© Renie Haiduk

If you long for the creative ambience of classic black-and-white film and the traditional darkroom, this workshop is an opportunity to liberate your photographs from what Richard Avedon called “the tyranny of technology.” We spend the week making black-and-white portraits, working with the alchemy of light on film. Through the hands-on magic of the darkroom, we then transform our images into the unmistakably sensuous format of silver-gelatin prints. Nothing can match the mystery of bringing the captive light on film into the darkroom, watching the images slowly emerge in the developing tray, and choosing the exact moment to stop the process for maximum impact.    

For a week, we immerse ourselves in the tactile, sensory, and organic process of film and the traditional darkroom. Working with 35mm or medium format, we spend the first two days photographing in the amazing light of Santa Fe, revealing the character of our subjects in black and white without the distraction of color. We develop our own film and make contact sheets and final prints on RC paper. Daily reviews of the previous day’s work encourage participants to articulate their unique interpretations of a portrait on paper. We experience how the contact sheet serves as a memory trigger, bringing back with full clarity the thoughts, feelings, and visual gifts of the day.

Instructor(s)

Renie Haiduk has been associated with the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops for over 14 years and is currently the Workshops’ director of operations in Santa Fe and San Miguel de Allende. She has assisted and photographed alongside many of the best-known contemporary black-and-white photographers, including Keith Carter, Elizabeth Opalenik, Rodney Smith, and Joyce Tenneson.

While staying up-to-date with the latest digital advances, Renie has continued to use film capture and the darkroom to create her own natural-light, black-and-white images. Her photography is an expressive interpretation of her subject, whether it is a landscape or a loved one. Renie’s creative yet straightforward approach to environmental portraiture invites viewers to examine and ultimately recognize “self.” This is Renie’s sixth year teaching for the Workshops. Her web site is www.haidukphotography.com.

Who Should Attend:
Enthusiasts and Advanced Amateurs

What You Should Know
Knowledge of darkroom techniques and manual mode on your SLR camera

Special Notes
Participants are expected to use black-and-white negative film

Accommodations Available:
On-campus housing available. Click here for pricing information and suggestions for off-campus housing.

Meals:
Meal plan required
Breakfast available

Tuition & Fees:
Tuition: $875.00
Darkroom, Model, and Location: $145.00