Black and White Printing makes its first appearance at Satori this year after several years of other black and white photography classes.

The course is taught by Jeff Kent, who has formerly run course on both developing black and white film and on taking pictures. Student Kelsey Gaines said, “The teacher, Mr. Kent, is really, really nice.”

Kent has taught both Art and Third Grade, but has significant photography experience. “I do my own photo work and sculpture, and commercial photos for twenty-some years. I also show my photos.”

The course itself is a complicated and there is a lot to be covered, including things such as enlargements, darkening and lightening photos, chemicals, and filters, according to a booklet Kent handed out to the class.

“The course is very hands on, a wonderful opportunity for young photographers,” Gaines said. In the class a great deal of darkroom work is required, as students use negatives of photographs to develop prints on their own. That makes it easier to customize photos, producing techniques and effects that a commercial photo lab does not provide, Kent said.

Some students are happy with the course. “It met all expectations,” Gaines said. Not all feel the same way, though. Preeti Mistry said, “It’s not what I expected it to be.” Mistry said she expected to be taking some photographs as well as developing them, but she said she still feels the course will be enjoyable.

The fact that already-processed black and white negatives are needed for the course has caused some problems, as roughly half of the 14 student class did not come prepared with negatives. All in all, though, Black and White printing is off to a promising start.

The course is run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in the Art Building rooms 201 and 205.