Analogue Photography – Level 1

Master the fundamentals of film photography and bring your images to life in the darkroom

Course Overview

Analogue Photography Level 1 is designed for those who want to move beyond digital and experience a more meaningful, hands-on way of creating images.

You will learn to confidently use a film camera, take control of exposure, and experience the full creative process—from shooting black and white film to developing and printing your own images in the darkroom. By the end, you will have both finished prints and a deeper, more meaningful connection to how photographs are made.

  • Level: Open to all levels (with a focus on advanced techniques)

  • Duration: 2 days intensive courses

    ‍ ‍ 5 days evening courses (Optional)

  • Spaces: Maximum 10 Students

  • Location: Shoreditch, London, UK

  • Course Fee: £350

Next Available Date:

  • 11th-12th May 2026 ( 2 days)

  • 8th - 9th June 2026 (2 days)

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What you will learn?

  • DescriptiGain a solid understanding of professional and commercial fashion photography principles.on text goes here

  • Learn how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO work together, and apply them to shoot your own black & white film.

  • Follow the complete process of developing negatives using traditional chemicals in a safe and controlled environment.

  • Create contact sheets and learn how to read and assess your negatives like a photographer.

  • Use an enlarger to turn your negatives into finished prints, with an introduction to creative techniques like dodging and burning.

Course modules

5 Days Evening Schedule

    • History and relevance of analogue photography

    • Types of analogue cameras

    • Film formats

    • How light forms an image

    • Aperture, shutter speed, ISO

    • The exposure triangle

    • Metering techniques

    • Loading film correctly

  • Students shoot one roll of black-and-white film.

    • Chemistry of silver-based film

    • Darkroom safety procedures

    • Mixing chemicals

    • Developing, stopping, fixing, and washing film

    • Drying negatives

    • Using an enlarger

    • Exposure tests

    • Producing a contact sheet

    • Reading negatives

    • Selecting images

    • Test strips

    • Exposure adjustments

    • Dodging and burning (introduction)

    • Producing final enlargements

    • Completion of developed negatives

    • One finished contact sheet

    • At least one final enlargement

    • Group critique session

    • Portfolio review

2 Days Intensive Schedule

    • Introduction to analogue photography and how film cameras work

    • Understanding film photography exposure: aperture, shutter speed, ISO

    • Guided 35mm film shooting session using manual camera settings

    • Introduction to darkroom safety procedures and working environment

    • Black and white film development process (developing, stopping, fixing, washing negatives)

    • Reading film negatives and creating contact sheets

    • Introduction to darkroom enlarger and black and white printing process

    • Making test strips and controlling exposure for correct print density

    • Introduction to dodging and burning for creative image control

    • Producing final photographic prints and group critique session

Equipment & Materials Required

Provided by the academy:

  • 35mm cameras (if students don’t have their own)

  • Black-and-white film

  • Developing tanks and reels

  • Darkroom chemicals

  • Enlargers

  • Photographic printing paper

Students bring:

  • Notebook

  • Optional own camera