Analogue Darkroom Course – Silver Gelatin Printing

The „Analogue Darkroom – Silver Gelatin Printing“ workshop with Martin Weinhold is designed for photographers interested in producing prints of the highest quality.

A core feature of this course is the collective portfolio review of the participants’ own work. The group discussion about images provides creative stimulus and shared insights that inform the practical darkroom work. This collaborative approach encourages peer learning, constructive feedback and artistic development within a supportive environment.

During the practical sessions, Martin Weinhold guides participants through each stage of the silver gelatin printing workflow:

• Enlarger work: positioning the negative, managing aperture and filters, using test strips and dodge and burn
• Chemistry & paper handling: preparing chemicals, mastering the tray process and managing tonal range
• Baryta finishing: drying and post‑processing prints to achieve optimal surface quality
• Outcome reflection: reviewing prints together, discussing technical choices and creative intentions in order to further improve printing

The workshop is hosted at the professionally equipped analogue lab of p: berlin laboratories in Berlin‑Schöneweide, with access to multiple DURST 4×5“ enlargers. Photographic paper and processing chemicals are provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own negatives to work directly on personal projects throughout the sessions.

Why Silver Gelatin Printing Remains Relevant

Silver gelatin printing remains one of the most enduring and artistically valued methods of analogue printmaking. This tactile, chemical process offers a material and expressive depth that differs from digital workflows, making it particularly relevant for contemporary artists who seek greater control, craft and conceptual engagement in their practice. The method supports creative exploration and a more nuanced relationship with light, texture and photographic expression.

Historically, silver gelatin printing evolved from early experiments in the 19th century. While the gelatin dry plate was introduced by Richard Leach Maddox in 1871, it was Peter Mawdsley who developed the first photographic paper with a gelatin emulsion in 1873, paving the way for commercial printing papers by the mid‑1880s.

At the end of the workshop, participants will leave with solid practical knowledge of analogue darkroom technique, a portfolio of handmade silver gelatin prints and fresh creative momentum. The atmosphere is professional yet supportive, providing both technical grounding and artistic inspiration.

Martin Weinhold
Vita:

Photographer Martin Weinhold works constantly in his darkroom laboratory for more than 20 years. For his documentary work he insists on using analog black and white film which he processes exclusively in his own darkroom facility in Berlin, where also his fine-art prints are manufactured.

Weinhold grew up in Berlin. Since 2006 Canada became his second home country. He studied Communication in Social and Economic Contexts at the University of the Arts in Berlin. In his degree dissertation he elaborated on theories about the individuality in portrait photography. For many years he was working as a cameraman for various German TV channels. Today he is a freelance photographer, author and instructor for visual media in Germany and Canada. He dedicated his life to documentary photography and the contextualized portrait. His largest project, WorkSpace Canada, shapes and defines his creative work now for more than 15 years.

More information about Martin Weinhold and his work can be found at:
www.martinweinhold.com
www.workspacecanadaproject.com