Street Level Photoworks

pjm1 · 20 Dec 2014

Anyone in Scotland used this place? It's a gallery in Glasgow but with the benefit of a full darkroom, developing and digital facilities which members can use for pretty minimal costs (£6 per day for darkroom, £4 for the digital scanner for half a day for example). I'm thinking this might be a good intro to getting into chemicals... and the fact they have their own X5 which you can rent time on by the hour means getting decent scans should be cost effective.

The only downside is in order to use the facilities you have to become a member (at £70 a year) but I'm guessing it could easily be worthwhile, quite possibly just for the use of the X5. They also run tuition courses which seem ok value (£100 for two full days) covering darkroom, processing etc.

skysh4rk · 20 Dec 2014

pjm1 said:
Anyone in Scotland used this place? It's a gallery in Glasgow but with the benefit of a full darkroom, developing and digital facilities which members can use for pretty minimal costs (£6 per day for darkroom, £4 for the digital scanner for half a day for example). I'm thinking this might be a good intro to getting into chemicals... and the fact they have their own X5 which you can rent time on by the hour means getting decent scans should be cost effective.

The only downside is in order to use the facilities you have to become a member (at £70 a year) but I'm guessing it could easily be worthwhile, quite possibly just for the use of the X5. They also run tuition courses which seem ok value (£100 for two full days) covering darkroom, processing etc.

I've popped in to enquire about the facilities and I've thought about getting a membership, but I'll probably wait until I finish my PhD in the upcoming year. As it stands, I just don't have the time between academics and athletics to make use of the developing, printing, and scanning facilities.

It looks a good setup though. Hasselblad X5 scanner in there as well, which is an expensive bit of kit.

Andysnap · 20 Dec 2014

That sounds interesting. wish we had something like that near here.

RaglanSurf · 20 Dec 2014

Andysnap said:
That sounds interesting. wish we had something like that near here.

Isn't there a Wheeltappers and Shunters Photographic society?

Andysnap · 21 Dec 2014

No, that was whippet racing......

donut · 21 Dec 2014

pjm1 said:
The only downside is in order to use the facilities you have to become a member (at £70 a year) but I'm guessing it could easily be worthwhile, quite possibly just for the use of the X5. They also run tuition courses which seem ok value (£100 for two full days) covering darkroom, processing etc.

not sure i'd bother about the tuition Paul ,its really not that difficult ( for black and white )

RaglanSurf · 21 Dec 2014

donut said:
not sure i'd bother about the tuition Paul ,its really not that difficult ( for black and white )

I'm pretty sure, if Street Level Photoworks are anything like other accessible darkroom facilities, that you will have to do their darkroom tuition course unless you can provide evidence that you already possess the knowledge and experience to use the facilities unassisted.

Andysnap · 21 Dec 2014

B & w is easy, true, but sometimes it is easier to learn by watching and doing than reading. I had no idea how it worked until I watched your little video and despite the language barrier it was really useful

joxby · 21 Dec 2014

I took an 8 week course even though I already knew what I was doing.
Turns out I'd forgotten nearly everything but the basic mechanics of enlarging and developing paper.

..duh

pjm1 · 21 Dec 2014

Yeah I don't mind paying to do the course... As you say Andy it can be easier having someone there the first time or two. Also if the facilities are as good as they look I don't mind financially supporting them a bit as access to this stuff is worth every penny (just a shame my photography isn't... Yet!)

donut · 21 Dec 2014

Andysnap said:
B & w is easy, true, but sometimes it is easier to learn by watching and doing than reading. I had no idea how it worked until I watched your little video and despite the language barrier it was really useful

not my fault if you cant speak english

donut · 21 Dec 2014

donut · 21 Dec 2014

RaglanSurf said:
I'm pretty sure, if Street Level Photoworks are anything like other accessible darkroom facilities, that you will have to do their darkroom tuition course unless you can provide evidence that you already possess the knowledge and experience to use the facilities unassisted.

yeah thats furrymuff Nick .

skysh4rk · 21 Dec 2014

RaglanSurf said:
I'm pretty sure, if Street Level Photoworks are anything like other accessible darkroom facilities, that you will have to do their darkroom tuition course unless you can provide evidence that you already possess the knowledge and experience to use the facilities unassisted.

You have to do a short induction, but aren't required to do the tuition course as long as you have some previous experience. Your only option to gain access if you don't have experience is probably to do one of their courses though.

pjm1 said:
Yeah I don't mind paying to do the course... As you say Andy it can be easier having someone there the first time or two. Also if the facilities are as good as they look I don't mind financially supporting them a bit as access to this stuff is worth every penny (just a shame my photography isn't... Yet!)

I think that it's worth doing. They have some really good facilities and equipment that would simply be impossible to acquire on your own. As soon as my PhD is finished, I'll probably join up.

steveo_mcg · 21 Dec 2014

There is one in Edinburgh too, you need an induction course then it's £12 a day, I just don't have time to use it and while £12 is reasonable for the day, for two hours in the evening it's a bit steep.

Though they do have an x1 so even if I only get time to do two scans it's cheaper than a commercial high quality scan.

pjm1 · 21 Dec 2014

Well, I popped in today and was given a little tour around. It's fan-bloomin'-tastic! Just before midday on a Sunday and there was one person in the dark room and that was it. 5 macs unused, A2 and A3 printers unused, X5 unused, flatbed scanner unused, developing room empty (except for chemicals and Patterson tanks - of which there were loads!)... and so it went on.

Needless to say I've joined for a year and have booked an introduction to darkroom, processing etc. for end of January. I'll get my money's worth from the X5 before then though!! An added bonus is everyone there seems very nice and it's a pretty chilled atmosphere.