This two-part workshop series explores alternative photographic processes through the development of black and white film, specifically Ilford HP5+, using a polyphenol compound extracted from gorse flowers. This environmentally conscious technique draws parallels to the caffenol process, utilising the flowers polyphenols to strip the silver halide crystals from the film.

Each workshop is structured across two sessions. The first session begins with a guided photowalk around the outskirts of Ōtautahi (location to be confirmed), during which participants will also forage for gorse flowers to create their own film developer. Following this, the collected flowers will be steeped in boiling water for three days to extract the necessary compounds.

The second session will take place three days later at Photosynthesis, where participants will use the gorse flower water to create the developer, develop and scan the film they shot during the photowalk.

What to bring:

• A film camera

• One roll of Ilford HP5+ film

• A container for collecting gorse flowers

Workshop Dates:

Stream 1:
Photowalk — Sunday 3 May, 12:00pm
Developing & Scanning — Wednesday 6 May, 7:30pm

Stream 2:
Photowalk — Sunday 10 May, 12:00pm
Developing & Scanning — Wednesday 13 May, 7:30pm

Each session runs for approximately three hours. Tickets are priced at $40. Bookings are made using the Sunday session of the stream. Please note that session times may be subject to change depending on weather conditions.