CMA workshop focuses on film photography
July 6, 2016
COLUMBIA, SC – The Columbia Museum of Art is offering a two-day workshop that will introduce basic black and white film techniques and practices through the use of medium format (120mm) film cameras. USC photography professor Kathleen Robbins will cover topics including exposure and development, exhibition-quality darkroom printing and presentation, and scanning for digital output. Participants will explore the work of Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe in Daufuskie Memories as well as Robbins’ own work in DESCENT: Mississippi Delta Photographs, 1999-2014. Then they will try their hands at black and white photography by shooting on film, developing it in a darkroom, and creating both silver and negative prints.
“Much of my early work was accomplished in the darkroom using medium format black and white film,” says Robbins. “I still believe that photography education should begin with film, and I am excited to work in the darkroom with CMA workshop participants. There is a slower pace and a rhythm to film and darkroom photography, allowing room for contemplation and craftsmanship. The practice can be challenging and time consuming, but it’s often more rewarding than sitting in front of a computer screen.”
Robbins’ photographs have been featured in publications around the country, and her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the Southeast.
“We’re excited to offer this workshop particularly because a lot of photographers today, amateur or otherwise, don’t have access or experience working with darkrooms and manipulating photographs by hand,” says Glenna Barlow, manager of engagement at the CMA. “It offers a really great insight into the medium that goes beyond ‘point and shoot,’ and it’s the way Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe shot all the photos you see in Daufuskie Memories.”
No prior experience necessary. All materials, including use of a Holga camera, provided. Participants may bring their own medium format film cameras.
Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | $230 / $184 for members
For more information, visit columbiamuseum.org.
About the CMA
The Columbia Museum of Art is a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to lifelong learning and community enrichment for all. Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, S.C., the CMA ranks among the leading art institutions in the country and is distinguished by its innovative exhibitions and creative educational programs. At the heart of the CMA and its programs is its collection, which encompasses 7,000 works and spans 5,000 years of art history. Established in 1950, the CMA now welcomes more than 150,000 visitors annually and is a catalyst for community creativity and education, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds. It is the recipient of a National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a National Art Education Association awards for its contributions to arts education, a National Park Foundation Award, and two Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Awards for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina. To learn more, visit columbiamuseum.org.
