Penumbra Mini Series
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Penumbra Mini Series introduces all-level practitioners to selected historic processes. Structured to offer hands-on photographic demonstrations not usually available to the majority of students, inviting them not only to learn but also to discover and connect with a larger community of makers.
No darkroom experience is necessary in these 3-hour workshops. Participants receive instruction in all aspects of working with a specific photography process, from producing optimized digital negatives to coating papers and making prints. By the end of the session, students will each have created several prints and acquired an understanding of the process's fundamentals, allowing them to continue their exploration in other educational initiatives or on their own.
The Mini Series is composed of three workshops, with a different photographic process covered in each session. Students may register for any number of the offerings in a series, with discounts offered for those who register for the bundle of all three. To date, the processes taught in Mini Series include: Cyanotype, Kallitype, Platinum Palladium, Cyanotype with inkjet layering, and Cyanotype on fabric.
This summer marks the 1-year anniversary of the Mini Series, which is currently running its fourth edition of the program. Since July of 2024, the Series has received 132 registrations, selling out every class in its run.
Student testimonials:
“I wish these were on offer more for people who don't have access or too much money. This was a great experience overall and great instruction as always by Jarrett.”
“This was a wonderful introductory class to Cyanotype printing. Thanks for offering it at a very affordable price. Because of it, I look forward to taking the more in depth workshop at Penumbra.”
About the processes:
The processes included in the Mini Series are determined by the directness of their application and the ability to be taught end to end in the span of a single class, so students can easily replicate the techniques learned.
Cyanotype:
Discovered in 1842, the cyanotype is instantly recognizable for its Prussian blue-colored prints. Used by Anna Atkins in the creation of the seminal book Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, the cyanotype process remains in wide use by artists today. Prints are made on paper, fabric, or other substrates either by placing objects directly on the sensitized surface, or as photographic images from transparencies.
Kallitype:
Patented in 1889, the kallitype is made by coating paper with a ferric oxalate and silver nitrate solution, producing images with remarkable depth and detail. Kallitypes, sometimes known as "the poor man's platinum print", are tonally rich and have exceptional stability. Developing solutions can be used to achieve different colors, including brown, sepia, blue, maroon, or black.
Platinum Palladium:
Platinum palladium, patented in the 1870s, is celebrated for its unique aesthetic and archival qualities and it has been used by numerous renowned photographers throughout history. This process yields prints with a very delicate and wide tonal range from warm black to reddish brown to expanded mid-tone grays that are unobtainable in silver prints.
About the lead instructor:
Jarrett Esaw is a photographer based in New York City. He received his BFA in Studio Art from Hunter College. His work encompasses a variety of genres, with a focus on street photography. Interested in natural lighting, Jarrett explores New York for compositions and situations that stand out through the ways in which light and shadow condition perceptions of city life. The print is an integral aspect of his practice. Whether it be traditional silver gelatin, historic and digital processes, Jarrett feels that his images are only fully realized once they exist physically.
At Penumbra, Jarrett began as an intern, making albumen prints with founder Eric Taubman. In 2021, Jarrett furthered his exploration of historic processes while working as a lab assistant for Morgan Post, who was conducting research for his book, Alternative Process Photography for the Contemporary Photographer, published by Routledge that same year.
In 2022, Jarrett became part of the inaugural cohort of the Fujifilm/Penumbra Foundation Internship Program, working with cameraless photographer and artist Liz Nielsen, assisting her in the color darkroom. After completing the Internship Program, Fujifilm paired Jarrett with award-winning photographer Ibarionex Perello in San Francisco, as part of the rollout of the new Fujifilm X-T5 camera.
During this time, Jarrett discovered a passion for teaching, and in 2023, began working at Penumbra, instructing workshops for teens, as well as teaching in Penumbra’s high school educational partnerships. Understanding the creative and narrative potentials of material photography, Jarrett saw a need to make these processes more accessible to younger artists and those lacking resources. In 2024, he became the instructor of the Penumbra Mini Series, bringing photographic arts education to all who may not otherwise have had the opportunity.
This program has made possible by the following individuals and organizations:
Edward Grazda, Valerie Sonenthal, Fujifilm, and anonymous donors.
This program is sponsored by:
To learn more about this program, get involved and/or donate, please contact: info@penumbrafoundation.org