Teaching:
I teach a variety of workshops at different venues each year, or I offer one-to-one teaching at my darkroom in Liss, Hampshire. See below for details and links to the courses or get in touch with me direct.
Alternative and Historic processes. An Introduction.
The Kiln Photo Workshops
The Kiln Village Hall St Georges Road Badshot Lea Farnham Surrey GU9 9LY
25th August 2024
An opportunity to explore a variety of alternative and historic photographic processes, including Argyrotype Cyanotype, Lumen prints and Anthotype.
Images can be cameraless or made from digital photographs.
This workshop is for anyone who is interested in alternative or historic photographic processes and who wants to make prints with or without a camera, using techniques which need minimal equipment and facilities.
You will be introduced to a selection of methods of alternative printmaking: Argyrotype (Kallitype), Cyanotype, Lumen prints and Anthotype.
This will give dedicated workers a grounding in 'alternative process' techniques and confidence to explore more advanced methods in future.
We will cover:
The historical and artistic context
Equipment
Tools and materials
Mixing and using chemicals
Choosing, preparing and coating substrates
Using digital negatives for printing*
Controlling exposure.
All materials and equipment will be provided.
*There will be digital negatives on hand for you to experiment with.
If you want to learn how to make them yourself see the advanced alternative process workshop on 6 October.
For more details or to book a place see The Kiln's own website:
https://www.kilnphoto.co.uk/peterrennworkshops
07951 133 524
The Afghan Box Camera / Exploring paper negatives.
The Kiln Photo Workshops
The Kiln Village Hall St Georges Road Badshot Lea Farnham Surrey GU9 9LY
8th September 2024
The Afghan ‘Kamra-e-Faoree’, or 'instant camera is a traditional device used by street photographers in Afghanistan and Pakistan. An ingenious combination of camera and integral darkroom, it has been used for decades to make on-the-spot portraits using basic chemicals and paper.
This workshop is a chance to work with one of these cameras, as well as exploring the possibilities of paper negatives in a variety of other cameras.
You will be introduced to the camera before hands-on experience using it to make photographs – and/ or be photographed.
There will also be opportunities to use various other cameras of different shapes and sizes, using photographic paper to make negatives. – This is an excellent way to explore any old film photography cameras you may
have. Bring whatever you’ve got.
We will cover:
The history and cultural
background to the Afghan Box Camera
Principles and practical considerations when using paper negatives
Operating the Afghan Box Camera
Using vintage cameras with paper
Designing, hacking or repurposing cameras.
For more details or to book a place see The Kiln's own website:
https://www.kilnphoto.co.uk/peterrennworkshops
07951 133 524
Wet -plate Collodion Photography.
The Kiln Photo Workshops
The Kiln Village Hall St Georges Road Badshot Lea Farnham Surrey GU9 9LY
EXTRA DATE! 17th November 2024
This workshop is for anyone interested in early photographic processes.
This an opportunity to make original photographs on glass or metal plates, using original equipment and authentic practices.
You will be introduced to the various collodion-based processes, the camera and lenses used and the chemicals to make collodion negatives, ambrotype and tintypes.
We will spend the day making photographs: Portraits are always popular but anything is possible*.
* All materials and equipment will be provided, but dressing up is actively encouraged! Feel free to bring props, hats or entire outfits to make your pictures special if you like.
We will cover:
The significance of collodion in photographic history
Health and safety considerations,
Equipment and materials
Using a nineteenth century plate camera
Lighting and exposure
Preparation, processing and finishing of plates
Fr more details or to book a place see The Kiln's own website:
https://www.kilnphoto.co.uk/peterrennworkshops
Direct link to ticket booking:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/kilnphoto/1426020
07951 133 524
Advanced Alternative Techniques.
The Kiln Photo Workshops
The Kiln Village Hall St Georges Road Badshot Lea Farnham Surrey GU9 9LY
6th October 2024
A workshop for those interested in taking alternative & historic processes further.
We will explore Salt printing, Albumen prints, and the specialist art of making digital negatives specifically for particular processes.
You will explore a couple of early silver halide-based processes: Salt prints and Albumen.
These are more delicate and labour-intensive than cyanotype etc. and require a darkroom so this is suitable for those who have already some experience. (The introduction course on August 25 is ideal if you’ve not done anything like this before).
We will also cover the process of making and adjusting the contrast curve profile of a digital image to make an inkjet negative so it prints well on a specific material.
We will cover:
The historical context of the processes used.
Using silver nitrate solutions with organic materials to make emulsions
Health and safety considerations
Equipment and materials
Preparation, coating, exposure and processing techniques
Digital negative making
Curve-design experiments to make easy custom profiles for digital negatives.
Fr more details or to book a place see The Kiln's own website:
https://www.kilnphoto.co.uk/peterrennworkshops
07951 133 524
Alternative Photographic Printmaking.
West Dean College of Arts & Conservation
West Dean Near Chichester West Sussex PO18 0QZ
24 - 27 March 2025
This course is designed for anyone interested in 'alternative' or historic photographic processes. Making prints with or without a camera, using techniques which need a minimal outlay in equipment and facilities.
Aims: To introduce a selection of methods, give a historical and artistic context and familiarise students with the equipment, methods and practicalities involved.
Objectives: To achieve a sound knowledge of several processes:
Argyrotype (Kallitype)
Cyanotype
Lumen prints
Anthotype
- plus an understanding of how the 'alternative process' discipline works have confidence in exploring further techniques independently.
Outcomes: On completion, each student should be proficient and confident in mixing and using chemicals, preparing and coating substrates, making digital negatives for printing andcontrolling exposure.
On the first evening there will be an introductory talk, plus discussion of the potential and expectations.
On the first full day we will cover:
Safe handling and use of chemicals
Equipment, tools and materials
coating and preparation methods
Making digital negatives
On the second full day we will work with materials prepared the day before, making both cameraless "photogenic drawings" and printing from digital negatives.
There will be opportunities for making more negatives, preparing extra material etc.
For more details or to book a place see West Dean College's own website:
https://www.westdean.ac.uk/short-courses/s3d32966-alternative-photographic-printmaking
Pinhole Photography.
West Dean College of Arts & Conservation
West Dean Near Chichester West Sussex PO18 0QZ
7 - 9 May 2025
Needing no lens, pinhole cameras are easy to make and endlessly fascinating to use.
A practical workshop making all kinds of cameras from simple tiny ones to multi-image experimental designs.
This course is for anyone interested in photography, especially experimental and low-tech approaches.
Learn about the principle of the pinhole image, and how camera designs affect the photographs made.
Build a number of working pinhole cameras from everyday materials (supplied).
Work with the cameras you make, shooting pictures and processing them.
On completion, you will understand how a pinhole camera works, have practical experience of camera design and building, as well as processing and converting images.
On the first evening there will be an introductory talk, plus discussion of the potential and expectations.
On the first full day you will learn about: How a pinhole image is formed, practical considerations when designing cameras and techniques of camera building.
You will design and construct your own cameras before testing them with light-sensitive paper (supplied)
On the following day you will have the opportunity to explore more experimental designs and explore variations, making more cameras and/or making more pictures.
For more details or to book a place see West Dean College's own website:
Wet-plate Collodion Photography.
West Dean College of Arts & Conservation
West Dean Near Chichester West Sussex PO18 0QZ
21 - 24 August 2025
This course is for anyone interested in early photographic processes. Whether you are a photographer looking to expand your practice into wet-plate photography or you have a purely academic interest in how photographs were made in the mid-nineteenth century, this is an opportunity to make authentic photographs on glass or metal plates, using original equipment and authentic practices.
You will explore Frederick Scott Archer's Wet Collodion Process of 1851 by practical means: making photographs from first principles. As well as the historical context, the contemporary upsurge in interest in the collodion process is covered.
Through this the aim is to achieve a sound knowledge of the processes of preparation, exposure and processing of wet collodion photographs.
You will acquire confidence in using all materials and processes involved and to have an understanding of the requirements for equipment (cameras, lenses, darkroom equipment, etc.).
On completion, you should be proficient and confident in: using a large format plate camera; preparing and coating plates; processing images and preserving; mounting and displaying finished photographs.
Naturally, everyone gets to keep everything they have made.
On the first evening, there will be an introductory talk, covering historical context, potential and expectations.
On the first full day, we will cover:
Safe handling and use of chemicals and materials
Using a nineteenth century plate camera*
Exposure measurement and control
Preparation of plates
Processing images
On the second full day, we will continue working with the cameras, with everyone having an opportunity to make photographs. We will work both inside and outside (weather permitting), using the unique environment of the college and its grounds as much as possible.
* This course is described as Intermediate/Advanced as some prior knowledge of film-based photography is desirable. However, it is not essential.
Please note: Due to the potential hazards of using some of the chemicals involved, for health and safety reasons some processes may be carried out solely by the tutor, for you to observe. It will also be essential that a PPE dust mask, eye protection and gloves are worn for aspects of this course.
For more details or to book a place see West Dean College's own website:
https://www.westdean.ac.uk/short-courses/photography
Book a custom-designed workshop.
Liss, Hampshire - or your own venue
With 25 years of teaching experience, I've seen the rise of digital imaging, the fading - and then re-birth of 'analogue' (film based) photography and the steady increase in interest in historic, alternative and experimental processes. I've put together a series of workshops which can be tailored to groups of different ages and abilities.
I teach workshops for groups, academic institutions or individuals.
Contact me for more information or to discuss requirements.
Click on the images opposite for more details.