*WAIT-LIST* - Methods in Alternative Process I - Fall 2024

- COURSE IS FULL - To be added to the wait-list, click register and proceed through check-out. You will be asked to provide contact/billing information but will not be required to enter any payment information.

There are more options available to photographers today than ever before. Today, we can blend modern day techniques and a rich history of methods, mediums, and processes in ways that were often not easily accessible to photographers. There has also been a resurgence in the interest of the more traditional and alternative processes, as photographers and artists look to reintroduce their subtle hand into the creation of their work in ways that differ from our modern approaches to photography and the printed artifact.

Methods in Alternative Process I is a foundational course designed to develop the basic skills necessary to create, edit and maintain digital negatives used in traditional contact printing, alternative processes, and mixed media. The course is designed to provide students with the tools and techniques used in Adobe Photoshop to create suitable black and white images that can be used in the creation of the traditional and alt processed print.

To ensure that students can apply the skills necessary to be successful in future courses, Methods in Alternative Process I focuses primarily on the required digital skills and techniques students will need to successfully create the adjustment curves, images, and workflows necessary for printing digital negatives. These skills will then be applied to learning contact printing with traditional silver gelatin papers. In the next course, Methods in Alternative Process II, students will take the skills and techniques developed in this course and apply them to a variety of alternative processing methods.

While you need a basic understanding of Photoshop/Lightroom to create black and white images, the course has been designed to get you into the darkroom as quickly as possible. Over the 10-weeks of the class, we will cover the basics of digital negatives and how they can be used to print nearly any historical process.

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR STUDENTS

• Students must have proficient working knowledge of black and white darkroom procedures (required), and familiarity with basic digital image editing is helpful, equivalent to the skills gained in Photography II: Black & White and Photoshop Basics, to join this class.
• Weekly attendance is vital to student success in PCNW courses. We require that students attend the first meeting in order to retain their spot in the class. A waiver may be granted if permission is given by, and subsequent arrangements made with, both the PCNW Registrar and Faculty. Please see our Education Policies for details about attendance policies and academic expectations.
• Intermediate and advanced courses have prerequisites which students must satisfy prior to enrollment. Prerequisites may be waived based on experience or prior courses taken through other institutions. To verify that you meet the prerequisite(s) for a course, contact Jennifer Brendicke, Registrar at jbrendicke@pcnw.org.
• PCNW adheres to a strict payment, cancellation and refund policy.Please review our Payment & Refund Policies prior to registration.
• The Materials Fee for the course includes materials used for demonstrations and other costs associated with in-class use of the digital lab and darkroom. Students will be required to purchase additional digital printing materials and silver gelatin paper to complete assignments for the course.
• Additional materials and supplies, not covered by a materials fee for a course, are the responsibility of the student. Detailed information about course expectations, required texts and materials will be provided at the start of the quarter. Th cost of individual materials/supplies and rental fees required for completing assignments for this course will vary depending on student preferences.
• Students should prepare to spend several hours per week completing assignments outside of class, which may require use of the PCNW facilities; view our Rental Rates for details about additional fees. Rental fees for use of PCNW Facilities are a separate cost from tuition.

Image © Carlo Bellabara, PCNW Student