Illford Photo: Defend The Darkroom

[SamReeves]

All I can say is good luck convincing the dean and leaders of colleges. I worked in education and the traditional process is a hard sell on the brass. Before I left the place I worked, they did get dough to renovate their darkroom. That was the good news. The bad news is that their budget was slashed and there was no money leftover to fill it with any toys.

The upshot is if you like the darkroom, be prepared to do it at home.

[Sylvester Graham]

I can't wait until ten years from now... when every other traditional manufacturer of any sort has dropped out of the game, and ilford is the only one supplying anything. Good times.

[Nate Battles]

The college I went to cut their darkroom two years ago and is stricly digital. Granted it wasn't much of a darkroom, but it's still a little sad. Good news like Tim said, you can find great deals on darkroom equipment .

[perspexart]

I received this press release today...thought it might interest some of you here...


ILFORD PHOTO ANNOUNCES UK CAMPAIGN TO ‘DEFEND THE DARKROOM’
*Leading monochrome specialist reaffirms commitment and backing for traditional photography

ILFORD PHOTO has launched a campaign to enhance the position, standing and future of the darkrooms in the United Kingdom and to safeguard associated creative techniques. Inspired by those involved in the analogue photographic industry, from manufacturers to the media, the campaign is designed to be a vehicle to establish a new future for darkroom photography.

By inspiring a new generation of darkroom users, raising the profile of darkrooms on the photo-education agenda and redefining the relationship between analogue and digital photography, ‘Defend the Darkroom’ will establish a new direction for photography. The campaign will inspire a new mindset that will unlock the latent potential of photography’s heritage to inspire a bold future of innovation, creativity and diversity.

Howard Hopwood, marketing director at ILFORD PHOTO commented:
“Interest in darkroom photography isn’t waning, but it is certainly being neglected by various parties. Our campaign is a watershed moment for the industry, designed to inspire a future of photography that reflects the coexistence of digital and darkroom technology.”

The campaign will take many forms and is essentially an ever-evolving project to bring the world of darkroom photography to the attention of the digital generation and inspire new ideas, new enthusiasm and new skills amongst a new breed of photographers.

Howard Hopwood, added:
“For too long now, darkrooms have been slipping down the agenda of educational institutions, regardless of continued support from photo-educators and those responsible for establishing the photo-education curriculum. Our campaign will highlight these problems and make the case for darkroom education.”

During the fast-paced digital revolution, digital technology has been seen by some as a replacement for analogue technology – but through this campaign ILFORD PHOTO is keen to show how the two can coexist as complimentary creative art forms.

“Darkroom photography is not standing still. It is not a relic of a bygone era. It is very much a part of the evolving world of photography. Our campaign will educate new and existing darkroom photographers about the technological developments from manufacturers that are shaping the future of darkroom

“The signature of darkroom is the physical control over the image; the art of the developing process. Skill and creativity in the darkroom is as much a part of photography as the taking of the picture,” added Howard.

Initial initiatives for the campaign include:

1. Development of a Photo Instructor Newsletter for UK educational establishments.
2. A series of ‘Darkroom’ Master Class events to promote and inspire the creative process.
3. Continuing sponsorship of Redeye, a project funded by the UK’s Arts Council which provides a travelling darkroom to enhance awareness of black and white photography to schools, colleges, local arts groups and the like.
4. Sponsorship of talented students to support and promote darkroom enthusiasts.

New initiatives will be announced on a regular basis all under the ‘Defend the Darkroom’ banner.

Already ILFORD PHOTO has invited twenty of the most highly regarded photography educators in the United Kingdom to the HARMAN technology headquarters in Mobberley, Cheshire, to highlight the campaign and learn about the latest advances in traditional photography. The event was organised by ILFORD PHOTO alongside Key Photo, the leading supplier of photographic products to education and the public sector. A key focus of the two-day tour and conference event was how the merger of darkroom and digital technologies is influencing a ‘new world’ of photography shaped by the coexistence of analogue and digital technology.

Matthew Finn, photography lecturer at Thames Valley University in the UK commented on the day:
“Since visiting HARMAN I can see they are committed to keeping black and white photography alive and it is up to me and other photo-educators across the country to also make sure it remains a widely used medium and not just a mere specialist niche interest.

“If this was to happen photography would lose an entire dimension. I support ILFORD PHOTO’s campaign to communicate the dangers of losing darkrooms, and the consequences of neglecting analogue photography.”

ILFORD PHOTO believes that analogue and digital photography should have an equal standing in the photographic arena. By lobbying for equal recognition in generic industry debate and discussion, the campaign will help analogue photography and darkroom photographers to gain the recognition they deserve.

nice thread man

thanks for the news

-----------------------------------------------------
Canvas Print
http://www.fruit-art.co.uk

[JonathanPerkins]

Just to add a bit of optimism here, my son Tom (aged 16) is just starting his A-level courses at a sixth form college (ages 16-18) in Cambridge U.K. and they have a very well equipped darkroom, including a 5x4 colour enlarger. The majority of their photography work is traditional film and darkroom, with only a little digital & photoshop.

Tom's not doing photography A-level, but still has chance via one of the "enrichment" courses to use the facilities, and they are very happy for him to use his large format camera.

This may be an isolated instance, but at least in one UK school the students are being actively encouraged to use film and develop their darkroom skills.

Jonathan

[Jan Pedersen]

I can't wait until ten years from now... when every other traditional manufacturer of any sort has dropped out of the game, and ilford is the only one supplying anything. Good times.

I hope were being sarcastic with this statement? That's a pretty singleminded way of looking at the current state of traditional print making.

[Sylvester Graham]

I hope were being sarcastic with this statement? That's a pretty singleminded way of looking at the current state of traditional print making.

Sarcastic? Yes of course, a bit. But "singleminded" as well.

Although, I have to say... we're not talking about a religion here. We're not talking about some impending doom that's going to ruin all of our lives. We're talking about the production of THINGS. Who cares if I have an open mind or not, the conclusion of this ever-stupefying argument will eventually come round through facts.

I really, REALLY, don't want to have anything to do with the digital VS. traditional argument, I doubt I can add anything new and we've all heard every part of it before. But sooner or later people need to face the facts that traditional no longer has an edge in terms of practicality when compared to digital. Aesthetic (for artists), yes. Useful to the working imaging professional, no. That doesn't mean there's no market for it, but trying to re-inflate a sagging balloon, like Ilford seems to be doing, seems like a waste of time and money when they could be downscaling and settling into a long-term niche market. Something like where letterpress printing is today.

[Don Wallace]

I was unaware that the darkroom needed defending....

Universities and colleges with fine arts programmes seem to be keeping their darkrooms, even if they trim them a little. However, technical colleges, which were larger players than the art departments, are filling dumpsters quite quickly with darkroom equipment. I bought two enlargers, both of a quality that I could not have afforded 10 years ago (De Vere and Durst) for 50 bucks each, including Schneider and Rodenstock lenses.

Oh yah, they need defending.

[paulr]

the wave of universities ditching their darkrooms strikes me as odd. academia has always embraced the cutting edge, but it's also been a great bastion of historical methods. these same art departments teach lithography and charcoal drawing and stone sculpting!

i can understand the darkrooms shrinking, and maybe becoming "alternative" workspaces for advanced students, but it's surprising to see them vanish from so many institutions.

[davidb]

The UNM photo dept seems to be influx at the moment.

Photo 1 now consists of 8 weeks of photograms and pinhole and 8 weeks of digital.

I was told this is because the kids no longer have film cameras.