Posts tagged darkroom

does bennington have a darkroom? could you take pictures of it/any photography-based room? — Asked by Anonymous

We have a traditional B&W darkroom/film processing rooms, an analog color darkroom (one of the last!), an alternative processes darkroom (bigger enlarger/tubs for mural printing, etc.), a digital “lightroom” (equipped with photoshop, scanners, and large printers), and a complete lighting studio. I’ll do a photoset early next week…check back for pics!

-Amira ‘13

Can students use the darkrooms on their own, even when not taking a photography class at that particular time? I do a fair bit of film photography, and I'd love to keep up with it in college even if I don't take a ton of photography classes. — Asked by Anonymous

Hi! I am a photo student here at Bennington. Most photography students, or even just students wanting to try some photo/keep it as a hobby, take the overall intro course called Photo Foundations in which you learn how to use the black and white darkroom. After that class, you are welcome to use the darkroom whenever you like, even if you are not enrolled in a photo course.

If you have already had extensive experience with a darkroom, it is possible to talk to Jon, our photo tech, and gain access to the darkroom that way as well. Most people do just end up taking Photo Foundations because it is also a great class in which to critique work and begin to build a body of your own work, but it is possible to skip it if you feel you have had a lot of darkroom experience.

Bennington has other photography spaces to offer (color analog, digital, historical and alternative processes, lighting studio), although these require some kind of experience in a class with a professor to use. But basically once you have taken the class, the space is yours to use. For example, I took color analog photo my sophomore year and now I am welcome to use those darkroom spaces as I wish.

A photo of our lighting studio/a class in session, taken by Briee Della Rocca

Hope this helps!

-India K, ‘12