Project Basho Newsletter: April ’08



Summer Workshop Schedule Finalized

The schedule for summer photography classes and workshops is finalized and available online. As a growing organization, we are always thinking about ways to expand our range of offerings and hope you will enjoy are new additions to the schedule.

This summer, we are offering regular classes from a basic introductory classes to color photography. This summer, we are also offering summer classes for teenagers. Though these are darkroom based classes, the focus is on creating images and how to take better pictures. Anyone who is interested in learning photography as a visual art will be able to benefit from these classes.

We are adding more shooting oriented classes and workshops for those who need structure to photograph or those who are working on a specific aspect of shooting. Along with Form and Content, which explores the relationship between form and content in the process of creating images, we are offering 100 Pictures a Week. In this class, students will be required to shoot 100 images each week and prepare for bi-weekly critiques. This is a great class if you need a little push to keep your photographic activity going.

We are also expanding the range of historical processes workshops we offer. Scott McMahon will be teaching a gum printing workshop. Gum is gaining popularity recently partly because it is less-rigid compared to other photographic medium and can be approached like paiting. We are excited to add photogravure to our workshop schedule for the first time this summer. Kevin Martini-fuller will introduce you to this another labor-intensive yet highly rewarding process.

If you would like to register for a class or workshop, please contact us or visit our website.

Related Links:
Summer Photography Classes & Workshops


Shozo Tomioka: Images from Noto: Opening on May 8th


Coinciding with our Japan trip in September, we are bringing Shozo Tomioka’s images from the Noto Peninsula to the gallery in May. Photographed in the 1950s, the show will feature 25 images of life in the fishing villages of Wajima and its surrounding area. Influenced by Ken Domo, a prominent Japanese photographer of the same generation, Tomioka captures the harsh yet lively and joyful lives of local people. These images are crafted with careful attention to composition and an elegant sense of geometry.

We are hoping to add a video introduction to the exhibition online in coming weeks. Curator of the show will talk about featured images as well as how the show came about in the video clip.

The opening reception is May 8th from 6 – 9pm as a part of 2nd Thursday Openings in the area. Tomioka’s two books including this body of work on the lives in the fishing villages in 1950's will be available for purchase during the show.



Related Links:
Photogaraphy Show at Project Basho
2nd Thursday Openings


Informational Session for Destination Trips on May 8th



We are hosting an informational session on May 8th, from 6-9 pm in conjunction with the opening for Tomioka’s exhibition. This event will be accompanied by sake and wine tasting from both regions sponsored by Star Cellars, a distributor of fine sake and wine in Philadelphia.

At this occasion, you will be able to talk to the trip organizers and ask more questions about each of the trips. We hope that this session will give you a better sense of our destinations and the scope of our trips.

The details for the Le Bez trip and the Kanazawa/Noto trip are published and available on our website. We are now taking reservations for these exciting photography excursions!




Related Links:
Destination Trips for Photographers
Star Cellars


Night for Emerging Photographers: Ed Dougherty and Brian Shumway

On Thursday, May 22nd, we will host our first Night for Emerging Photographers event. Ed Dougherty and Brian Shumway will be our first featured presenters.

This event is meant to provide a venue for emerging photographers to present their work in front of an audience in order to gain candid feedback and stimulate discussion. More information about the event will be posted on our website soon so please stay tuned.

We are accepting applications for NEP on an ongoing basis. If you are interested in presenting your work, please fill out the online application. If you have questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

Related Links:
Night for Emerging Photographers
NEP Online Applications


Platinum/Palladium Printing Session: Saturday, May 3, 12-5 pm

As a part of our continued effort, we are offering darkroom time for those who want to make platinum/palladium prints on Saturday May 3rd. We set up the darkroom specifically for platinum/palladium printing, and all you need are your negatives and your favorite papers for printing.

The session costs $50 and runs for 5 hours. We will provide the basic chemicals and all the equipment you need. You can also purchase some of materials such as a sensitizer kit and some selections of papers reasonably. Tsuyoshi will be there to assist participants during the session.

If you are interested, please feel free to contact us. We will be limiting the number of participants to 5-6 people to ensure a smooth printing session. If you have negatives already from your large format cameras or digitally-enlarged negatives, this is the opportunity to produce platinum/palladium prints this spring.

Related Links:
Darkroom for Alternative Process


Ilfrod ULF Order

As part of our efforts to foster a large format photography community, Project Basho is participating in ILFORD's special run of Ultra Large Format film. Once a year, ILFORD takes orders for both FP4 Plus and HP5 Plus sheet film. This is a great opportunity to order your film. ILFORD is taking orders for the following sizes:

  • 4" x 10"
  • 5" x 12"
  • 6.5" x 8.5"
  • 7" x 11"
  • 7" x 17"
  • 8" x 20"
  • 10" x 12"
  • 11" x 14"
  • 12" x 20"
  • 14" x 17"
  • 16" x 20"
  • 20" x 24"


Orders must be placed and paid in full by June 30th. The anticipated shipment date for films is the end of August or beginning of September.

Also, we will soon be carrying ILFORD 8x10 and 4x5 sheet films on a regular basis at the studio as a convenience for our large format workshop participants and those who are interested in our large format rental opportunities. For pricing and details, please contact us.

Upcoming Classes & Workshops

Fine Art B&W Printing with Chuck Kelton: One-weekend workshop May 10 & 11
This in-depth and fun weekend dedicated to the fine art of black-and- white printing is for committed photographers looking to take their printing techniques to the next level. Through discussions centered on your work, this two day hands-on darkroom intensive is designed to strengthen your understanding of materials, process, and the medium.

Project Basho
– Re-introducing Photography to Philadelphia –
1305 Germantown Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-238-0928
www.projectbasho.org/