Lights Down in the Darkroom
In these unusual times, instructors at Western Wyoming Community College have had to adapt to changing circumstances due to the COVID pandemic, and the photography program has been no different.
When the initial move to online instruction happened during the spring 2020 semester, my Photography 1 classes suddenly shifted into digital photography classes, as we were unable to meet in person and use the darkroom. We were able to finish out the semester working on projects that were based on our individual experiences in this new way of living.
Fast forward to the fall 2020 semester in which we were able to hold lab classes with safety precautions in place and the darkroom has become quite a different place. My classes were divided in half and then assigned one of two days to use the darkroom, with instruction and lectures being moved online. The darkroom, a place I have always seen as an essential part of the photographic experience, has become a shell of what it once was. In addition to being the place where photographers learn the art and chemistry of image exposure, the darkroom is also a meeting place for new photographers to come together and share ideas and marvel at each other’s work. With pandemic protocols in place, fewer students can be in the darkroom at a time, this vibrant space has lost the constant hum of music and conversation. We are still left with a place to talk about our concepts and projects, but in a much more muted and subdued environment.
I hope that there is a return to a general sense of normalcy in the near future, and I especially look forward to the days when our darkroom comes fully back to life.
