For the past 7 months, I’ve been taking a workshop created by Matthew from the Distphoto YouTube channel… if you’re into darkroom printing, you probably already know how great his videos are. The workshop is called Unlock the Darkroom, and honestly, it’s completely changed how I approach both photography and printing.
It starts with full system calibration; camera, film, development process, enlarger, paper, paper developer—so you can understand how your negatives interact with your printing setup. You learn how to spot if you’re over- or under-developing and how to fine-tune everything. Then it moves into calibrating your filters, followed by in-depth techniques like dodging and burning, flashing, bleaching, masking, toning, and more.
What surprised me the most was how much of a workflow I developed. I didn’t realize how badly I needed one until it started to click…and now it’s completely transformed how I work in the darkroom. Easily the most rewarding learning experience I’ve had in photography.
There’s also a companion community app where you can ask questions and get feedback directly from Matthew and others in the course. He does monthly Zoom calls where you can ask questions live, and each month he teaches a new darkroom technique or topic. There’s even a book club that dives into both the technical and philosophical side of film photography.
The whole experience has been exactly what I was looking for. It taught me the techniques I needed to finally make the prints I’d been aiming for; just as important, it connected me with a community of people doing the same. Everyone’s learning together, sharing work, offering support, and talking not just about printing techniques, but also the history and deeper ideas behind photography. It’s technical and thoughtful, and that combination has made all the difference.
The course just opened up to everyone after a 7-month beta. Matthew also released a free video that goes over what’s covered in the workshop…it’s worth watching even if you’re just curious as he shares a lot of great info on how to calibrate your system.
Here’s the link:
www.distphoto.com
It’s been a game-changer for me, and I’m really excited to finally share it after 7 months of development! Hope to see you there!
It starts with full system calibration; camera, film, development process, enlarger, paper, paper developer—so you can understand how your negatives interact with your printing setup. You learn how to spot if you’re over- or under-developing and how to fine-tune everything. Then it moves into calibrating your filters, followed by in-depth techniques like dodging and burning, flashing, bleaching, masking, toning, and more.
What surprised me the most was how much of a workflow I developed. I didn’t realize how badly I needed one until it started to click…and now it’s completely transformed how I work in the darkroom. Easily the most rewarding learning experience I’ve had in photography.
There’s also a companion community app where you can ask questions and get feedback directly from Matthew and others in the course. He does monthly Zoom calls where you can ask questions live, and each month he teaches a new darkroom technique or topic. There’s even a book club that dives into both the technical and philosophical side of film photography.
The whole experience has been exactly what I was looking for. It taught me the techniques I needed to finally make the prints I’d been aiming for; just as important, it connected me with a community of people doing the same. Everyone’s learning together, sharing work, offering support, and talking not just about printing techniques, but also the history and deeper ideas behind photography. It’s technical and thoughtful, and that combination has made all the difference.
The course just opened up to everyone after a 7-month beta. Matthew also released a free video that goes over what’s covered in the workshop…it’s worth watching even if you’re just curious as he shares a lot of great info on how to calibrate your system.
Here’s the link:
Stop Wasting Time in the Darkroom—Get Results That Actually Look Good
Download this free step-by-step training and discover the proven system for mastering the darkroom and creating stunning black-and-white prints—without all the trial and error.
www.distphoto.com
It’s been a game-changer for me, and I’m really excited to finally share it after 7 months of development! Hope to see you there!
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