Introduction

Welcome to the Negative Development Docs, a guide to analogue photography, film developing, and darkroom printing.

These guides start at the beginning and assume no prior knowledge. They also work as a reference if you already shoot film and need to check one detail.

Why this resource exists

This documentation is made possible by our physical darkroom, a community space hosted at SEESAW, Manchester.

Workshop sales and community support fund the space and the ongoing work on these guides. Our aim is to keep the knowledge and techniques of analogue photography available to anyone, wherever they are.

Where should I start?

Each section stands on its own, so you can begin wherever you are.

• New to film? Start with analogue photography.
• Develop your own film: go to film developing.
• Print in the darkroom: go to darkroom printing.

Read all three in order and they cover the full path, from loading a camera to a finished print.

What else is here?

• List of illustrations: every diagram and image in one place.
• Appendix: calculators, safety guidance, and reference material.
• Glossary: the terms used across these guides, explained.
• Documents: the process sheets we use in our own darkroom.

Use the search box at the top of any page to find a specific term or step.