Penumbra Foundation
Classes in NYC
The Penumbra Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing workshops, education, lectures, and events to the worldwide photographic community. They aim to be a comprehensive resource for photographers of all levels and to promote the impact of photography on culture, history, and the arts.
16 classes with availability
The 8x10 Portrait
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Refine your portraiture skills through hands-on large-format photography in the studio and on the streets of New York City. Explore approaches to directing subjects, composition, perspective, and intentional lighting while gaining practical experience working with an 8x10 camera. Receive direct feedback and critique to strengthen your portrait-making practice.
Oct 24th
10am–6pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$1,072
6 Seats Left
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Sat. Oct 24th, 10am–6pm ET
(16 hours over 2 sessions)
Building a Body of Work
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Build a cohesive photographic project through guided critique, thoughtful editing, and focused discussion. Strengthen your visual voice while exploring sequencing, narrative, and conceptual clarity. Built for artists at any stage, the experience provides practical tools for sustaining long-term work and confidently articulating ideas through images.
Nov 5th
6–9pm ET
Meets 6 Times
$700
8 Seats Left
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Thu. Nov 5th, 6–9pm ET
(18 hours over 6 sessions)
Phytograms
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Explore a cameraless photographic process that transforms plant materials and film into vivid, one-of-a-kind images. Using homemade plant-based developers, you'll create transparent prints rich with texture and color, ideal for further experimentation. Learn each step—from preparation to finishing—and unlock new creative possibilities through this organic, light-sensitive technique.
Nov 7th
10am–6pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$805
2 Seats Left
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Sat. Nov 7th, 10am–6pm ET
(16 hours over 2 sessions)
Introduction to Zines
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Tap into your creative side and tell your own story through the engaging craft of zine-making. Investigate the historical and theoretical sides of zine culture in this welcoming workshop. Pick up the basics of producing your own tangible self-published work and try out the expressive possibilities of this distinctive art form.
Sat. Oct 24th, 10am–6pm ET
(8 hours)
Lighting for Film
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Explore the art of lighting for film photography in this hands-on workshop. Gain experience with ambient and strobe lighting techniques while working with large and medium-format cameras. Capture striking portraits, analyze your work in a collaborative setting, and refine your technical and creative approach. Develop a deeper understanding of light, composition, and the relationships that shape compelling imagery.
Nov 7th
10am–6pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$835
2 Seats Left
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Sat. Nov 7th, 10am–6pm ET
(16 hours over 2 sessions)
8"x10" Wet Plate
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Explore the craft of creating tintypes and ambrotypes on a larger scale, refining your collodion technique under expert guidance. Use our top-notch facilities and equipment for an unforgettable hands-on experience in the historic process of wet plate photography.
Nov 14th
10am–6pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$750
1 Seat Left
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Sat. Nov 14th, 10am–6pm ET
(16 hours over 2 sessions)
Identifying 19th Century Prints
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Develop a practical understanding of historic photographic processes and learn to distinguish 19th-century prints and cased objects. Examine original examples while exploring materials, production techniques, visual characteristics, and common deterioration issues. Gain valuable preservation knowledge for handling and storing early photographs and identifying materials in personal or professional collections.
Sun. Oct 25th, 10am–2pm ET
(4 hours)
Introduction to Risography for Photo Printing
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Explore the creative possibilities of Risograph printing as you transform your photographs into striking one- and two-color prints. Learn how to prepare digital files, achieve desired tonal effects, and experiment with vivid inks like black, red, purple, white, and yellow. Includes hands-on guidance and an overview of Riso history and technique.
Nov 21st
10am–6pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$755
2 Seats Left
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Sat. Nov 21st, 10am–6pm ET
(16 hours over 2 sessions)
Platinum Palladium Practice
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Expand your expertise in platinum palladium printing with this hands-on course designed for those with prior experience. Review essential techniques for coating paper and processing prints, then dedicate ample time to practice and refine your skills. Perfect your prints in a collaborative classroom setting, limited to 8x10 sizes, with expert guidance throughout.
Nov 11th
6–9pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$315
2 Seats Left
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Wed. Nov 11th, 6–9pm ET
(6 hours over 2 sessions)
View Camera Crash Course
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Investigate the world of large format portraiture and the distinctive perspective of the view camera. Pick up insight into its history and contemporary uses while building essential techniques for shooting, processing sheet film, and scanning. Through guided practice and hands-on exercises, you'll grow the skills and confidence to bring this powerful tool into your own photographic work.
Dec 5th
10am–5pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$750
1 Seat Left
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Sat. Dec 5th, 10am–5pm ET
(14 hours over 2 sessions)
Intro to Wet Plate with Sam Dole
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Take in the magic of producing distinctive images through the historic process of wet plate collodion. Discover the craft of hand pouring chemicals onto metal plates to produce striking tintypes and ambrotypes. Tap into your creative side and step fully into this hands-on workshop.
Dec 5th
10am–6pm ET
Meets 2 Times
$725
1 Seat Left
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Sat. Dec 5th, 10am–6pm ET
(16 hours over 2 sessions)
Mini Series: Platinum Palladium
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Explore the art of platinum palladium printing through this accessible workshop. Gain hands-on experience with digital negatives, paper coating, and print processing, and leave with two prints and a foundational understanding of the process. Perfect for beginners, this class offers a chance to try a new technique without a long-term commitment. No darkroom experience necessary.
Wed. Oct 21st, 6–9pm ET
(3 hours)
Double-Sided: Inkjet Printing for Book Projects
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Explore the creative potential of inkjet printing for book and zine projects in this hands-on workshop. Learn to select the right paper, manage color and files, and understand how materials influence visual impact. You'll leave with printed spreads and a deeper sense of how images function in book form.
Sat. Dec 12th, 10am–6pm ET
(8 hours)
Paper Positives: In-Camera Color
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Discover a distinctive analog photography technique that transforms color photographic paper into luminous, one-of-a-kind positive images created directly in camera. Through hands-on studio and darkroom practice, explore large-format camera operation, exposure control, color correction, and specialized processing methods. Photograph still lifes and portraits while gaining a deeper understanding of image-making from capture to print. Leave with a collection of original works and the skills to continue experimenting independently.
Sat. Dec 12th, 10am–6pm ET
(8 hours)
Lumen Printing
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Discover the art of cameraless photography by creating beautiful, ethereal lumen prints. In this hands-on workshop, you'll experiment with various techniques and materials to explore how light, time, and paper influence color on gelatin silver paper. Perfect for all levels, this creative experience offers a unique way to engage with alternative photographic processes.
Sun. Dec 13th, 10am–5pm ET
(7 hours)
Wet Plate Practice Day
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Refine your tintype skills with a full day dedicated to hands-on wet plate photography. Work collaboratively with shared equipment and materials as you practice pouring, adjust exposure times, and perfect your technique under expert guidance, creating striking, one-of-a-kind images.
Mon. Dec 7th, 10am–6pm ET
(8 hours)
More classes to explore
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Calotype
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Invented by photographic pioneer Henry Fox Talbot, the calotype was the first negative-to-positive photographic process. In this hands-on workshop, students will be guided from start to finish in the production of calotype negatives with accompanying salt prints. This workshop covers everything from the historical and political importance of the process to practical applications like paper selections and process variations. Students will be...
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Studio Lighting for Wet Plate
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Given its extremely low sensitivity to light, the wet plate collodion process has historically called for long exposures in order to yield a proper image. With the advent of modern strobe-based lighting, practitioners of this 19th century process now have a host of creative options opened to them with exposures that are instantaneous, thus negating the time exposures ranging in the upper seconds otherwise necessary to the process. This workshop will...
This class isn’t on the schedule at the moment, but save it to your Wish List to find out when it comes back!
Digital Negatives and Platinum Palladium Printing
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Master the art of platinum-palladium printing by learning to create digital negatives and produce exquisite handcrafted prints. This hands-on course combines modern digital techniques with traditional analog practices, offering ample time for experimentation and creative options like gold toning and layering with cyanotype. Finish with beautiful prints and the confidence to continue on your own.
This class isn’t on the schedule at the moment, but save it to your Wish List to find out when it comes back!
Building a Camera Obscura
Penumbra Foundation See all classes by this school @ 36 E 30th St, New York, NY
Discover the origins of photography by building and using a fully functioning camera obscura in this hands-on workshop. Explore its historical and contemporary uses, then create and develop your own images in the darkroom. This immersive experience invites all levels to engage with light, optics, and image-making in a truly unique way.
This class isn’t on the schedule at the moment, but save it to your Wish List to find out when it comes back!
Reviews of Penumbra Foundation
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Failing Up
I was the most inexperienced member of the class and the only one who primarily worked in digital photography and associated editing programs. Nonetheless, I found the instructor and the other class members helpful and supportive. -
Mini Series: Kallitype
The class was very informative. The teacher was great. I was disappointed by the way my prints came out. It was an issue with many of the prints. Not sure if it was the way it was processed or the chemicals and think that needs to be worked out before this class is done again. -
Pinhole Workshop for Teens
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Plein-Air Photograms and Darkroom Experimentation
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Studio Lighting for Wet Plate
Sam Dole helped me complete a three year search for the right combination of studio lighting, he is knowledgeable, articulate and a professional. I would likely take additional courses with him in the future. Thanks all, JR Morgan -
How to Write an Artist Statement
I loved the instructor Liz! Fabulous person! -
Digital Negatives and Platinum Palladium Printing
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Five Days of Alternative Process
I have taken several classes at the Penumbra Foundation and I'm always pleased with the results and the professionalism of the Staff there. -
Building a Camera Obscura
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Chemigram
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Pinhole Workshop for Teens
