Darkroom Photography

Level(s) of Study: Short course
Course Fee:
£575
Start Date(s): 10 October 2026, 20 February 2027
Duration: Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm, five weeks
Study Mode(s): Part-time
Campus: City Campus
Entry Requirements: More information

Introduction:

This practical short course introduces the foundations of shooting on 35mm and 120 medium format film, guiding you from camera settings through film processing and darkroom printing. Learning how to develop and print your own images in a traditional photographic darkroom. The course is structured as a blend of technical instruction, hands‑on practice and guided experimentation. By the end, you’ll leave with a small set of finished darkroom prints and the confidence to continue working independently with film.

You’ll be part of a supportive creative photography community that encourages experimentation, discussion and shared learning within a professional studio and darkroom environment.
With a small class size, you’ll receive individual guidance at each stage — from camera technique through to developing negatives and making exhibition‑quality prints.
Learn from an experienced photographic practitioner with specialist knowledge of analogue processes, darkroom practice and contemporary photographic workflows.
On successful completion of the course, will take home your own printed work.

What you’ll study

In an era dominated by digital photography, film remains a powerful way to slow down, think deliberately and gain a deeper understanding of how photographs are made. This course is designed for anyone who wants to move beyond scanning or lab services and take full creative control of the analogue process.

You’ll learn how shutter speed, aperture and film sensitivity interact, how to meter confidently, and how these decisions affect your negatives and final prints. The course tackles common barriers to working with film — uncertainty around exposure, fear of developing mistakes, and lack of access to darkroom skills — replacing them with clear, repeatable workflows.

By working hands‑on with both 35mm and 120 medium format film, you’ll see how format choice influences image quality, composition and printing. Darkroom sessions focus on producing consistent, expressive prints using traditional enlargers, while allowing space for creative interpretation. The course will transform how you approach photography by grounding your practice in tactile, intentional image‑making and a strong technical foundation.

During this course, you will:

Learn to shoot confidently on 35mm and 120 film cameras
Understand exposure, metering and film stocks
Develop black‑and‑white film by hand
Produce darkroom prints from your own negatives
Learn safe and professional darkroom working practices
Critically review and refine your photographic outcomes

Session 1:

Introduction to film photography

Camera types and formats (35mm & 120)
Exposure fundamentals: shutter speed, aperture and ISO
Film stocks, loading film and shooting considerations

Session 2:

Film processing
Understanding negatives and development theory
Hands‑on black‑and‑white film developing
Evaluating negatives for printing

Session 3:

Introduction to darkroom printing

Enlargers, lenses and paper
Test strips, exposure control and contrast
Producing first prints

Session 4:

Refinement and output

Improving print quality and consistency
Dodging, burning and creative control
Print

Session 5

Display and talk about work and your photography with both tutors

How you’re taught

This course is delivered through a combination of short demonstrations, guided practical sessions and individual tutorials. It is highly hands‑on, with the majority of time spent shooting, developing and printing photographs.

The course will be delivered in person on the Nottingham Trent University city campus.

There is no formal assessment, but regular feedback and group discussion are built into each session.

Contact hours

You will receive 10 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor, with access to specialist darkroom facilities and equipment.

Tutor profile:

Sarah Parnell is a Senior Technician.

With a BA (Hons) in Photography and recognised as runner-up in both the Hahnemühle and Genesis Awards (2024), Sarah brings both academic and industry recognition to her practice.

Sarah works across both digital and analogue photography, with a strong grounding in traditional darkroom processes alongside contemporary image-making techniques. Her approach centres on combining these methods, demonstrating how historical practices can inform and enrich modern workflows.

With extensive experience supporting photographic education, Sarah delivers technical workshops and one-to-one guidance, helping students develop confidence with equipment, processes, and creative decision-making. Her teaching spans film photography, studio practice, and digital production, with an emphasis on practical skill-building and critical reflection.

Her own practice is rooted in process-led image making, often using film cameras to encourage a slower, more considered approach to capturing subjects. This reflective methodology supports deeper engagement with both subject matter and visual storytelling.

Laura Allen is a technical specialist in photography.

With over twenty years of experience in photographic education. Qualified at Masters level and a keen darkroom user for many a year.

Photography has gifted a lot of experience both at home and abroad having exhibitions in the UK and France as well as documenting work in Italy.

Laura enjoys combining digital technologies with traditional darkroom practices. With a firm belief that the two practices can intertwine and complement each other. On this basis along with continued research with many of the older origins in photography, such as Cyanotypes, Salt printing, as well as traditional black and white handprints are used.

Using film cameras primarily to make photographic work in the studio or location based on subjects that are personal and subjectively relatable to this process. Resulting in methodical image capture that is conducive to reflective thinking as it slows down and allows meditation on the subject.

Laura is currently working on a series of landscapes in and around Pembrokeshire. Prior to these, a series of still life images in a studio environment using larger 8x10 and 5x4 plate cameras. This project is vast, and work is ongoing with printing in the darkroom.

Careers and employability

This course is designed to support entry and progression within photography and creative industries, including fine art, documentary, photojournalism, education and personal practice. Previous attendees have come from a wide range of backgrounds, including beginners, digital photographers transitioning to film, artists, designers and educators. The skills developed provide a strong technical foundation that supports further study, portfolio development and independent darkroom practice.

Certificate of attendance and digital badge

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a digital certificate of attendance and a digital badge powered by Accredible.

Your digital credential is more than just a certificate – it’s secure, verifiable, and protected against fraud through encryption and blockchain technology.

They also come with detailed metadata, including an overview of the skills you have achieved on the course, evidence of completion, and assessment criteria if appropriate.

Share your achievements seamlessly with friends, customers, and potential employers online, and proudly add your badge or certificate to social media platforms such as LinkedIn, so all the right people can see it.

Campus and facilities

You will be based in the Nottingham School of Art & Design's Bonington building, where the photography facilities give you access to digital equipment, studio spaces, and editing suites.

You will receive an email one week before the course starts with joining instructions on where to go for the first day.

You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.

Entry requirements

Level: Beginner

Entry requirement: No previous photography or software experience is required.

You must be over the age of 18 in order to attend this course.

Fees and funding

The fee for this course is £575.

Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, including great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.

Please bring with you to the first session:

a film camera with you to the first session. This can be:
- Fully Manual camera with a separate light meter
- Semi-Automatic camera (light meter incorporated)
- Automatic camera with a manual setting

We have 35mm SLR's that you may be able to borrow for the initial part of the course. If you are unsure of what to but you can wait for the first session, when the tutor can give you advice.

Printing paper and film will be supplied at the start of the course. Your tutor will then advise you on the appropriate paper to buy for your individual project.