Photo Class:

October 3, 2012


A couple month's ago I took a black & white photography class at Irvine Fine Arts Center. You really gotta love Orange County & give props to Irvine in particular for having a place like this. They're all about the arts. There's not a lot of stuff available like this in Orange County so I think it's pretty cool they value old school arts like photography & letterpress. They have a full darkroom set up. They also offer printmaking & letterpress classes (they have a legit letterpress studio as well) and lots of other fun stuff. 

Anyway, I was on yearbook in junior high and we developed all our pics for the yearbook. (wow, those were the good old days!) I also remember developing a lot of photos of this guy I had a huge crush on. My friends took my camera on a church trip we all went on and took a bunch of photos of him. (I was way to shy to even talk to him let alone take a photo of him!) Yea, looking back, that was probably really creepy that I developed photos of him, haha. My high school also had a darkroom but I didn't do much developing. Definitely did not appreciate it by then, seeing how digital was coming in and that was the latest and greatest.

All the chemicals! Developer. Stopper. Fixer :)

All the contact sheets getting washed above!

I kind of snuck in this class because it was a summer teen class. But when I emailed the teacher asking if they'd possibly open an adult one, he told me to just sign up and mark my age as a teen. so I did it. I really wanted to take it! I definitely didn't pass as a teen (when I walked in, the teacher asked me if I was a parent! yikes. lol) but it was funny being surrounded by these really young people! It seems like so long ago that I was once so little like that! (well most were taller than me, but they had such young faces)



Prints developed!

I totally recommend taking this kind of class to everyone - it is so cool to see the process and it is so fun to watch your print develop right before your eyes. Better than a polaroid ;) If you're interested in taking the class, I suggest emailing them and asking for them to start a black&white photography class for adults! I am sure they would if enough people showed interest. If you're not in OC, try looking at your local community colleges for classes and darkrooms. If you're familiar with developing photos, I'd even look into high schools to see if you can rent the darkroom out or something. 

18 hello's:

  1. How fun! My first SLR camera was film but I never got to develop my own film. I wish I could have, I don't have time now to do it not with everything else I have going on in my life. It's fun to see others still enjoy it, it's not going away anytime soon. This post really shows a lot about your fun personality.

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  2. I really want to take a photo class! Sounds so fun!

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  3. Nothing beats print. I love knowing I have one shot to get a photo right. I'm so spoiled by digital!

    PS... you have such a great eye. What a fantastic and beautiful post.

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  4. this looks amazing! I really wanted to take photography classes in sixth form but I ended up going somewhere that didn't offer them
    http://ahandfulofhope.blogspot.co.uk/

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  5. I love this so much! I've been saying for year I want to take a film class at the community college here. I took photo in HS and college and MISS it! Developing your own film so fun and kinda therauputic. Someday I'd LOVE to have my own darkroom. Anyways, good for you for doing this!

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  6. Hehe, that sounds like something I would do! The class looks like so much fun. I've always wanted to learn more about analogue photography.

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  7. LOL... thanks for sharing such a cute funny story. I was at work staring at the excel spreadsheet all day. My coworker probably thought I was crazy laughing by myself.
    The class sounds like fun and I would love to take one. Great photos as always Danni.

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  8. love this post!!

    especially the part where you mentioned that most of the students were taller than you haha

    i wish i took pictures, while taking a film class!! it looks so serene and relaxing!

    i'll probably take one just for fun, rather than trying to get a good grade. miss you!

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  9. aww this made me miss my photo 101 class when i was in college (waiting to get in to the nursing program)... that's when I fell in love with photography. such a fun class.

    i remember seeing about this irvine class. thanks for posting this! i should look in to it.

    gotta love OC

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  10. YAHOO! Your photos are brilliant! What camera did you use to take them? I love old school clunk-click darkroom photography too - I am always lamenting that they are not more readily available. Really enjoyed taking photography class at college and developing my prints in the darkroom - MAGIC! :)

    I since have treated myself to a digital SLR, but still use my films cameras, my favourite is my Lubitel twin lens reflex. I wrote a guest post about my love for it, you can have a peek here if you wish :)

    http://happyhangaround.com/2012/07/25/guest-post-my-favorite-camera-lubitel-166-universal/

    Keep up the great snap work! Katie. XXX

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  11. This sounds so fun! I love the prints you made.

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  12. I was constantly in the darkroom in high school and your photos bring back a ton of memories! Developing film, making contact sheets, smelling like fixer all day. And waiting forever to see how my photos turned out!! So different from digital photography...

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  13. I took a class like this in college and loved it! I wish there were more dark rooms available for use, but these days, it's a dying art form which makes me so sad. The minute I saw that pic of the thermometer in the solution (or is it water?) it made me so nostalgic. :) thanks for sharing.

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  14. ooh it looks like you had fun Danni! I took a photography class in college that was all old school with a dark room and everything too! it was a TON of work but it was so fun so see all your photos develop like yours :)

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  15. I wish there were more dark rooms available for use, but these days, it's a dying art form which makes me happy I love business cards too =) Free Business Cards

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  16. Where is "The evolution of the camera" poster from?! I would love to purchase it!!

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  17. How fun. We are super lucky to have a Photography center up here for classes. I remember my ex taking photo classes At his cc. Wish I would have signed up.

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  18. Thank you for your article,My problem has been resolved.

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Friends, Thank you so much for reading + supporting my blog, and for taking the time to leave me a comment. Your comment support truly means so much to me. Have a lovely day! xo, danni