We are thrilled to present our analog photography workshops.

Learn in two days how to shoot and develop black and white pictures. Find out how to organize a darkroom in your own bathroom. After developing your first films, you will make contact sheets and black & white prints.

We will teach you how to develop black & white films at home!

The event is divided in two separate workshop days: Saturday and Sunday. All classes take place at Swawole Atelier in Hamburg and the maximal number of participants is limited just four.

If you want to start using your analogue camera and produce black and white prints on your own, this workshop is for you!

During these two one-day workshops you will learn all the basics of using analog SLR cameras. On the first day you will shoot one black and white film during a photo walk and develop it in our darkroom. The second day we will spend in the dark room, printing your own shots!

Workshops are held by a Polish photographer Michał Gerszewski. He's been crazy about traditional photography for almost two decades. His Studio Matowka Instagram profile presents his works - predominantly done with dozens of analog cameras. The main topic of his pictures are portraits, nudes and the the beauty of nature.

We are here to share expert knowledge and spark passion for a magical hobby.

Experience the nostalgic art of film photography and understand how to get most out of your traditional camera

Things we explain and present during these workshops:

- Secrets of taking amazing black & white analog photos and swiftly operating your camera.

- Use of different types of films (both black & white and color).

- Understanding the principle of the exposure triangle (sensitivity, time and aperture), which will greatly facilitate the process of phototaking.

- How to operate color filters in black & white photography.

- Insider knowledge on tweaking the film sensitivity.

- Master creating black & white films and prints on your own.

- Know my must-have list of accessories for film development and print making.

- Experiment with various techniques to facilitate prints.

- Be confident with scanning films in best quality.

- Know how to create contact sheets of your negatives.

- Learn to produce beautiful tone prints using home methods.

- Refresh your knowledge with a PDF-Guide with summary of the workshop.

You can be a total beginner or an entry-level enthusiast. We introduce you to the basics of film photography!

First day - Saturday

On the first day we meet at 10. Over a coffee and breakfast, we have a chat about the wonderful world of analog photography. The relaxed atmosphere of this "lecture" will smoothly introduce us to the first day of the workshop.

I tell you about how light is recorded on a photographic film and show you different types of cameras. Understand how to select right films for various topics. See examples of how color filters work in black and white photography. I also bring photo albums of different photographers so that we can compare their techniques.

Think of this workshop as an introduction to the world of analog photography. We will talk about everything you need to know to start your own black & white adventure!

After the breakfast lecture, we take a photo walk. Everyone receives a list of tasks to be photographed. We practice using light meters, setting up analog cameras and using various color filters. We shoot street photography, portraits and architecture.

Back at the Atelier, we head to developing the films. I tell you about the various products available on the market and you find out how the whole process of developing and fixing films works.

Saturday classes last about 6-7 hours. However, if we need some more time, or we want to talk about photography longer than that, we can hangout together. Everything takes place in a relaxed atmosphere with light refreshments and good wine.

If you used to fall asleep during lectures on your studies, it will be a nice change for you.

Second day - Sunday

Sunday class start at 10 am with the evaluation of our films. First we prepare chemistry for the prints and create contact sheets of our films. Together we select the photos we want to enlarge. In addition to learning principles of exposure and prints, we also try to experiment a lot. Have fun with manual photomontage! I also show you how to tone the prints using the ingredients available in our kitchen, such as coffee or tea.

Each participant has an unlimited amount of photography paper for their use. You are also able to try out papers with different gradations. Those of you who are familiar with developing digital photos in such programs as Photoshop and Lightroom will see how much work it takes to get similar effects in the darkroom when working with analog materials.

This day, we only leave the darkroom to have a snack and to evaluate the next exposed prints of our photos in the daylight.

Correct exposure of the prints requires many attempts. I show you ways to save our time and materials. We practice finding the exposure time with paper strips and use masks to differentiate exposure of individual parts of the image. All this to make sure the final image comes out as perfect as possible.

Watch the movie about Helmut Newton to see, how demanding the photographer was in regard to the final prints of his photos.

Working in a darkroom is demanding and requires a lot of patience. However, it is very enjoyable and a lot of fun. Remember that at the beginning of your journey with analog photography, you do not have to build a permanent darkroom at your home. Making prints is another step that is not essential to enjoying analog photography.

You just need a bathroom to create a temporary darkroom. However, we do not need our own darkroom to develop the films. At the beginning, you can be content with self-developed films, which can be done with portable tools.

I will bring a photo scanner with me to show you how to scan photos. I will also show you a method for scanning films with a digital camera.

If you're familiar with Lightroom, this will be a whole new experience of photography developing. I would like to instill in you this striving for perfect detail of your photographies.

Who is your tutor?

Michał has been involved in analogue photography for nearly 15 years. He runs his own artistic photography studio "Studio Matówka" in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He mainly works with nude, portrait and architecture photography. He is a fierce propagator of analogue photography, which he considers to be the best medium of photographic art.

The artist is proficient in work with medium format cameras and experiments at his own darkroom. At his studio, he organizes photography workshops and exhibitions of both his own works and of other artists. He has a great input in local community, being a co-organiser of hiking excursions around the region, with focus on artistic perception of the beauty of nature.

The workshop is held in the cosy atmosphere of Swawole Atelier in Hamburg. The event is conducted in English, by a Polish photographer Michał Gerszewski.

Swawole Atelier
Eppendorfer Weg 125, Hamburg, Germany

A Polish photographer Tadeusz Rolke said that you should not sign a print that is not perfect.

During the workshops we are using excellent HP5 + films from Ilford. The enlargments are done on plastic-based papers from Foma.

It is advisable to bring your own analog camera for the workshop to learn how to use it in practice. However, if you do not have your own camera, just let me know before the workshop. I'll have a reliable gear ready for you.

What is provided for in the workshop price?

• Each participant receives one black and white film - Ilford HP5.

• Chemicals needed to develop both the film and the prints.

• Unlimited number of 13x18 cm photo paper for darkroom workshops.

• A PDF-Guide with summary of knowledge from the workshop.

• Light vegetarian and vegan snacks and wine.

• For those participants who do not have their own analog camera, it is possible to use my cameras. Remember to let me know in advance about such a need.

Lunch is not included in the price. If we want to eat something more specific, everyone is able to order a take-away lunch at their own expense to the Atelier.

After the workshops, you will be able to continue your adventure with analog photography by your own.

What knowledge will you gain and what will you be able to do after the workshop?

• You will learn the basics of taking black and white analog photos and how to operate the camera.

• You will learn about the use of different types of videos.

• You will understand the principle of the exposure triangle (sensitivity, time and aperture), which will greatly facilitate the process of taking photos.

• You will learn the principle of operation of color filters in black and white photography.

• You will learn how to change the base sensitivity of negatives.

• You will learn how to develop black and white films and prints.

• You will get a list of necessary accessories for film development and for making prints.

• You will learn various techniques to facilitate making prints.

• You will learn how to scan developed films.

• You will learn to create contact sheets of your negatives.

• You will learn to tone prints using home methods.

You will be able to refresh all the knowledge you gain thanks to my PDF guide, which you receive after the workshop.