Film Photography Workshop – $575

Get to know the film medium with our talented staff photographer, Dave Waddell, in beautiful Midcoast Maine.

Instructor Bio

Read an interview with Dave here.

Dave Waddell is a professional photographer with over 14 years of experience photographing a diverse and varied set of subjects and is the staff photographer at Down East. In 2017, he moved from Philadelphia with his wife and two children and settled into a new home in midcoast Maine, where they have spent the last five years falling head over heels in love with the people and landscape of this incredible state. For Dave, photography is a means for a deeper immersion in the surrounding environment and a way to connect with and learn more about others, their interests and motivations. In addition to photography, Dave loves to spend time with family and friends, play guitar, and spend as much time as possible outdoors hiking, biking, kayaking, and snowboarding.

Film Photography Workshop Description

Explore Maine with Down East Staff Photographer Dave Waddell in our first ever film photography workshop.  There’s a vast array of reasons and benefits for incorporating film into your photographic workflow either professionally or recreationally.  We’ll discuss basic camera mechanics and operation, loading/unloading of film, focusing, ISO and exposure settings, cleaning, maintenance and care, editing of film scans, archiving and more.  While out on location shooting we’ll work on general compositional instruction that you’d find in most photo workshops paired with how to meter a particular scene while shooting film and the ways in which it differs from shooting and metering digitally.  We’ll discuss the benefits of developing a relationship with a professional photo lab and also options available for those interested in home developing, scanning and printing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lot of experience or expensive gear to take this workshop?

No. You can make great images right away with simple equipment, and that’s what this workshops aim to teach you. If you are just starting out and have a new camera you want to learn, this is for you, too. If you are a seasoned veteran who doesn’t need much help, just wants to go to great locations and have fun with like-minded individuals, well, this is for you, as well! You will need a basic 35mm or medium format camera, but you don’t need a lot of fancy gear. I’ve put together a list of recommended accessories.

What camera equipment do you recommend I bring?

• Basic 35mm or medium format camera
• Any film camera is great. 35mm or medium format. One important note, whatever camera you choose to bring should be one that you know works…ideally one that you have already run at least one test roll of film through and have confirmed everything functions properly. There are few things more frustrating than burning through a bunch of expensive rolls of film to find out your frames weren’t advancing or your shutter is stuck.
• Appropriate film for the camera you bring
• 35mm or 120. We recommend bringing 5-10 rolls along, but please bring more if you know you’re a heavy shooter. Prior to the workshop, we will send out a brief outline of commercially available film stocks to attendees that describe each films different characteristics and ideal uses so everyone can bring along some film stocks you are interested in experimenting with.
• External handheld light meter (working in-camera meter would be fine also)
• A handheld light meter provides the most manual control and accuracy for metering light while shooting film, if you have one, we recommend bringing it however it is not a requirement.  If you don’t bring a hand held meter, just make sure that your camera has a functional and accurate built in meter.
• Circular polarizing filter
• Waterproof camera bag

What about transportation?

Participants are responsible for their own transportation.

What about lodging?

Maine is a popular place and many hotels and B&B’s fill up fast. We ask that you stay close to our predetermined morning meet-up location.

What happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate?

Bad weather is good weather to landscape photographers. If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes. There are many idioms that apply to the weather, and if you don’t already know, following the weather is one of our favorite things to do! Dave’s been running workshops for years now, and he can honestly say that there hasn’t been a single day where we haven’t enjoyed being out photographing, even in the rain. Please keep an open mind when it comes to your expectations about what “good conditions” are. We want to teach you how to shoot in all conditions!

What should I wear?

The most recommended piece of gear is a pair of sturdy shoes. We walk across the hard and angular rocks in many of these locations, so hiking shoes are very helpful. We also like to layer, which usually means a base layer of synthetic, fast-wicking material, a warm fleece or soft shell, and a down jacket for cool mornings. Other suggested items are found below.

• Sunscreen
• Waterproof outerwear
• Wool socks
• Gloves
• Two hats, one for warmth, the other for sun protection
• Rubber boots (not absolutely necessary, but there may be mud or wading in some locations)
• Headlamp

Should I be concerned about ticks?

Yes. All outdoor activities in New England carry the risk of picking up these nasty hitchhikers. Please use bug repellent that you can apply to your skin, or even better, permethrin, which you apply to clothes you plan on wearing in the field. Also, give yourself an extensive review when you get home at night to check for ticks.

What does my tuition cover?

The price of the workshop includes all fieldwork, group instruction, and individual tutoring. It does not include travel insurance, meals other than what has been specified, transportation, and lodging.

Cancellations

The payment is 50% refundable in the event you have to cancel, as long as the cancellation is made 21 days before the trip. After that time, your payment is non-refundable. Alternately, 100% of your payment will be refunded if a replacement can be found prior to the trip.

This workshop needs a minimum of two participants. In the event the minimum is not met, we may cancel or offer to move you to a different workshop.

COVID-19 Info

Please refer to the CDC website for the latest guidance on COVID-19 and travel.