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The Black & White Photography Course Syllabus
& Requirements

The Film Camera

You will need a film camera (e.g. 35mm) that has manual focus, manual metering and manual adjustments for both aperture and shutter speed.

This need not be an expensive 'state of the art' camera, in fact most of the older models will do fine. These can be obtained at a very reasonable cost from used camera dealers and are ideal for the beginner. Most (but not all) new cameras can also be used if they have a manual or 'creative' setting.

You will need a lens, either the standard 50mm lens that comes with the older cameras or the short zoom lens that comes on newer cameras.

The lens must be able to be adjusted for both focusing manually and adjustment of the aperture (the numbers on the lens 4, 5.6, 8, 11 etc)

Don't worry about what they all mean now, it's all explained early in the course.

Darkroom Equipment

All the darkroom equipment you require, such as an enlarger for this course is explained in great detail early in the course. You will need a room that you can effectively block ALL light from entering while you are printing. Most bathrooms can be temporarily converted into a darkroom when required.

Don't worry about the extra equipment now, with no time limit for the course, you can buy it when you need it.

Film

Ask for ISO/ASA 125 film or similar, it can be used in 90% of situations, is very sharp and ideal for the beginner. Faster and slower films are fully explained with examples during the course as to uses.

Black and White film also needs coloured filters to bring out the best in it. These are explained early in the course, so don't worry about them now.

 

Module 1: Black & White Basics

Course Outline

Lesson 1 Shooting in Black & White

  1. Introduction
  2. Shooting in Black and White
  3. Seeing in Black and White

Lesson 1 (cont)

  1. Using Lighting Contrast
  2. High Key/Low Key
  3. Patterns and Textures

Lesson 2 Filters

  1. Contrast Filters

Lesson 3 Part 1 Film

  1. Black and White Film
  2. Panchromatic Film
  3. Chromogenic Film
  4. Infrared Film
  5. Monochrome Slide Film

 

 

Module 2: Film Processing

Lesson 4 Equipment

  1. Introduction
  2. Equipment

Lesson 5: Chemicals

  1. Chemicals
  2. Preparing the Chemicals

Lesson 5: (cont)

  1. Developer
  2. Fixer
  3. Stop Bath
  4. Wetting Agent
  5. Precautions with Chemicals

Lesson 6: Developing Film

  1. The developing procedure
  2. Loading the Film
  3. Processing the film
  4. Push Processing

 

 

Module 3: Print Processing

Lesson 7 The Darkroom

  1. The Dark Room
  2. The Permanent Darkroom

Lesson 8: Darkroom Equipment

  1. Basic Darkroom Equipment
  2. The Enlarger
  3. Developing trays
  4. Tray heater
  5. The Printing Easel
  6. The Safe Light
  7. Timers
  8. Thermometers
  9. Tongs
  10. Focusing Tool

Lesson 9: Black & White Materials

  1. Black and White Paper
  2. Resin Coated Paper
  3. Fibre Based Paper
  4. Paper Grade
  5. Paper finishes
  6. Printing Chemicals
  7. Developer
  8. Stop Bath
  9. Fixer

Lesson 10 The Contact Sheet

  1. The Contact Sheet
  2. Using the Enlarger

Lesson 11 The Test Print

  1. Test Printing

Lesson 12: Printing

  1. The Basic Print
  2. Making the Grade
  3. Burning and Dodging
  4. Burning In
  5. Dodging
  6. Using the Aperture
  7. The Final Print

Lesson 13 Developing the Print

  1. Developing the Print
  2. Washing the Print
  3. Drying

Lesson 14: Toning

  1. Introducing Color
  2. Toning
  3. The Toning procedure
  4. Materials
  5. Mixing the Chemicals
  6. Preparing the Print
  7. Toning the Print
  8. Split Toning
  9. Partial Toning

Lesson 15

  1. Hand Colouring Black and White
  2. Black and White Retouching Dyes
  3. Color retouching Dyes
  4. Other Alternatives

Projects

  1. Practical
  2. Theory
  3. Summary

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