject matter. Students learn how to make fine silver prints in the darkroom, tone, and spot your photographs. They also learn how to edit, sequence images and build a portfolio that can be used in college applications. The days are full and students will be working in the darkroom long into the night under the supervision of our staff and faculty. There are daily critiques, supervised lab exercises and field trips along the Maine coast. Students may also go hiking, kayaking, and swimming. Students photograph each other, the Maine landscapes, the sea and seashore, and leave with new technical skills, an awareness of the creative potential as a photographer, and a new portfolio of work.

Prerequisite:
This one-week program is designed for high school students between the ages of 14 and 17. It is an entry-level workshop and no prior experience is necessary.

What you will learn:

Students leave with new technical skills, an awareness of the creative process and image printing, which enables students to explore other level 2 workshops.

What you will need:
Students should bring a 35mm manual film camera, lens, and film. Maine Media does not offer film, film cameras or paper available for loan or purchase. Quantities and types of material needed will be provided in your acceptance packet.

About the Young Artists Program: Young Artists’ days are comprised of both classroom and field/location work: lectures and critiques, demonstrations, shooting, editing, writing, computer workflow and/or darkroom work, depending on the workshop. All instructors are talented industry professionals as well as experienced educators, and each works with a teaching assistant, providing additional support for their class. The students are busy all day and into the mid-evening hours, attending presentations from visiting master faculty. All Young Artists reside at a nearby residence (a motel-style building, with four students to a room, gender specific, and private bath) located 3/4 of a mile from campus. The property is controlled by Maine Media Workshops and is used exclusively by students, selected staff, and their counselors. Students are shuttled to the main campus each morning for breakfast and to begin their day, and are driven back at the end of the each day, following their last class or other scheduled activity. All meals are taken together. Parents can indicate any special dietary needs upon registration. Counselors supervise the students 24 hours a day, and help make group decisions about weekend activities like swimming, bowling and hiking. Coin laundry facilities are available on campus. A lobster dinner is served (there are other choices) on the last Friday night of each workshop, and all Workshops students gather for an evening presentation of highlights from the week’s work. Parents are welcome to attend and meal tickets may be purchased in the Registration Office.