An Introduction to Alternative Process

Instructor: Brittonie Fletcher | Tuition: $491 (Members) $578 (Non-Members)
Dates: Sundays, June 15 - July 13 | Time: 12 - 3 PM ET | Class Size Max: 10

from $463.00

Images 1-2 © prints by Griffin Shapiro, Images 3-7 © Brittonie Fletcher

Course Overview

This 5-week online course introduces participants to alternative and historic photographic processes, focusing on cyanotype, salted paper, and albumen printing. Designed for both beginners and experienced photographers, it provides practical guidance on setting up a home workspace—whether in a kitchen, basement, or studio—while ensuring safe and accessible methods for printing. Through live demonstrations, hands-on in-class experimentation, and group discussions, students will explore various historic processes, working with personal images, found objects, or cliché verres. While the course looks to the past, it also examines contemporary photographic practices, fostering a deeper understanding of the medium’s evolution.

Participants will learn how to safely handle photographic chemicals, source materials affordably, and create a range of prints with different processes and toning methods. The structured, work-along format encourages collaboration, with opportunities for feedback through class critiques and discussions. By the end of the course, students will have developed a strong foundation in alternative processes, along with comprehensive notes to support further exploration beyond the classroom.

If your desired tuition option is unavailable, please email info@penumbrafoundation.org and we will do our best to accommodate you. If the entire class is sold out, we can add you to the waitlist.

BRITTONIE FLETCHER (MFA) has a creative practice between the UK and the USA. In addition to teaching at Penumbra, Brittonie is a dedicated teacher at Stills Centre for Photography in Scotland, where she initiated their Alternative Process Program. She has taught elsewhere, including the Royal College of Art. Brittonie's work is published in books from Focal/Rutledge Press (including Christina Z Anderson's Salt book and Annette Goez's Cyanotype Toning of the same series) and Random House. Her work is exhibited and included in public collections and private international collections.