[elearning] Photography darkrooms v Mac lab

[Arnott, Suzanne S]

Hi Blaise,

Darkroom photography is another art form. For those of us who have witnessed the wonder of making something appear in the darkroom it will always be special, and something that can not be replaced by digital means. In fact there are many ways they can complement each other perfectly.

I taught in a wet darkroom for over 20 years... and although I love my digital side of photography as well, nothing matches it.
Yes many schools are shutting down their darkrooms because of cost, and using the space for other things, only to find that niche area again a few years later, and have to make do in a broom closet with poor ventilation etc.

My personal opinion is to find another space for the Macs, and enjoy the analogue as well as the digital forms of the medium. There is always the super duper big macbook a few of those on a trolley you could take the lab anywhere :)

cheers
Suz

PS - my last school had a wet darkroom planned in the new Arts wing, but got rid of it not long after I left (from the plans, they haven't started the building yet).... although there are still arts people annoyed that no one was consulted. I did have students changing schools to do VCE Studio Art in black and white photography
My current school has a excellent wet darkrooms set up on at least 2 campuses, and it is still really positive and strong...

Suzanne Arnott
eLearning Leader
Sandringham College
Holloway Rd
Sandringham, 3191



-----Original Message-----
From: elearning-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Northey, Blaise J
Sent: Fri 21/08/2009 1:20 PM
To: elearning at edulists.com.au
Subject: [elearning] Photography darkrooms v Mac lab
 
Hello all,

 

I am in the process of finalising purchases for next year and I have hit
a technological impasse with the art department.  I see their current
darkroom as being the ideal space to put in high-performing Macs.
Needless to say the art department still want to keep the darkroom as
the curriculum is set up for it.  I did some informal research and it
indicated that darkrooms are becoming more and more obsolete.

 

I am hoping that someone out there will have experienced the shift from
darkroom to digital and could enlighten me (pun not intended) of how
they went about convincing the teachers to take the leap.  I would also
be open to persuasion if someone has any compelling opinions as to if I
should keep a darkroom.  I have entertained making a much smaller room
as well as having a computer room.

 

Thanking you in advance,

 

Blaise Northey

IT Manager / eLearning and Pedagogy

Patterson River Secondary College

ph 8770 6700

fax 9786 9810

northey.blaise.j at edumail.vic.gov.au

 


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