Query on Analog "classes"

This year has marked a return to analog for me. Having read through Barry Thornton's books, Harry Fearn's. and of course St. Ansel's, I'm wondering whether anyone out there still holds "classes" in analog photography? With the buzz mostly about digital these days, I'm curious whether there are any photographer's out there offering the same sort of days/weekends/week experiences? The photo tours I see and drool over mostly assume a digital workflow... which as much as I might be a hybrid guy using the digital printing I already know.... doesn't allow time for development and even contemplate a wet printing possibility. Maybe I missed that bus? (Yes, definitely) but maybe there are still on occasion a few hold outs?

I'm not in a rush. Just blown out my back and recovering from surgery... but longer term... say 2018, hey I need something good to look forward to. Yes even my local mentors here are split between the digital types and then all the way to hand toning and similar "alternatives" where I'm not thinking to go at the moment. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

Richard Boutwell is involved in this one Dead Link Removed

Steve Sherman does one on one Analoque workshops.

Check the offerings at your local community college.

faberryman said:

Check the offerings at your local community college.

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Community colleges in both Dallas and Fort Worth still offer darkroom. Valerie Yaklin-Brown (member here on Photrio) teaches at a CC outside Houston in a program that is film and darkroom only!

The Dallas Center for Photography (a commercial enterprise) has built two teaching darkrooms. I teach the basic and intermediate film developing and silver gelatin printing courses.

JW - I teach analog photography classes (along with many of my peers) at Glen Echo Photoworks, just a few blocks from where you live.

TheFlyingCamera said:

JW - I teach analog photography classes (along with many of my peers) at Glen Echo Photoworks, just a few blocks from where you live.

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I almost mentioned Scott in my post above. But I was only "mostly" sure that he was teaching. Glad to hear this. OP, here's your contact!

Scott: Thanks! for posting. I've tried to connect with Glen Echo Photoworks, but it's a bit twisted to get through the maze on the website and then discover a bulk of courses aimed at High School kids. Good for them.... kind of rock and a hard place for a geezer like me. Much fun as I'm having shooting, developing, reading, etc.... a little formal do and don't here and there could speed things along. May I send a PM on this with the hope of getting pointed in the right direction?

Nova offers classes in traditional B&W photography, Darkroom work is emphasized. Residents age 60 and over can Audit classes for free. I would check if your local community colleges have similar courses.

I'm aiming at Spring 2018 for "PHT103".

michael_r said:

John Sexton's workshops are good

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+1

Guys these are great places to start. Thanks! Just couldn't imagine that there isn't a source or two for NOT having to do this all by seat of my pants or from youtubes, books, etc.. I've re-learned a lot from way back in my youth and also learned a lot ...much more in fact... in the last 8 months shooting film - especially about developing which wasn't part of the original plan. Same with Medium Format... which also wasn't part of the original plan. Thought I could avoid it altogether. But here we are. For now, I'm a hybridist with digital used for printing as I don't have a real dark room.... and I'm not sure I want to go there. But .... there's a lot I didn't expect to do and here I am. For me, even as great as Sony can be, I don't enjoy messing with menus and endless post production. B&W film post is pretty easy by comparison. And yes, I'm still digital printing but do close to 95% of my shots on film and then DSLR scan.. Can say this, that film makes all the digital much easier to get what i want than it seemed without even this short background.... but without trying to sound cliche, the analog process offers (and requires) a more disciplined process and there's magic when I pull film out of a tank. I've had a few less magical duds, too. But that comes with the territory. That said, I've gone down a lot of not-so-dead ends, but in making decisions.... think it's time to depend less on luck and less on do-overs and try to access some one-on-one resources before I get too set in my ways.

Brian: THanks! Turned 60 a couple of months ago.... and my back lets me know any time I forget. Will check that out. Y'know... some of the things you guys learned in high school photography classes ... you don't know how fortunate you were. Safe chemistry is one of those things.... and I have to read it in a book!

Looking at Steve Sherman's youtube (just the 1st one I turned up) he might be right up my alley. My bit is that I've done Pyrocat-HD and it was amazing, BUT I'm puzzling my way toward figuring what I can get with slightly less toxic chemistry. Also want to learn how to come up with my "personal film speed" and "personal developing time"... the zoney sort of things.