John Whitmore Open Gallery Day - Coventry

[stevelmx5]

Hi all,

I haven’t been posting on here a lot lately, mainly because the Wi-Fi signal in the Chroma Towers (garage) workshop is a bit patchy! John Whitmore @thedarkshed got in touch with me yesterday about an open gallery event he’s running on Saturday 15th June at his house in Coventry.

https://johnwhitmorephotography.co.uk/2019/01/warwickshire-open-studios-2019/

For once, I’m actually able to make it along to something so I said I’d post on here too in case anyone else fancies coming along to an impromptu film meet? John has promised that, weather permitting, there will be a BBQ on so I was in before he also said that, as well as displaying his recent work in his newly emptied Garage Gallery, he will also be running some printing demonstrations in the DarkShed.

If anyone is interested, let John know so he can prepare for it.

Cheers
Steve

 

[thedarkshed]

Thanks Steve! All welcome to come along for a bit of a film meet up, the BBQ/film party bit will start from 3pm (until late). Let me know if you're coming and i'll add some extra sausages/burgers to the shopping basket.
Oh and if you've not done any darkroom printing before, please bring some negatives along and we'll get them in the enlarger so you can have a go!

I'm also opening up every Fri, Sat, Sun between 15-30th June if you can't make 15th, would be great to meet you all at some point.

 

[RaglanSurf]

I’d like to come along to this but can’t commit yet because of work. I’ll know nearer the time.

 

[ChrisR]

In the diary for me! I've been to John's darkshed a couple of times, and it's certainly something worth seeing...

 

[thedarkshed]

I’d like to come along to this but can’t commit yet because of work. I’ll know nearer the time.

No problems Nick, just let me know if you can... fingers crossed.

In the diary for me! I've been to John's darkshed a couple of times, and it's certainly something worth seeing...

Excellent. You bringing that negative again to do a fibre print this time?

 

[ChrisR]

Excellent. You bringing that negative again to do a fibre print this time?

That could be interesting. I was wondering about the low key Warwick night shot from last month's FPOTY though, which @Harlequin565 made 3 prints of for me...

(PS, what's a fibre print???)

 

[Harlequin565]

(PS, what's a fibre print???)

Guessing it's a print on fibre paper. There's a bit more faff to it and it's a matt print (unless I'm mistaken).
ShootFilmLikeABoss did a video on it a while ago.

 

[StephenM]

The print is made on a fibre base without a resin coating. The resin coating keeps the chemicals out of the base, so they don't need to be washed out - which takes a lot longer than RC papers.

As to the surface texture, they used to be available in matt, satin and glossy; glossy paper could be subsequently glazed to give the same effect that RC paper naturally has. I don't know if all surfaces are still available though.

When I started, papers could be single, double or (I think) triple weight; base colours white, cream or ivory; and surface matt, silk, satin or glossy. Probably other variants as well.

 

[ChrisR]

I went to this yesterday, met our @stevelmx5 and a few other interesting film shooters including Hamish Gill, Simon from the Classic Lens podcast, 2/3 of the Sunny 16 podcast, and a few others. John @thedarkshed and his OH weren't able to fire up the barbie because of the torrential rain, but coped magnificently cooking oodles of stuff inside. There was a table crammed full of old cameras that looked somewhat reminiscent of a TPFC film meet! John kept disappearing with groups of people into his huge Dark Shed, and helping them make a wet print from one of their negatives. I gather the last folk left after midnight! I got a bit knackered and had to leave quite a bit earlier than that, but it was very enjoyable. Thank you John!

 

[stevelmx5]

As per Chris’s post. It was an awesome day and I now officially want my own darkroom :0)



I shot this photo about 5 years ago and it’s been one of my favourites. Having now printed it, it’s on a whole different level.

I’ve just edited and uploaded a selection of photos from inside the Dark Shed. I know there were a few people shooting film in and around the house/garden so it will be good to see their photos too.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/504j4jayg9q3y78/AACZZjl6ncwHvr4im0XZJm4ma?dl=0

As per the messages on Twitter, thanks again John @thedarkshed and I’m looking forward to the slightly random Sunny16 podcast this week that was recorded inside the shed whilst printing :0)

 

[thedarkshed]

Thanks for coming guys! It was such a manic day I felt like a didn't get much chance to chat to people but the huge interested in demonstrations and people printing for the first time was well worth it. I really hope that the Sunny16 episode is edited...or maybe hearing the chat/thoughts of what goes on in a darkroom might be entertaining and (a little) informative!

That's a superb photo @stevelmx5 - not sure what happened with the image size, I clearly failed to set the easel up correctly in the rush!