Black-and-White Film Photography II

Elevate your analog practice in this intermediate course designed to refine your technical expertise and artistic voice. You will move beyond the basics of development to explore the sophisticated relationship between film exposure, chemistry, and the final print. Through intensive darkroom sessions and advanced lectures, you will gain the tools, new techniques, and experiment with new materials, to transform your technical choices into a cohesive personal style.

Course Structure

• Duration: 24 instructional hours.
• The Journey: A progression from foundational mechanics to advanced chemical control and thematic sequencing, culminating in a group critique.
• Skill level: Intermediate.

Prerequisites: Students must be comfortable operating a manual film camera (ISO, aperture, shutter speed) and have prior experience processing their own film in a darkroom. Experienced photographers without darkroom experience should take Black-and-White Film Photography: From Camera to Darkroom first.

Students of this course also receive: 10 additional hours of lab time to complete class and personal projects, free entry to the museum, discounts at the ICP Café and ICP Bookshop, use of ICP’s extensive research library, and a lifelong connection to New York's most vibrant photography community.

What will you learn?

• Technical: Advanced film development techniques, including pushing and pulling film, developer selection, and strategies for grain and contrast control.
• Darkroom craft: Transition from RC to fiber-based paper, becoming proficient with specialized chemistry, print washing, flattening, and professional spotting techniques.
• Visual language: How to photograph with intention, find your visual style, and begin using image sequencing to build a narrative or thematic body of work.

How will you learn?

• Hands-on practice: Approximately two-thirds of class time is dedicated to active darkroom work, where you will refine your printing techniques and experiment with new materials.
• Expert instruction: Weekly slide lectures and discussions covering composition, form, and subject matter are aimed at guiding your aesthetic growth.
• Applied assignments: Specific creative prompts, such as environmental portraits or self-portraits, help you communicate visually without relying on text.
• Collaborative critique: Regular peer reviews focusing on portfolio development, editing, and the current state of your technical skills.

What are the course outcomes for you?

• Process fluency: Achieve total comfort with advanced analog workflows, from handling metal reels to managing complex fiber-print chemistry.
• Aesthetic maturity: Understand how your technical and visual choices influence the meaning of your images, helping you move from single shots to sequenced stories.
• Portfolio development: Create a series of high-quality fiber prints that demonstrate clear personal vision and professional-level finishing.

Who should attend?

• Black-and-White Film Photography I graduates: Students ready to move beyond the introductory curriculum into self-directed projects and advanced materials.
• Darkroom enthusiasts: Photographers with basic darkroom knowledge who want to excel at fiber-based printing and advanced chemical processes.
• Visual storytellers: Artists looking to refine their personal vision and begin to sequence images for exhibition or publication.

Course Level / Prerequisite: Intermediate: You are familiar with a camera, whether film or digital. You understand aperture, shutter speed, exposure, white balance, histograms, and how to control focus. You are comfortable editing and processing your images. You may want to learn how to utilize your camera in a more thoughtful and articulate way, or learn more about lighting or how to utilize theoretical concepts in relation to your portfolio of work.

Students are encouraged to review ICP's Classroom Disclaimer for current information regarding COVID-19 policies, classroom guidelines, and more. These policies are subject to change at anytime.

Courses are subject to minimum enrollment. Please register early, within five days of the start-date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation and to ensure you receive all course-related materials in time to prepare for class. Registration for this course will close one day prior to the start date of the course.

Fee Breakdown