Keeping Traditional Photography Alive

This year, my students were continually fascinated by some old cameras I have around the room and it sparked conversations about traditional photography, darkrooms, and experimental photography. With the help of our afterschool coordinator and Precision Camera, we were able to bring traditional photography into our school for the first time!

We studied the work of artist and photographer Man Ray and his rayographs also known as photograms. Students selected their own objects to lay on top of photo paper and we developed them in a darkroom the students helped create. When the light on our enlarger broke, students came up with the idea of using a flashlight app on their phones. After some trial and error, we finally figured out the timing and produced some great prints!

Another student who took great interest in using a manual camera, took a roll of 400 ASA black and white film. She used my Minolta XD-11 1970's camera with a Tokina lense. We had a contact sheet printed and negatives developed by Precision Camera as well and two of her prints won medals at the Junior Visual Art Scholastic Event earlier this month!

I hope I can continue this project next year and for years to come!