Thrifted 35mm: Vintage cameras, hidden histories & home film developing
Every vintage point-and-shoot camera has lived a life before it found its way to a thrift store. Who carried it? What did it capture? Is there still a forgotten roll of film tucked inside? Half the fun is not knowing.
Join Martin Vanners (NL), whose thrifted-camera adventures, including developing a mystery roll from a 1929 camera featured by Bored Panda, have inspired thousands to see old cameras in a new light, for a fun, hands-on introduction to the surprising world of secondhand film photography.
There's a reason film photography is having a comeback. Beyond the nostalgia is the simple pleasure of slowing down, embracing the unexpected, and creating something tangible in a world where most of our photos live on screens. These little cameras invite you to pay attention, enjoy the process, and appreciate the surprises that only film can deliver.
You'll borrow one of our collection of rescued vintage 35mm point-and-shoot cameras—or, if you've already found a thrift-store treasure of your own, bring it along and we'll help you put it to work. Then we'll head out to make photographs. No intimidating camera jargon or worrying about f-stops and apertures—just load some film, press the shutter, and enjoy the anticipation that makes film photography so addictive.
Back in the studio, we'll show you how to develop your own black-and-white film, scan your negatives, and make prints at home using simple, affordable methods. We'll also explore ways to make the process more sustainable with eco-friendlier development practices, including options like coffee-based film developers, food-waste composting, and experimenting with alternative “film soups” to transform your film into something completely mind-blowing. We'll provide all the equipment and materials you'll need during the workshop, and you'll leave with a resource guide so you can continue the adventure on your own.
Participants are invited to return for an optional evening pop-up exhibition during Art Walk. We'll showcase the prints made in class, share stories from our thrifted cameras, and toast the beautifully unpredictable results together.
Whether you fall in love with the first thrift-store camera you find or start a collection of your own, you'll discover that film photography doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Sometimes the best photographs—and the best stories—come from cameras with a past.
No experience necessary. Whether you're rediscovering film or experiencing it for the first time, we'll provide everything you need to get started.
Limited to 6 people.
Location: Port Townsend, WA
Date and Time: Oct 2 | 9am - 5pm and Oct 3 | 10am - 3pm (5pm-8pm gallery exhibit optional)
Workshop Schedule
Day One | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
We'll meet, get acquainted with our vintage 35mm point-and-shoot cameras (or yours, if you've brought one), load film, and head out to make photographs. After a lunch break, we'll return to the studio to develop our black-and-white film. Your negatives will hang overnight to dry—the hardest part of film photography is often the waiting!
Day Two | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
After another lunch break, we'll scan our dried negatives, edit them if needed, and make prints to exhibit and take home. We'll also talk about affordable home setups and send you home with a resource guide so you can continue developing, scanning, and printing on your own.
Optional Community Exhibition | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
You're invited to return for a casual pop-up exhibit during Art Walk, where we'll display prints made during the workshop. Share your work, celebrate everyone's unique results, and see just how differently each thrifted camera interpreted the world.
Thrifted 35mm: Vintage cameras, hidden histories & home film developing
Every vintage point-and-shoot camera has lived a life before it found its way to a thrift store. Who carried it? What did it capture? Is there still a forgotten roll of film tucked inside? Half the fun is not knowing.
Join Martin Vanners (NL), whose thrifted-camera adventures, including developing a mystery roll from a 1929 camera featured by Bored Panda, have inspired thousands to see old cameras in a new light, for a fun, hands-on introduction to the surprising world of secondhand film photography.
There's a reason film photography is having a comeback. Beyond the nostalgia is the simple pleasure of slowing down, embracing the unexpected, and creating something tangible in a world where most of our photos live on screens. These little cameras invite you to pay attention, enjoy the process, and appreciate the surprises that only film can deliver.
You'll borrow one of our collection of rescued vintage 35mm point-and-shoot cameras—or, if you've already found a thrift-store treasure of your own, bring it along and we'll help you put it to work. Then we'll head out to make photographs. No intimidating camera jargon or worrying about f-stops and apertures—just load some film, press the shutter, and enjoy the anticipation that makes film photography so addictive.
Back in the studio, we'll show you how to develop your own black-and-white film, scan your negatives, and make prints at home using simple, affordable methods. We'll also explore ways to make the process more sustainable with eco-friendlier development practices, including options like coffee-based film developers, food-waste composting, and experimenting with alternative “film soups” to transform your film into something completely mind-blowing. We'll provide all the equipment and materials you'll need during the workshop, and you'll leave with a resource guide so you can continue the adventure on your own.
Participants are invited to return for an optional evening pop-up exhibition during Art Walk. We'll showcase the prints made in class, share stories from our thrifted cameras, and toast the beautifully unpredictable results together.
Whether you fall in love with the first thrift-store camera you find or start a collection of your own, you'll discover that film photography doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Sometimes the best photographs—and the best stories—come from cameras with a past.
No experience necessary. Whether you're rediscovering film or experiencing it for the first time, we'll provide everything you need to get started.
Limited to 6 people.
Location: Port Townsend, WA
Date and Time: Oct 2 | 9am - 5pm and Oct 3 | 10am - 3pm (5pm-8pm gallery exhibit optional)
Workshop Schedule
Day One | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
We'll meet, get acquainted with our vintage 35mm point-and-shoot cameras (or yours, if you've brought one), load film, and head out to make photographs. After a lunch break, we'll return to the studio to develop our black-and-white film. Your negatives will hang overnight to dry—the hardest part of film photography is often the waiting!
Day Two | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
After another lunch break, we'll scan our dried negatives, edit them if needed, and make prints to exhibit and take home. We'll also talk about affordable home setups and send you home with a resource guide so you can continue developing, scanning, and printing on your own.
Optional Community Exhibition | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
You're invited to return for a casual pop-up exhibit during Art Walk, where we'll display prints made during the workshop. Share your work, celebrate everyone's unique results, and see just how differently each thrifted camera interpreted the world.
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