Black & White Film Development Workshop — From Film Choice to Contact Print

Experience the craft behind street photography in its most timeless form with this hands‑on film development and darkroom workshop led by film photographer Brendan Comey. Designed to complement the energy of the Dublin Street Photography Festival, this session invites participants to build on their festival shooting by transforming an exposed roll of film into a set of finished negatives and a contact print at Photo Museum Ireland’s members Darkroom.

Black‑and‑white film has long been central to street photography because of its ability to strip a scene back to light, gesture, atmosphere, and form. Its subtle grain, natural contrast, and wide exposure latitude give street images a sense of immediacy and mood that can be difficult to emulate digitally. The slower, more deliberate nature of film encourages street photographers to observe more carefully and respond more intentionally — qualities that often lead to stronger, more meaningful frames. This workshop is an opportunity to see how those creative decisions on the street translate into the darkroom.

The session begins with an introduction to the materials behind black‑and‑white film photography: how film stocks interpret light, how developers shape tone and texture, and why these choices matter for street work where lighting can shift quickly and unpredictably. Participants will see how the film they shot during the festival — in varied lighting, busy environments, and spontaneous moments — interacts with different development approaches.

You will then be guided step‑by‑step through the full development process: loading reels, controlling time and temperature, managing agitation, and reviewing your negatives as they emerge from the tank. Seeing images appear for the first time is often a highlight — every frame becomes a tangible record of the moments you captured on the street.

The workshop continues with archival handling, where participants will cut, sleeve, and safely store their negatives, learning best practices for maintaining a long‑term personal archive. Good negative care is essential for street photographers, whose work often spans years of shooting and relies on the preservation of subtle details.

Finally, the session moves to contact printing, where you will create a contact sheet from your freshly developed roll. This process is especially valuable for street photographers: it allows you to evaluate rhythm, pacing, repeated motifs, lucky moments, and the overall visual flow of your shooting from the festival. A well‑made contact print reveals patterns you might otherwise miss and provides a strong foundation for selecting frames for further printing, scanning, or exhibition.

By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with:

• A fully developed roll of festival‑shot black‑and‑white negatives
• A properly sleeved set of archival‑ready strips
• A hand‑printed contact sheet
• A deeper understanding of how light, timing, and material choices shape street images
• The confidence to continue processing film independently

All materials — chemistry, paper, equipment — are provided. Participants simply bring 1–2 rolls of exposed B&W film, ideally shot during DSPF or on the accompanying Ireland Analog/PMI photowalk.

This workshop offers a welcoming, supportive environment for photographers of all skill levels. Whether you captured candid gestures in Temple Bar, graphic light on side streets, conversations in markets, or the festival atmosphere itself, this session is an opportunity to see your street images come alive in the darkroom — the place where analogue photography reveals its full expressive potential.

Host
Brendan Comey — Film photographer and darkroom printer with extensive experience helping photographers understand analogue processes and achieve expressive results in the Darkroom.

Course Cancellation & Rescheduling Policy