In the glow of a red light, alchemy happens. Tongs gently agitate paper in a bath. Images begin to emerge. Faint outlines sharpening into tangible memories.
At Inside Southwest Detroit’s newly built community darkroom, participants discovered this firsthand in Alan Chin’s Darkroom 101 class, a part of his Porch On TAP residency. The 14-hour workshop taught both film development and printmaking.
Why analog photography, in a digital age?
Chin believes it offers a deeper connection to the craft. “This teaches you how light works, how chemistry works, how a sequence of events works, and how important each step in that sequence is,” he explained.
The idea of analog photography in Metro Detroit is novel in itself. "Outside of the universities and maybe some of the other schools, there are actually no public resources for analog photography in Detroit," Chin noted, emphasizing the importance of creating this community resource. “We need both the rigor of an academic program and the flexibility of a non-academic program,” he said, reflecting on the balance needed to reach a variety of learners.
“We need both the rigor of an academic program and the flexibility of a non-academic program”
The community darkroom, built with “five enlargers and an eight-foot sink,” has become a hub for creativity. For the first cohort, this meant starting with the basics: loading black-and-white film onto reels, developing negatives in chemical baths, and creating their own contact sheets.
“I cannot tell you how magical this is, to put the piece of paper into the developer and watch that initial image emerge in that liquid under the amber light.”
Trial, Error, and Transformation
“The only way to make a successful print is through a certain amount of trial and error,” Chin explained. For participants, these moments weren’t just lessons—they were transformative experiences.
The class was about more than the mechanics of photography—it was about empowerment. Many participants had no prior experience with film developing film. Chin provided pre-loaded disposable cameras to ensure everyone had access to the tools needed to begin in the darkroom. From there the photographers learned to navigate the devices and chemicals, embracing the challenges and joys of the process.
“The first Darkroom 101 cohort left with technical skills and they walked away with a deeper understanding of creativity as a process.”
Building a community darkroom isn’t without obstacles. Most of the equipment was donated, often requiring repair or adjustment. But Chin saw these moments as part of the process, teaching not only photography but resilience. The first Darkroom 101 cohort left with technical skills and they walked away with a deeper understanding of creativity as a process, one that involves experimentation, patience, and collaboration.